Kaohsiung’s popular pickled cabbage and pork hot pot is now available in Taichung—and it’s half-price in the afternoon!

Text and photos byFeitian Xuan

Another day of random ordering—going out with Hao Maji means I can be this carefree. We were originally planning to meet at another restaurant, but didn’t expect it to be so busy on the holiday that we couldn’t get a last-minute reservation. In the end, we chose “Liu’s Pickled Cabbage and Pork Hot Pot,” which originally comes from Zuoying, Kaohsiung. Back when Kevin and I traveled to Kaohsiung, we even made a special trip just to eat here!

This Taichung branch is the seventh store in the chain, located on Huiven Road in Nantun District, Taichung.

The most attractive part is probably the half-price hot pot from 2:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon!

Despite mixed online reviews, “Liu’s Pickled Cabbage and Pork Hot Pot” still does very good business. We came for dinner on a holiday, and the place was fully booked.

Menu.

You can choose a set meal or à la carte. That day, Kevin went to park the car, and our friends hadn’t arrived yet, so I just grabbed the menu and started randomly circling things. I wasn’t really that hungry, but every time I look at a menu, I get this urge to fill up. I think... I might be sick or something? Maybe they should give me an exam answer sheet to fill out instead... XD There were four adults and two kids, and I ordered a Set 2, which is suitable for 3–4 people.

Contents:
1 pot
$35 Three side dishes
15 dumplings
2 grilled flatbreads
1 scallion pancake
4 red bean sponge cakes

There’s also a menu on the wall, and side dishes in the cabinet, with different prices for large and small portions.

By the time I finished mixing my sauce and brought it back to the table, I realized there was already dipping sauce on the table... (Wow, how clueless can I be...>)<")

Even though they’re just side dishes, they were all pretty good and quite appetizing.

The dumpling wrappers are a bit thick, but the filling is quite generous. I’d say the texture isn’t particularly outstanding...

For the rolled pancakes, we chose beef and chicken flavors. The beef one has a richer taste, while the chicken one is quite refreshing. I actually really like the rolled pancakes—but starting off with carbs probably weakened my appetite for the rest. The scallion pancake is also pretty tasty, but it was outshined by the grilled flatbread.

Red bean sponge cake – It looks pretty ordinary, but it’s surprisingly good. The texture is soft and dense, and the red bean filling has a nice aroma without being too sweet... Little Cherry alone ate at least two pieces—that’s just scary!

When it’s served, it’s boiling hot, so be careful!

The pot already comes with pickled cabbage, pork, meatballs, tofu skin, and frozen tofu... Honestly, just the base alone is enough to fill you up!

The pickled cabbage is sour without being too sharp, and the broth tastes rich and mellow... While eating, I said to Kevin, “Why do I feel like the Taichung branch tastes better than the Zuoying main store in Kaohsiung? What do you think?” Kevin replied, “Really? Doesn’t it all taste about the same?” (← Fine, forget I asked. The ultimate mood-killer!)

Stir-fried seasonal vegetables – The spinach was stir-fried over high heat, giving it a great wok hei. Amazing!

Garlic shrimp with scallions – $300We just felt like adding something extra since we hadn’t eaten together in a while, and there were quite a few people dining that day. The shrimp were fresh, with firm meat, and the strong spices made it very appetizing and great with rice... (Turns out there was no rice, only dumplings? XD)

Deep-fried Pork Intestines - $200, It’s been a while since I had something this fatty, but fortunately, the greasiness wasn’t as bad as I expected. The intestines were well-marinated and flavorful, with a texture that was both crispy and tender... paired with green onions to add a bit of veggie flavor, it performed really well.

Vinegar Noodles - $80, I thought Kevin loved noodles, so I ordered this for him. But turns out we overordered that day, and getting this bowl of noodles felt a bit redundant. Surprisingly, others kept picking at it and it actually got finished.

Shrimp and Pork Soup Dumplings - $160, There’s a whole shrimp inside, so the price is relatively more justifiable in comparison.

Baby Bok Choy - $100, I “absolutely love baby bok choy,” and it’s rare to find it at hot pot restaurants. My heart instantly lit up—I was genuinely thrilled... baby bok choy takes longer to cook but doesn’t get mushy, and it has a nice crisp bite. Love it!!

Mixed Mushroom Platter - $180, Seems like this was also an overorder, because almost none of it was touched later.

Assorted Dumpling Platter - $180, I’m not a fan of these kinds of processed foods when eating hot pot, but I figured I should consider the others, so I went ahead and ordered them.

Turns out the others didn’t really eat much of them either—dang it, another wasted order.

Although online reviews are mixed, based on our experience dining there that day, the food wasn’t mind-blowing, but overall it was pretty good, and the prices were within reason. Plus, there were lots of dish options, making it great for family gatherings or a meal with a group of friends.

Liu Family Pickled Vegetable and White Meat Hot Pot
Official Website│Facebook
Address: No. 650, Huie Wen Road, Nantun District, Taichung City
Phone: (04) 2255-6201
Business Hours: 11:00–14:00, 14:30–22:30

Feitian Xuan
I casually document my life’s food, fun, and ups and downs in my blog. Blog, FB