Ever since I dined at Xin Dian Hotpot, I’ve been eagerly anticipating a visit to ChiaohSinYuan, another well-reputed restaurant online. I heard it was opened by the same team behind Xin Dian Hotpot. So, I took advantage of my day off and invited some friends to join me for a meal and to check out this place.
Upon entering the restaurant, I suddenly felt a sense of familiarity with the layout. Ah! Isn’t this the sauce dish and food rack from Xin Dian Hotpot? I really had a sense of déjà vu as if I was back in Xin Dian Hotpot! (I told you it’s the same team from Xin Dian Hotpot) However, the space was much more spacious and not as crowded.
The menu operates on an order-by-drawing system, where they are willing to serve multiple portions if requested. This delighted me (finally, I don’t have to keep cramming in orders), and I immediately drew up an order for five servings of fish slices!
The soup base is a combination of kelp vegetable soup and spicy hot soup, with the unique addition of “green Sichuan peppercorns” available for purchase. After adding the sauce for a taste test, there’s indeed an extra burst of fragrant spiciness in the mouth. It’s recommended for those who dare to take on the heat to give it a try~
By the way, the waiter would suddenly swoop in and turn our fire down to the lowest, then drift away without any explanation! This happened many times, leaving me thinking, “Hey, I need the pot boiling to cook quickly so I can have a hearty meal! Stop turning it down!” (Hey, calm down a bit!)
But speaking of ingredients, my favorite meat is still beef short ribs! They have an even distribution of fat and lean, and the taste is top-notch. Even my friend sitting next to me couldn’t resist its charm, urging me to order more plates when I was placing the order.
However, the second round of beef tongue really took me by surprise (as shown above). The thickness and size left me puzzled. The server later explained that this happens because it was close to the root of the tongue, and the beef tongues served afterwards were all normal (still delicious though).
Seafood~
The clams bubble up nicely when cooked, and they spit out sand very cleanly. The fish slices I love did not disappoint me, so fresh~ (please bring me a few more plates to satisfy my craving). The shrimp was rather average, but the beef balls in the hot pot ingredients gave us a pleasant surprise. The chewy outer layer, coupled with the juicy beef filling inside, I couldn’t help but order several more servings from the menu!
And don’t forget the indispensable “Beef Trio” when you’re having hot pot!
Although the beef tripe was cooked a bit longer due to our joyful indulgence, it still tasted fresh and crisp. The beef tendon was only served after the first round of dishes was finished, thoroughly cooked to a soft and tender texture. The large intestines were also handled very cleanly, with no unpleasant smell. Thumbs up!
The drinks are stored in a large refrigerator, including juices and sodas. There are also milk tea and honey green tea. Most importantly, ChiaohSinYuan surprisingly offers sugar-free oolong tea (many hot pot restaurants don’t have sugar-free cold drinks…). But finally, you can enjoy the icy cold sugar-free tea, which is a point I’m very satisfied with~
The overall cost of 698+10% per person this time was quite reasonable. However, the service was not as proactive as expected (probably due to understaffing), and the fact that the waiter adjusted the heat without asking was a bit disappointing. Other than that, I think everything else was pretty good. Especially the sugar-free tea, it was superb for cutting through the richness after eating meat.
Address: No. 22, Section 3, Nanjing East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Phone: (02)2501-9955
Operating Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11:30 to 23:00.
Friday to Sunday 11:30 AM to 11:30 PM
『Original Source：https://www.foodytw.com/review/15930』
