Spicy hot pot in Kaohsiung！Handmade meatballs, dumplings, and an ultra-labor-intensive broth

Text /Kaohsiung Food Map
(Photography: Ryan, / Text: Xiao Gao, Mr. Alan, Copyright © Kaohsiung Food Map)

It’s no surprise that Taiwanese love spicy hot pot—there are all-you-can-eat and à la carte hot pot restaurants everywhere, and various broths are constantly being innovated to cater to consumer tastes. But these conventional dining formats in the hot pot industry have been completely upended by Kaohsiung’s Chuantang Hong Chengdu Spicy Hot Pot.

Chuantang Hong Chengdu Spicy Hot Pot is not located on the bustling Bo’ai Road, but humbly tucked away in the alleys near the Ecological District MRT Station. Its simple and unextravagant decor perfectly aligns with its philosophy of focusing on handcrafted broths and using honest, unpretentious ingredients.

Operating on a reservation-only basis, Chuantang Hong currently offers just two types of broths—one spicy and one tomato-based. The restaurant only opens at night because the daytime is dedicated to ingredient sourcing, as well as hand-stirring the spicy and tomato broths, and preparing handmade meatballs and dumplings, among other complex pre-opening tasks. The per-person reservation system also allows better control over the freshness of the day’s ingredients.

Hidden lunch offerings and signature homemade desserts served after the meal replace the usual store-bought ice cream tubs, earning high praise for the owner’s dedication. Though relatively new to the hot pot scene, Chuantang Hong has slowly but surely developed its own signature dishes, carving out a unique market niche.

[Sichuan Spicy Broth x Xinjiang Tomato Broth]

Focusing on the development of spicy and tomato broths, Chuantang Hong invests a great deal of time in stir-frying the base. The signature Sichuan spicy broth delivers a tingling numbing aroma that excites the taste buds. The spicy base is made by soaking Gangshan fermented broad bean paste, glutinous rice wine, Sichuan peppercorns, fermented black beans, and various spices overnight, then stir-frying them with chili peppers, bell peppers, and chickenheart chilies to bring out the fragrance, and finally adding scallions, garlic, onions, and ginger for extra aroma.

The chef also explained that before serving, nearly 40 types of Chinese medicinal ingredients are added to the pre-stirred spicy base, along with carrots, white radish, onions, and hours-long simmered beef bone broth, resulting in a spoonful of truly satisfying Sichuan spicy broth.

The Xinjiang tomato broth is made by simmering a full 12 pounds of tomatoes, with the base broth also enhanced by carrots, white radish, and onions for added vegetable sweetness and aromatic depth. The pot also contains fresh tomatoes cooked down into a yellow-orange pulp and halved tomatoes. Before serving, the chef adds a touch of red vinegar—a little trick that enhances the rich sweet-and-sour aroma of the tomatoes. These elaborate and time-consuming pre-opening soup-making procedures are also why Chuantang Hong can currently focus only on perfecting these two broths.

[Signature Handmade Taro Balls x Handmade Dumplings]

The signature handmade taro balls are made by the chef using fresh ground pork mixed with diced taro and shaped by hand. They are made fresh every morning based on the number of reservations for the day, ensuring optimal texture and freshness.

The handmade shrimp dumplings/fish dumplings are specially crafted by skilled artisans, and anyone can easily tell the difference from store-bought frozen fish or shrimp dumplings.

[Marinated Tofu x Marinated Duck Blood x Old-Marinated Platter]

Key ingredients for hot pot like tofu, duck blood, large intestines, and beef tripe—their deliciousness hinges on how well they’re marinated. Before marinating the duck blood, the chef carefully removes excess water and hand-cuts the blood, then simmers it in a Chinese herbal marinade for three hours.

To allow the tofu to better absorb the flavor of the marinade, the marinated tofu requires longer preparation—it is soaked overnight and simmered for a full evening. The time-intensive marinated tofu and duck blood,can be refilled unlimited times when dining at Chuantang Hong.

The honeycomb beef tripe and large intestines in the old-marinated platter are also marinated fresh that morning for the evening’s service. After half an hour of marinating, the tripe and intestines are simmered for over three hours to fully absorb the flavors. When served, you can first enjoy the original umami of the marinated tripe and intestines, then dip them into the spicy broth to soak up the spicy aroma for another layer of flavor.

[Seafood Platter x Hand-Chopped Squid Paste]

Seafood is a crucial ingredient in hot pot, often serving as the highlight. Without the ocean’s touch, even a table full of mountain delicacies and wild vegetables can feel lacking.

Chuantang Hong’s curated seafood platter includes fresh shrimp, thick-cut fish slices (the type rotates, such as tilapia or milkfish), clams, small squid or squid slices, and recently added duck intestines. (Photo shows a six-person portion of the curated seafood platter; content may vary slightly depending on party size.)

The hand-chopped squid paste is made with squid slices, squid paste, and fresh fish paste—you can taste the chewy squid chunks. Portions are allocated at one tube per two people, based on the number of diners.

[Meat Options x Assorted Fresh Vegetables]

Three meat options include premium Sika pork, boneless tender chicken thigh, and top-grade Angus boneless short rib—all without any pre-marination. The boneless tender chicken thigh is freshly bought from the market, skinless, boneless, and sliced; the top-grade Angus boneless short rib can be briefly blanched to your preferred tenderness before eating.

▲ The assorted fresh vegetables are mainly seasonal, sweet greens and may rotate periodically. (Photo shows a six-person portion of assorted fresh vegetables, with nearly 10 types of wild-flavored greens; content may vary slightly depending on party size.)

[Hidden Lunch Menu x Signature Desserts] Subject to change

The hidden lunch offerings and signature desserts are one of Chuantang Hong’s highlights. The hidden lunch menu is creatively curated and served tableside via cart service, with different dishes based on party size. For parties of 2 or more, the current offering is freshly made “Tasai Clams”; for 6 or more, there’s stir-fried “Lemon Shrimp.” The chef also mentioned they are working on launching a “Seafood Medley” among other hidden delights—stay tuned.

The signature after-dinner dessert is currently either apple ice cream or taro tapioca pudding. The apple ice cream is made using freshly squeezed Japanese Aomori Tsugaru fully ripe apple juice, which is flown in specially. Its flavor is refreshing and smooth, and it’s not cheap even in stores.

The taro tapioca pudding is also made with hand-cut taro cubes that are simmered to perfection.

[Birthday Cake]

Chuantang Hong joins in the birthday fun for the guest of honor. The birthday cake offered to weekly birthday celebrants who dine here is only available with prior reservation.

[Reservation Menu]

Choose one of two chef’s special drinks, Sichuan spicy soup base, Xinjiang tomato soup base, assorted fresh seasonal vegetables, premium plum pork, boneless tender chicken thigh, top-grade Angus boneless beef short ribs, old braised platter: honeycomb tripe / large intestine head, Chuantang Hong deep-fried dough sticks

Premium seafood platter: white shrimp / bursting baby octopus / thick-cut fish slices, handmade squid paste, handmade dumplings / fish dumplings, Chuantang Hong taro balls, hidden dish (varies), signature after-dinner dessert (varies)

Chuantang Hong Chengdu Hot Pot
Address: No. 160, Wenkang Rd., Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City (Ecological District MRT Station)
Phone: 0915-898898 (reservations required for dining); reservation hours 1 PM – 10 PM

Kaohsiung Food Map

Author Introduction: Kaohsiung Food Map is run by Ah Hsiung and Xiao Gao, who share local southern Taiwanese cuisine and cultural flavors, as well as occasional travel destinations around the region. They have tasted all kinds of signature dishes and captured beautiful scenery everywhere, sharing Taiwan’s food and unique human warmth with everyone.

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