One person can enjoy it too—Taichung now has sukiyaki with fresh local beef!

Text and photos by /Orange Dog Loves Candy

Tainan’s fresh local beef soup is quite a famous beef dish in Taiwan. Many tourists even wake up early to queue for it. Now, outside of Tainan, there are also many restaurants that deliver freshly sourced local beef. For example, this place called 【That Cow】 is highly recommended. In addition to sukiyaki with fresh local beef, they also offer a variety of stir-fried dishes—you can eat well and get full without spending a lot. Although there are now plenty of affordable stir-fry eateries, the portion sizes, pricing, and refinement of flavors really do differ. With Mother’s Day in May coming up soon, choosing a restaurant that serves refined, delicious food at a reasonable price is truly important!

This 【That Cow】 is located at the intersection of Xitun Road and Huamei West Street, right next to the Matai Creek. Although it's on a corner, I wouldn’t say it’s very eye-catching. If I remember correctly, it’s been open for about a year now. I came here before to try the beef soup and was amazed by the broth. Although beef soup broths are quite competitive in Tainan, 【That Cow】’s broth definitely stands out. But before stepping inside, I actually thought it was a steakhouse XD

Later I found out it’s a specialty store for ‘beef dishes’—not just beef soup or beef hot pot, but with a wide variety of choices. The space inside the shop is divided between indoor and outdoor seating, but both are kept very clean. The tables are spaced fairly generously, not cramped together. They don’t focus on turnover rate but rather on making sure guests are comfortable. The boss and staff are super friendly, polite, and easy to chat with. They’re also very enthusiastic in introducing their signature dishes (which I really liked).

The kitchen is indoors, but the ventilation is pretty good, so I didn’t really notice any cooking smells (no wonder the place is so clean). And you can also see the fresh, locally delivered beef being prepared right inside. It turns out the chef cutting the meat is female too—she handles each cut and trims every part very meticulously. I think she cares more about ingredient quality than the customers do!

I have to mention the dipping sauces—because their satay sauce is homemade too!! The aroma is great, not inferior to the satay sauce from Tainan’s Xiaohaozhou Hot Pot, and it doesn’t feel as greasy as many store-bought brands.

For someone who loves eating satay sauce like it’s rice, their satay sauce is truly an essential partner for hot pot!

Take a look at the menu—the stir-fried dishes range from 80 to 260 NT$, which is actually not expensive at all. Once the dishes arrive, you’ll find them totally worth it. As for the beef dishes, besides the beef soup, they also offer beef fried rice, cold cuts, stir-fried beef, spicy meatballs, and hot pot—truly a beef specialty shop.

Even a ‘single-serving beef hot pot’ is available here—you don’t need to gather friends to enjoy hot pot, you can happily enjoy it alone. This is such a great service for us introverted homebodies. Now let me slowly introduce today’s delicious dishes Up!

【Stir-fried │ Thai Lemongrass Fish │ 240 NT$】This dish is pretty common in any stir-fry restaurant, whether Thai, Chinese, or Southeast Asian, but the portion sizes vary a lot. This one comes with a big fish that’s thick and meaty, and the flesh is sweet and tender. The sourness and Southeast Asian flavors are really good, with zero fishy taste. The big, tender pieces of fish with the sweet and sour sauce are perfect for rice and really whet the appetite—a whole family could enjoy this!

【Hot Pot │ Mini Beef Hot Pot │ Small portion 180 NT$ (includes rice) │ Recommended】Just by looking at the contents of the hot pot, you can tell how much this shop values food safety—there’s not a single pre-made hot pot ingredient. Everything is made with natural ingredients. The clear, golden broth is simmered with beef bones and vegetables, rich and mellow, incredibly delicious, with no greasy feeling at all. On the tongue, it’s just refreshing and richly sweet—absolutely recommended and a must-try!

The beef in the mini beef hot pot isn’t just thin slices like usual—it uses solid beef shank meat, tender with some thickness, and the tendon parts are slightly chewy, giving a solid texture. The shop suggests ordering extra fresh local beef if you love beef.

This whole plate of fresh local beef has 16 slices for 250 NT$, which is way more generous than the beef plate from the famous spot Ah Yu in Tainan. After just a few seconds in the hot pot, the pinkish meat with a slightly crispy tenderness—that’s the irresistible charm of fresh local beef!

【Rice Dishes │ Beef Stew Rice │ 50 NT$】This one is truly full of value—even though a bowl of stewed pork rice costs 50 NT$, it’s absolutely worth it. A big bowl of rice is topped with nearly half a bowl of beef stewed meat sauce (it’s beef, not pork!), and it looks like it’s stewed beef shank (not minced meat scraps).

The sauce is slightly sweet, not salty or greasy. There’s enough sauce to soak nicely into the rice in just the right proportion—not like some places that barely drizzle any. The other half of the bowl comes with stir-fried cabbage. You might not even get this much at a big bowl of pork meat sauce rice elsewhere!

Even the kids helped themselves to a small bowl and couldn’t stop eating. Before the hot pot is ready, maybe grab a bowl to stave off hunger!

【Stir-fried │ Handmade Mushroom Rolls │ 160 NT$】This is a signature appetizer that the shop highly recommends—I love it too. It’s kind of like a crispy spring roll, with a flaky, layered wrapper, and the filling is chopped mushrooms wrapped up. Though meat-free, the sweet and fragrant taste along with the mix of crispy and tender textures is rich, and the portion isn’t small. Eating it while hot is super satisfying, and it doesn’t feel greasy despite being fried—really great.

【Stir-fried │ Xinjiang Cumin Beef Ribs │ 220 NT$】This one really surprised me. At first glance, it didn’t look like what I expected. I wasn’t expecting much—the beef ribs didn’t have that glossy, red, tender appearance at all. The ribs in the dish looked kinda dry XD

So I thought, ‘These ribs are probably gonna be tough!’ But in reality, it was nothing like what I imagined. The beef ribs were actually really tender, and the strong, bold spice flavors had fully penetrated the meat. So with every bite, along with the juicy tenderness, there was bursts of cumin fragrance and a hint of spiciness. It’s definitely another highly recommended dish.

【Stir-fried │ Korean-Style Pickled Veggie & Cheese Tender Ribs │ 280 NT$】This one’s a creative dish. It’s a Taiwanese restaurant serving a Korean-style dish—cheese paired with tender beef ribs, no explanation needed. The ribs themselves are soft and delicious, plus the pickled veggies have a bit of spice, and the cheese is rich and aromatic. It’s definitely not low in calories, and I’d say the flavor is even stronger than the previous cumin ribs, but also saltier. I’d recommend eating it with rice for the best balance.

【Stir-fried │ Green Mushrooms & Bamboo Shoots │ 160 NT$】We didn’t order many vegetables that day, so the owner recommended this dish. It features the crispness of bamboo shoots, the sweetness of fresh asparagus, and the aroma and tender texture of several types of mushrooms. The stir-fry has a slightly strong flavor but isn’t spicy—the chili is just for aroma and garnish.

【Tainan Beef Soup │ Clear-Braised Beef Offal Soup │ NT$100】Preparing beef offal is quite a hassle, and making a clear-braised version requires even more meticulous handling of ingredients to avoid any unpleasant smells. The owner has, of course, handled everything flawlessly. The bowl is packed with a generous portion of offal—stomach, liver, intestines, and more—along with the spicy kick of shredded ginger and the rich, sweet broth. There’s more meat than I expected, and for NT$100, it’s really a great deal. I think even those who usually avoid beef offal should give it a try; it might surprise you.

【Premium Hot Pot │ Beef Shabu-Shabu │ Small NT$250 (includes a plate of fresh beef + beef broth)】If you’re a group of three or more and want to have hot pot, I highly recommend this shabu-shabu option. You can choose your preferred ingredients, and the basic set includes the plate of fresh beef (16 slices for NT$250), while other items like tofu skin and vegetable plates are ordered separately. Their ingredients are all very well selected—it’s definitely worth a try. For example, the ‘Handmade Beef Paste │ NT$100’ is excellent—you can see the ingredients are very hearty, and not every beef restaurant offers beef paste. It’s delicious and highly recommended.

Aside from the fresh beef, the tendon meat from the small hot pot earlier can also be ordered individually. How full you get depends on what you choose to order—go wild！

【Drink │ Sanhui Tea Cold Brew │ Forgot how much it cost】The bottle design is pretty nice. Cold brew tea seems to have become a new favorite in Taiwanese stir-fry restaurants. Most places serve another brand, but this one is in collaboration with Sanhui Tea from Taichung. The price is reasonable, the tea flavor is strong, and it’s refreshingly cooling and helps cut through greasiness. Definitely worth checking out.

For a restaurant serving freshly stir-fried Taiwanese cuisine, 【That Cow】 really puts a lot of effort into developing its menu, offering great value with both quality and taste. The space is also perfect for family meals. With more and more fresh beef restaurants around, not every place puts in this level of care. It’s a great choice for a satisfying yet budget-friendly meal—perfect for family gatherings or company dinners. Sharing my simple thoughts with everyone！

That Cow Fresh Beef Shabu-Shabu
Address: No. 1, Section 2, Xitun Road, West District, Taichung City
Phone: 0931-709909
Business Hours: 17:00–01:00
Tip: We recommend making a reservation in advance for groups or families.

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