All-you-can-drink Starbucks coffee!Taichung’s monkey-themed hot pot spot lets you choose meat by weight

Text and photos by /Feitianxuan

I’m seriously obsessed with hot pot—even in the sweltering heat, I still crave it. This place, “Hou Chi Guo” (Monkey Eats Hot Pot), was actually recommended by a netizen in a group chat... I originally thought it was near Chung Hsing University, but it turns out it’s just in the Gongyi Road shopping district. There’s a parking lot right next to the restaurant and another across the street, which is pretty convenient...

This “Hou Chi Guo” has been on my radar for ages. Today, I brought Little Cherry here for hot pot... The yellow exterior of the building really gives off that “monkey eating a banana” vibe... (Haha, is this finally the moment my sticker comes in handy?)

I remember it was super hot that day, yet I actually brought Little Cherry to eat at “Hou Chi Guo”... As soon as she got to the entrance, she got super excited and kept saying, “It’s a monkey!”

There’s a menu right at the entrance, so you can check out the dishes before deciding to go in...

The outdoor seating area isn’t very big. When I arrived, it was already fully occupied, and I thought, “Wow, bad luck—I can’t eat here...”

The staff led us all the way to the back, and that’s when I realized there was another dining area inside...

You can just pay directly at the counter after ordering...

The condiment station is spotless, with plenty of choices. The overall vibe feels quite premium—I like it...

Beverage station...

The coolest thing about “Hou Chi Guo” is: unlimited Starbucks coffee!! If you’re a coffee lover, two cups are probably enough to make it worth it...

The staff even prepared kid-sized utensils for Little Cherry, and they’re shaped like monkeys too!! So cute...

Refrigerated beef short rib (half a jin) - $618 NTD. What’s special about “Hou Chi Guo” is that you can choose the portion size based on your appetite—4 liang, 6 liang, or half a jin... priced at $418 NTD, $518 NTD, and $618 NTD respectively... Considering it was just the two of us, I went with the half jin for $618 NTD... Isn’t there a saying that half a jin is eight liang?

DIY condiments... I don’t really like putting satay sauce in my hot pot—might as well cut back on the fat a little if I’m going to indulge...

Main meal sides include white rice, udon, instant noodles, glass noodles, and eggs... The menu says the rice is Taiwan No. 9 japonica rice, and I think it’s really good—firm but not hard, each grain distinct. Little Cherry actually ate two-thirds of a bowl by herself!!

The vegetable platter is quite pretty, with nice color coordination, though some of the processed items aren’t my favorite...

When dining out with a little one, you’ve gotta be fast, firm, and precise... Once the soup boils, dump all the ingredients in right away!!

Angus beef short ribs—the marbling on these is absolutely gorgeous!!

The beef quality is great, tender and delicious, and it’s sweet and flavorful with just a quick blanch...

Sanuki udon - $20 NTD. Earlier I mentioned Little Cherry ate two-thirds of a bowl of rice, so I was worried she wouldn’t have enough, so I ordered an extra portion of udon... The portion isn’t huge, but the price is reasonable. In the end, I ended up eating the whole bowl myself... The texture is firm and springy, not mushy at all—so good!!

Shiitake mushrooms - $39 NTD. Little Cherry loves mushrooms, so I got an extra portion. These mushrooms are cut so adorably, even with little star-shaped cuts on top!! I almost wanted to go buy mushrooms just to practice cutting pretty stars for my own hot pot!! Hahaha... Is this what they mean by “growing rice by cultivating the land”?

In the end—I only had one cup of coffee, my limit!! Overall, I really liked “Hou Chi Guo.” The ambiance is simple and bright, the service is great, the presentation of the dishes is eye-catching, and the ingredients are top-notch... “Hou Chi Guo” might just be one of my new favorite casual hot pot spots in Taichung!!

Hou Chi Guo

FB
Address: No. 111, Section 12, Datan Street, Nandun District, Taichung City
Phone: (04)2322-9698
Business hours: 11:30–15:00, 17:30–23:00

Feitianxuan
I record the ups and downs of my life—food, fun, and emotions—with a lighthearted touch"Blog,FB