Taiwanese people love hot pot — these 3 mainland hot pot brands are expanding in Taiwan

Travel Center / General Report

Taiwanese people love hot pot, and you can find small hot pots and spicy hot pots all over Taiwan. Perhaps seeing how much Taiwanese enjoy hot pot, the Chinese mainland hot pot chain "Lao Wang," which already has 50 branches on the mainland, has now come to Taiwan—following in the footsteps of Haidilao and Huang Ji Huang Sanzhi Men Pot. This brings the total number of Chinese mainland brands expanding in Taiwan to three.

▲ Lao Wang Pepper Pork Tripe Chicken. (Photo / From the official website of Lao Wang Hot Pot)

Lao Wang Hot Pot Cuisine
Although Lao Wang is a mainland brand, its founder, Zhao Hongze, is actually Taiwanese. In 2009, he went to Shanghai to establish Shanghai Lao Wang, primarily offering stewed pot cuisine. The signature Pepper Pork Tripe Chicken, also known as Pork Tripe Wrapped Hen or Pork Tripe Wrapped Chicken, features a broth simmered for 24 hours using pepper from Hainan bamboo. The tripe is crispy and refreshing, the chicken is tender and fragrant, and the broth is richly savory. The recommended way to eat is to first drink the soup, then add mushrooms, followed by meat, and finally vegetables—offering four distinct flavor layers in one pot.

Address: 9F, ATT 4 FUN (12 Songshou Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City 110, 9F)
Phone: (02) 7737-0773

▲ Haidilao Hot Pot. (Photo / Provided by Xinzhu Dayuan Bai)

Haidilao Hot Pot
The biggest highlight of Haidilao Hot Pot is its "over-the-top service." Beyond checking in on customers and offering tea, massages, or manicures at any time, the most unique service is arguably "babysitting for you." Additionally, the spectacular noodle performance is a must-order—you’ll see a young chef twirl noodles to the rhythm of music, slowly stretching them out before placing them into your pot to cook. Currently, Haidilao Hot Pot has four branches in Taiwan, with the fifth store set to open at Jingzhan Station by the end of 2017, followed by expansions to Taoyuan and Kaohsiung.

Taipei Branch 1
Address: 6F, ATT 4 FUN, 12 Songshou Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City 110

Banqiao Branch 2
Address: 5F, Banqiao Dayuan Bai, 28 Xinzhan Rd., Banqiao District, New Taipei City

Taichung Branch 3
Address: 12F, Taichung Dayuan Bai, 105 Section 2, Zhonggang Rd., Taichung City

Hsinchu Branch 4
Address: 4F, Hsinchu Dayuan Bai, 323 Xidadao Rd., Hsinchu City

▲ The second branch of Huang Ji Huang Sanzhi Men Pot in Taoyuan opened on March 25. (Photo / Provided by Huang Ji Huang Sanzhi Men Pot)

Huang Ji Huang Sanzhi Men Pot
Huang Ji Huang Sanzhi Men Pot is adapted from the Qing Dynasty’s famous spicy fish dish. No water is added during the cooking process—it’s touted as a “hot pot without soup.” The bottom layer is covered with root vegetables, followed by various customer-selected main ingredients, then covered and slow-cooked (“men shao”) to allow the flavors of the vegetables and meats to meld. After about ten minutes, a secret sauce is poured over the ingredients and left to simmer, infusing them with flavor. Since the base layer consists of root vegetables, moisture is gradually released during cooking. Huang Ji Huang Sanzhi Men Pot also offers a unique “one pot, two ways” dining method—by adding a bit of broth, you can enjoy a hot pot-style dip with vegetables and other ingredients, satisfying both cooking styles in one meal.

Taipei Store
Address: 4F, ATT4FUN, 12 Songshou Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City 110
Reservation Line: 02-77352822

Taoyuan Store
Address: 3F, ATT Chopstick Fashion, 47 Zhongzheng Rd., Taoyuan City
Reservation Line: 03-2752112