We Taiwanese love our hot pots, even in scorching summer days. Is this illogical? Sure. But a recent visit to Chiau Tou suggests that such acts of irrationality are cheerfully conducted by patrons partaking of the chili hot pot the restaurant is known for.
A long-time hot pot establishment in the city’s East District (東區), Chiau Tou is easy to miss. Devoid of a storefront, it is situated on the second and third floors inside an inconspicuous apartment building. First-time diners will have to look for a sign that reads Chiau Tou. Walk into the entrance next to it, go up and you will find a restaurant that doesn’t look much different from an old flat: The interior is plain and simple, to say the least. The old-school austerity, however, is rather at odds with its top-of-the-range price, which can jump to around NT$900 per person.
Similarly, service has a no-nonsense efficiency. Orders are taken and delivered promptly, and the waiting staff always keeps a watchful eye on the hot pots to ensure that there is enough broth for the food.
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
Chiau Tou’s hotpot base comes in four flavors: spicy (麻辣), white (清湯), curry and milk. A pot of chili broth is NT$400, which includes an ample supply of duck blood jelly (鴨血), firm tofu and leek. Looking intimidatingly crimson at first, the bloody broth quickly becomes amicably smooth as the floating chili oil, where the powerful chili hit comes from, is consumed. And the duck blood jelly is one of the best I have tried. It is as luscious and tender as a good chunk of blood should be.
My dining partner and I ordered the popular pot choice that has half chili broth and half white broth (鴛鴦鍋). The white base contains generous amounts of coriander and half pidan (皮蛋), or preserved egg. Some food bloggers have complained about its light flavor, but to me, it is good enough for cooking my favorite hot-pot selection of vegetables such as cabbage (高麗菜, NT$100), black jelly fungus (黑木耳, NT$100), golden needle mushrooms (金針菇, NT$100) and sponge cucumber (絲瓜, NT$100).
There are a broad range of ingredients to add to your pot. Meat ranges from prime beef (霜降牛肉) for NT$560 a plate, sirloin (沙朗牛肉) at NT$380 a plate and Matsuzaka pork (松阪豬肉, NT$380). The beef is served chilled, not frozen, and well-marbled.
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
For daring eaters, offal are ideal for dunking in the chili broth. Choices include beef intestines (牛肚,NT$280), pork butt (大腸頭, NT$280) and beef sinew (牛筋, NT$280). Side dishes are also available, ranging from won ton (雲吞, NT$200) to handmade shrimp and cuttlefish balls (both NT$240).
But a trip to Chiau Tou isn’t complete without the dough sticks (老油條, NT$60), or deep-fried dough that has been allowed to dry. It is always a popular topic for discussion about the best time to remove the sticks, with some people preferring to allow the dough to maintain a certain level of crunch, while others liking it to soak through until soft. Either way, the dough sticks and chili broth are a pair made in heaven.
With its straightforward simplicity and good food, Chiau Tou is a nice spot to sample the city’s famous hotpot fare. But when it comes to overall dining experience, it lags behind establishments in a similar price range, such as Tripod King (鼎王麻辣鍋) and Taihodien Restaurant (太和殿).
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
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