Inheriting Grandma’s superb cooking skills – A young man from Kaohsiung returns to his hometown to sell traditional seafood congee

Text & Photos /Shadow

The Rehe commercial area is bustling, not only packed with street food vendors but also home to a cinema and night markets. Aside from catching a movie, we often come here for food. Many of the nearby snack shops have been around for a long time, almost all of them being old establishments. Tucked away in the alleys of Tai’an Street, among a cluster of long-standing eateries, there’s a newly opened seafood congee specialty shop. The reason it catches your eye? Apparently, the owner bears a striking resemblance to Hu Ge.

When we met the owner in person, sure enough, there was a certain family resemblance. He used to be a white-collar worker with a stable job, but wanting to break free from the monotony of everyday life, he remembered the flavor of Grandma’s broth-soaked rice. Coupled with his family’s involvement in the fishing business — sourcing fish directly from familiar suppliers at Qianzhen Fishing Port — having access to fresh seafood made it easy to start making seafood congee. And so, choosing a busy commercial district teeming with people, he began this new chapter in his life.

The space is clean and bright. By noon, there were already many diners. The shop is currently run solely by the owner and his mother, who serve everyone themselves. All dishes are prepared upon ordering, so during busy times, patience is needed.

The walls are adorned with many photos — close-ups of ingredients as well as some family pictures — it’s not hard to see that family bonds are strong here.

On the left side of the entrance, aside from utensils, there’s also complimentary winter melon tea. The winter melon flavor is a bit light, but since it’s free, you can’t really complain.

The shop keeps it simple, selling only two main items: seafood congee and their signature broth-soaked rice, plus a selection of blanched seafood platters.

Flavorful Seafood Congee – NT$110
Visible seafood includes oysters, clams, shrimp, swordfish slices, and squid. The shop's method of making seafood congee is similar to the common broth-soaked rice style.

You can taste the individual grains of rice as well as the umami of the seafood. Considering that many customers are students, the shop offers extra rice at no additional cost.

The broth is simmered with pork bones, resulting in a refreshing taste with a hint of celery aroma. It feels light on the stomach, though if the seafood were simmered in the broth as well, it might be even more flavorful.

Heritage Broth-Soaked Rice – NT$70
The broth-soaked rice includes bamboo shoots, shredded pork, clams, shrimp, and swordfish chunks. The broth is the same as the one used in the seafood congee.

The fragrance of bamboo shoots blends into the broth, truly exuding an old-fashioned taste. Made using Grandma’s traditional recipe, it evokes memories for many older folks. With its overall refreshing and non-greasy flavor, it’s perfect for both kids and adults.

Live Seafood Platter (Shrimp, Swordfish, Squid, Clams – NT$50 per plate)
The ingredients are fresh enough that even the blanched seafood bursts with flavor. Especially notable are the chewy texture of the shrimp and squid, as well as the rich oceanic taste of the clams — all quite impressive.

The owner, after changing career paths, hasn’t lost his naturally shy personality, but with the support of his family behind him, he’s sure to run this little shop well. A bowl of Grandma’s traditional broth-soaked rice weaves together the care within a family. It turns out that the simplest and most genuine flavors are often the best. If you have the chance, come try this uniquely fresh seafood congee or the heritage broth-soaked rice.

A Simple Shop Specializing in Honest Seafood Congee
Address: No. 22, Tai’an Street, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung City
Phone: 0926-294955
Business Hours: 11:00–13:30, 17:00–19:30
Closed: Irregular; please check the shop’s Facebook page

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