Seafood lovers, take note！Taipei now has access to the ultra-popular "steamed seafood tower" from the south.

Text and photos byMazzy Little Rabbit

Steamed seafood towers have been popular in southern Taiwan for some time, with many options in Kaohsiung and Tainan. Taipei seems to be just catching on, but unless the ingredients are super fresh, this seafood-sensitive tester (with allergies) usually hesitates to try. The 【Steamed Overlord Steam Hotpot/Steam Seafood Tower】 we’re sharing today was so fresh and delicious that I posted about it the very next day. Usually, I only feel motivated to write right away if I really love something or am truly amazed.

The 【Steamed Overlord Steam Hotpot/Steam Seafood Tower】 actually just opened in December 2016, located beside Exit 1 of Donghu MRT Huozhou Station on Section 3, Kangning Road. Next door is the Lihotel, and the restaurant also has its own parking lot. A colleague who lives nearby happened to pass by and, as we had a dinner plan, we booked it.

Even though it’s right on a main road, the restaurant is brightly lit and bustling with people. I kept walking past it because Google Maps showed it on the opposite side, making me circle around three times without finding it. It’s rare in Taipei to see a restaurant housed in a renovated old single-story building. Although the exterior looks like a traditional seafood shop, the interior decor, cuisine, and ingredients all offer pleasant surprises—and it’s surprisingly delicious.

The first floor has plenty of seafood at very reasonable prices, and the staff are young, enthusiastic, and very polite in serving and introducing their steam hotpot. The owner even came over to explain that the restaurant occasionally offers rare types of seafood, and seafood enthusiasts can follow their fan page where they post updates.

Right at the entrance, we were drawn to the “sha gong” and “sha mu.” Pricing here is pretty fair—about NT$60 per liang for sha gong, with one typically costing around NT$1,000. Sha mu, which contains crab roe, is a bit more expensive, but compared to many seafood restaurants in Taipei, it’s not too pricey.

Our group of four ordered the Deluxe Four-Person Set for NT$2,290, which included a Boston lobster, fresh fish, and on that day, “shi jiu gong.”

Oh my goodness, this set was way too much for four people. Each dish came out as a huge plate, including a very large Boston lobster—the portions were astonishing. Even I, a self-proclaimed rice bucket, couldn’t finish the rice, and there was leftover hotpot (I forgot to pack it). I really wanted to try the “zazui” rice porridge because the final broth was incredibly sweet—I must’ve had five or six bowls, it was just that good, and totally great value.

When leaving, I asked the owner if the Deluxe Four-Person Set was a promotional item for the opening. He said it will continue to be offered—not because there's huge profit, but because they want everyone to enjoy it. The contents are adjusted seasonally based on available ingredients and market prices.

【Deluxe Four-Person Set】NT$2,290
Assorted rolls + shellfish
Live shrimp
Boston lobster (or choose large sha gong)
Fresh fish: shi jiu gong (or choose corn clam)
Vegetable platter, hotpot ingredients, two handmade fish paste balls
Plum blossom pork (or choose snowflake beef)
Main carbs: rice, glass noodles...

The so-called steam hotpot/steam seafood tower splits the hotpot into two levels—the lower part is the hotpot, and the upper part is a steaming tray. The steam from cooking the hotpot is used to steam the seafood, allowing you to enjoy the natural flavors without overcooking. This method requires extremely fresh seafood; otherwise, it’s easy to tell. The staff helps with the steaming, so everything is perfectly cooked, and there’s no risk of burning yourself. Everything—from live shrimp, squid, shellfish, to fresh fish—is refreshing and sweet. The shi jiu gong fish was also tender and delicious.

The highlight is that the seafood-steaming broth drips down into the lower hotpot, so the soup becomes richly flavorful with the sweetness of the seafood.

The Boston lobster, prepared with steam, is incredibly tender—you don’t have to worry about it being overcooked. The chef preps it beforehand, so it’s also very convenient to eat.

We started with two big platters of veggies + hotpot ingredients.

Plum blossom pork, hotpot ingredients, vegetables, and mushrooms are also reasonably priced when ordered individually, with generous portions and great taste.

The broth base is made from organic vegetables, and it gets sweeter as it cooks with the seafood. The first time we dropped in whole baby corn shoots, they turned out delicious too.

Among the hotpot ingredients, the lobster horn (that’s probably what it’s called) was especially unique—a fish cake with crab stick and cheese inside, very tasty. The egg dumplings and fish dumplings were also delicious.

Since the plum blossom pork was so good, the owner mentioned that a good broth enhances the flavor of the pork. Next time, with more people, we’ll order more meat.

The handmade fish paste balls turned out to be very springy and delicious.

【Earthquake Fish】NT$450 per portion
Since the restaurant had just opened, the owner came over to greet us as we were enjoying our meal. He introduced the restaurant and the ingredients (probably because I kept bombarding the staff with questions…), and especially recommended the extremely rare earthquake fish. It seemed like Little Rabbit had never tried it before (my memory’s blank on that).

Earthquake fish is a deep-sea fish that’s very hard to come by. Legend has it that it only surfaces during earthquakes (is that true?). The flesh was full of collagen, and even the cartilage melted in your mouth—it was delicious. The owner showed us photos on their social media page, and the fish was actually as tall as a person, which was insane. But of course, the highlight was how good it tasted; everyone polished it off in no time. The owner said the boss is passionate about seafood and has great connections for sourcing fresh catch. If there’s any special haul, they’ll occasionally stock it. Seafood lovers should definitely follow their fan page.

Then the owner also added me on LINE—don’t get the wrong idea. If there’s any special seafood, the owner will notify customers via LINE (so I added him right away). You can also ask him to make reservations. And not only is the owner kind, warm, and enthusiastic, he’s also super handsome (okay, that’s beside the point). All you foodie ladies out there, feel free to come say hi to the owner. (I talked so much about how handsome he is, but I forgot to take his photo—I’m gonna get yelled at by my friends.)

We left the meal completely satisfied. The whole meal, including drinks, cost less than 3,000 NTD, which is definitely enough for 5–6 people. I also really liked the steamed hot pot style of cooking. Of course, fresh ingredients are what really matter. When I got home, I wanted to bring my friends back again (how much do I love hot pot?). I’m sharing this with anyone who loves hot pot and seafood—you should definitely check it out if you have the chance.

While eating, I kept noticing the calligraphy on the walls. It was painted directly onto the surface, and the signatures were adorable—Wang Xiaojii, Wang Yidao, Wang Laoji. Were they all by the same person? Turns out, it was actually calligraphy done by two of the restaurant’s owners. How talented is that? 

First-floor dining area.

Second-floor dining area.

Steamed Overlord Steam Hot Pot / Steam Seafood Tower
Address: No. 13, Section 3, Kangning Road, Neihu District, Taipei City. Parking available (Exit 1 of Huizhou Station on the Wenhu Line of the Taipei Metro, head toward Lihotel).
Phone: 02-2631-0025
Business Hours: 11:00–23:00
Official Fan Page: Steamed Overlord Steam Seafood Tower

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