Taichung’s wicked late-night snack scene: enjoy sake chicken and milk pot even on your own

Text and photos byDaKou

Hot pot has always been a favorite among Taiwanese, whether in winter or summer—it remains the top choice for gatherings. This time, we’re introducing a great late-night hot pot option: “Shang Shang Fang Hot Pot Cuisine,” located on Section 1, Zhonghua Road, Central District, Taichung City—right inside Zhonghua Night Market. Not only is the dining environment cozy, but there’s also a wide variety of hot pot options, and you can enjoy delicious choices like premium seafood pot, milk cheese pot, and sake chicken pot all on your own, leaving you feeling fully satisfied and full.

Their broths are all simmered from scratch, with no added artificial flavorings or essence. They even sauté onions at the beginning to enhance the broth’s sweetness—a rather thoughtful touch from the shop. The sake chicken pot, in particular, includes an entire bottle of Red Label rice wine and half a kilogram of black-bone chicken, making it hearty, authentic, and absolutely delicious—definitely worth trying.

%剂??洞??妒翘ㄖ行滦说木暗悖??????魏螅?氏只廊灰恍碌姆缑猖Not only does it serve both water-friendly and flood-prevention functions, but it also offers different views during the day and night. It’s quite nice to stroll around here. For cars, park along the designated spots on either side of the Liuchuan River, then walk over to explore Zhonghua Night Market—it’s just perfect, XD.

%济淮怼This time, our goal is to eat hot pot at Zhonghua Night Market—“Shang Shang Fang Hot Pot Cuisine” is located on Section 1, Zhonghua Road, Central District, Taichung City, which is inside the Zhonghua Road Tourist Night Market, right across from the New Day Theatre. The front sign isn’t small and is fairly visible and easy to find.

%肌吧仙蟹弧This place is right next to Hui Cha. If you really can’t find it, just look for the drink shop’s signboard—XD.

%妓?The shop is quite unique in that it’s open late into the night (or rather, early morning, XD), and during the day, it offers lunch, dinner, and late-night meal slots, making it a great spot for all you late-night snack lovers.

%嫉昴谠寄?胁0 or so seats, designed with a high-ceilinged bar area concept, where everyone sits around in a circle like at those old individual shabu-shabu joints. The atmosphere is really nostalgic—but the environment here is even nicer, with footrest poles underneath so you can sit comfortably without any discomfort. It’s really considerate.

%己谏?Each seat comes with a little drawer containing a packet of pocket tissues for use—and you can also store your personal belongings. This way, you can relax and enjoy your hot pot meal with ease. There’s also the menu and utensils on the table; just let the staff know what you’d like to order.

%肌吧仙蟹弧The ingredients used are also very fresh, and the oil they use is homemade, with no added artificial seasonings or essence—they really want you to enjoy the pure flavors.

%纪ENUThere are quite a few hot pot options available, as well as individually orderable meats, seafood, hot pot ingredients, vegetables, staples, and drinks. First-timers are recommended to try the signature or recommended hot pots first, then explore other flavors later—it’s not a bad idea.

%挤?Once seated, the staff will bring out a tray with some condiments for the hot pot, plus your chosen ingredients. This way, there’s no delay or confusion when starting your meal. They’ll also hand you a box of seasonings, including chopped scallions, mashed garlic, chili, vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce for you to help yourself to according to your taste.

%冀幼欧?The staff will also bring out a partition—it might seem like an unnecessary step if you’re eating by yourself, but they do this because they’re worried about splattering during the cooking process. It’s really considerate.

%荚诎璩吹墓?讨邢闫?欢掀吮嵌?矗?梦堑奈独偎布涠妓招牙病The staff will also ask you how spicy you’d like your food. We’ll talk more about this later.

%及璩春蠹尤敫咛谰屯瓿商赖桌猖Each hot pot order comes with a serving plate, a staple (white rice or glass noodles—you can also upgrade to instant noodles for an additional 10 NT), and the portions are quite generous.

%疾伺叹褪腔?镜母呃霾恕⑶嘟?恕⒔鹫牍健⑾愎健⒛径?⒎?选⒂衩准案魇交鸸?希?τ芯∮校?芯跻猜?删晃郎?摹The selection includes premium seafood, beef slices, lamb slices, pork slices, chicken slices, mushrooms, vegetables, glass noodles, and vermicelli—all neatly arranged and looking very fresh.

%继劳泛绕鹄雌奈?氏闾鹈溃?挥泄?嗟南懔霞跋憔?兜溃?街笪兜阑嵩较闩ǎ?巢囊不岣?牢多　The broth is rich and aromatic without being too greasy or heavy. The vegetables and meats are also fresh and of good quality, so the overall taste is excellent.　

%祭锿返难蟠懈?孟嗟贝笃鳎?不嵩街笤教鹈溃?还苁谴钆涫卟恕⑷饫嗷蚝Ｏ识己苁屎稀The ingredients are of high quality and very fresh. Whether you go for vegetables, meats, or seafood, everything tastes great.

%及追挂彩窍嗟贝笠煌耄?蟮靡猜?蘸玫宁The noodles are cooked just right—not too hard or too soft.

%冀幼沤?卟恕⒐嚼唷⒒鸸?系仁巢耐ㄍǘ?鹿?胫螅?罂谙肮咭豢?枷榷?恍┦吖?酶咛栏?闾鹪倮翠讨笕饫嗷蚝Ｏ剩?庋?哺?艹缘绞巢牡拿牢多　Pairing the ingredients with the broth, especially after adding some spicy elements, makes the flavors even more vibrant.　

%颊庖还?蚴羌strong>Milk Cheese Pot (368 NT)First, they sauté onions, then add milk to create the delicious milk cheese pot. On the side, there’s also shredded cheese that you can add according to your preference—we’ll talk more about how to eat it for the ultimate experience later.

%妓媸忠焕袒鼓芾痰讲簧傺蟠校?芯趼?娌氖盗系的?The broth is rich and creamy, with the aroma of milk and cheese but not overly sweet—the flavor is perfectly balanced.

%际紫纫彩窍冉?吖??鹿?胫螅?巢奈?铰??劳肪??蟪云鹄锤?闾鹩形叮?鎏聿簧傧拭揽诟小The ingredients are fresh, and the soup base complements them well. When you dip the ingredients into the pot, it feels really luxurious.

%贾魇吃蚴茄≡穸?郏?庋?湍芪?铰??劳废闾穑?钆渑Ｄ唐鹚竟??浅?屎稀If you’re a fan of creamy and cheesy flavors, this one is definitely for you.

%嫉倾丁Premium Seafood Pot (658 NT)It's served~ Inside there are squid, two king prawns, two red shrimp, crab, scallops, clams, fresh oysters, salmon, and other fresh ingredients. It looks lavish and abundant!

%Recommended for winter when the weather turns colder, especially when you're craving something hearty and flavorful!

%The soup base is made using a traditional clay pot stewed over low heat for hours, so when it’s poured into the pot, it brings out two different flavor profiles—both equally satisfying.

%Additionally, there are also enoki mushrooms, corn, enoki, lotus roots, and more, which are all super delicious and hard to resist.

%No matter if it's the stew, hotpot, or seafood, nothing feels lacking—it’s an incredibly satisfying meal overall.　

%The base they provide is quite deep, so even after adding all the ingredients, you can barely see what’s at the bottom!

%Personally, I think whether it’s the stew, hotpot, or seafood, none disappoint. The abalone is especially rich in umami, one bite fills your mouth with the intense taste of the sea. The soft yet Q-textured abalone paired with tender scallops is just amazing!

%The scallops have a springy texture, are sweet and fragrant, and are delicious even on their own!

%The enoki mushrooms become super aromatic after soaking up the broth, adding a unique texture to each bite. They don’t get too soggy either, and the chewiness makes them even better!

%The ingredients provided are all pre-prepped, such as the clams, which have already been shucked, so you just need to toss them into the pot, cook until they turn red, then simmer a bit more before enjoying!

%Although it’s not peak winter right now, the clams still maintain that fresh, sweet taste. Though not super plump, they’re still very enjoyable. The star is definitely the clams soaked in wine—they’re really flavorful!

%The mushrooms are also very tasty, and when combined with the broth, they create an even richer taste.

%The clams aren’t super big, but they’re still good. Remember not to cook them too long or they’ll get tough and that would be a shame~

%The fish is super fresh, and when you eat it, the flavors burst in your mouth. The mushrooms also absorb the broth well and taste great!

%Deep Sea Grouper Hotpot (368 NT)For those who love fish, don’t miss their daily limited deep sea grouper. It’s said to be delivered fresh from the source every day—the freshness is visible!

%The fish slices are thick and juicy, and the skin has a bit of chew, making the texture even better after cooking.

%The fish skin has tons of collagen, not fishy at all, and bursting with umami. The chewy texture is really satisfying!

%The meat is sweet and fresh, with a slight chewiness. It’s not overly fishy and pairs wonderfully with the rich broth.

%For just 8 NT more, you can upgrade to sirloin beef. We beef lovers definitely went for the upgrade. Their sirloin is super generous—not only is the portion large, but each slice is almost as big as your face~ The fine marbling is just irresistible!

%Seriously... the size of the meat slices needs no explanation. It’s seriously huge. For a hotpot place, this is considered very generous!

%The beef is tender and juicy, and even without dipping sauce, it’s incredibly flavorful. The texture is perfect—not too chewy. The marbling is top-notch.

%The broth is also rich and flavorful. Although it’s not super thick, it doesn’t lack umami. Paired with their specially made satay sauce, it becomes even more aromatic and delicious. It’s super satisfying overall!

%Additionally, there’s another option: the pork belly they provide is cooked in the hotpot until it’s super crispy. Ah~ I still miss that addictive texture to this day, ahhh!

%The broth is also not bland—the clams add sweetness, and the enoki mushrooms are super umami. At one point, I almost thought I was eating Korean hotpot XD

%The beef is super tender and juicy, and when paired with cheese, it becomes even more flavorful. Also, the cheese can be used on vegetables, which adds extra aroma, texture, and sweetness. Cheese lovers must try this!

%Burnt Liquor Chicken Hotpot (288 NT)This one is also one of the shop’s signatures. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves burnt liquor chicken. First, they stir-fry old ginger and black-bone chicken until half-cooked, then set it aside. The whole process fills the air with an intense aroma, instantly reviving your taste buds even if you were almost full XD

%Then they add medicinal herbs and continue to simmer everything together. It’s honestly super hearty—I have to say the ingredients are very generous and high quality!

%Then they add traditional Chinese medicine herbs to complete the final touches.

% Can't really tell if it's spicy or not? It's not overly spicy, but it's definitely flavorful and delicious!

% The black-bone chicken here is said to weigh up to half a pound, and most servings offer leg meat. The taste and quality are both great!

% The ingredients look generous and substantial, with a rich aroma of wine — it’s super tempting!

% I suggest you can ask the restaurant to add more chicken or mushrooms if you want. When we were there, we saw them bring out freshly cooked dishes.

% It’s really good — all the ingredients are fresh, and the medicinal herbs are used sparingly. There aren’t any strong flavors from alcohol, Chinese herbs, or heavy spices. If you don’t like overly herbal soups, you can ask them to add regular broth or just a bit of spice — it still tastes great.

% There’s also added squid slices, and the chicken pieces are tender and juicy.

% The chicken here has no gamy smell at all, and the taste is really rich. It’s so surprising how tasty it is!

% The chicken soup here is really rich and fragrant. Besides the tender chicken and mushrooms, there’s also wine, Chinese herbs, and a bit of alcohol — even in hot weather, it warms you up nicely.

% All the chicken dishes here are top-notch, and really delicious — they were super satisfying to eat. Also, the side dish plate that comes with the Korean-style chicken hotpot only has cabbage. If you want a regular side plate, it’s just an extra 40 NT$, which is quite worth it!

% Also, the ingredients they use here are all fresh and high-quality. It’s not just about the looks — the taste is amazing too.

“Shang Shang Fang Hot Pot Cuisine” not only has a comfortable environment and a wide variety of dishes, but you can also come here for a late-night snack if you get hungry at night — it’s a bit indulgent, but in a good way. Their premium seafood hotpot lets you enjoy a variety of fresh seafood all in one pot, bursting with flavor and guaranteed to leave you happy and satisfied. The milk cheese hotpot is also fantastic — the broth is rich and creamy, and when paired with melted cheese, it’s insanely delicious. Whether you pair it with vegetables or meats, it’s all wonderful. Plus, the Korean-style chicken hotpot is incredibly tasty — the chicken is tender and juicy, and the soup, full of wine aroma and traditional Chinese medicine fragrance, is sweet, smooth, and fragrant with a rich aftertaste that makes you fall in love with it at first bite. Friends who are interested might want to give it a try — you might just find your new favorite late-night meal here!

Shang Shang Fang Hot Pot Cuisine
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Address: No. 67, Section 1, Zhonghua Road, Central District, Taichung City (inside Zhonghua Night Market, diagonally opposite Nichinichi New Theater)
Phone: 04-22221119
Business Hours: 17:00 – 5:00 AM

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