Elixir Health Pot (無老鍋)

Address:  No. 143, Section 3, Shìmín Blv, Jhongshan Distract.d 台北市市民大道三段143號

Telephone: 02-2731-7927

Website: http://www.wulao.com.tw/

All men may be created equal (lies i know), but thank god that animal meat isn't subject to such ridiculous notions of parity. We can taste the difference between a cow and a pig, but it's not for me to judge which one is better, but when it comes to tasting the quality of the meat itself, then I'm gonna have to take issue if you're claiming that certain slabs of meat are comparable to others.  

This is all to say that Elixir Health Pot (無老鍋) takes tremendous pride in the quality of the ingredients that they use, and it is immediately visible in not just how the food tastes, but in how it is presented and the way the food just almost freaking shines off the platters.

Combination Pot.. Pretty amazing 

Ambiance.

The white creamy soup is comprised of a mix of Japanese Meiji ice cream (no.. really), tofu based broth and other herbal ingredients.  It really is a rather innovative soup base and the meat pulled from such a concoction is delicious.  The other soup base is meant to be spicy and the ingredients used by Elixir Health Pot is meant to promote metabolism and all that other healthy jazz.  Okay, the fact that they are playing up the health angle so hard sure is admirable... but we all know of healthy restaurants that tastes like your eating directly from the bark of a tree.  For me.. the fact that the food is meant to promote health is just a bonus to the great quality of the food and just the overall feel of the restaurant itself.

Their famous 'tofu ice cream'.

Your meal comes equipped with broth refills on the table and an endless supply of tofu skin and duck blood.  If your anything like me, the idea of duck blood might not be entirely pleasant.  But texture wise, it is a good balance to the meat and other poultry and meat balls that you will invariably order during your meal.  Unlike many of the other tradition hot pot restaurants found in Taiwan, Elixir Health Pot (無老鍋) offers lighter fair in the selection of sauces.  Typically i would have a gripe with this, but given the slightly more delicate nature of the food here, I believe that going lighter in flavoring is definitely the correct choice here.

Dumplings, Mushrooms and what i believe was scallop paste. 

I love me some sauces, but a heavy hand would've been wrong.

Broth in the back... the more important liquid in the front.

Being from the States... i'm use to having food thrown at you and the wait staff quickly disappearing after my meal is delivered.  I'm almost uncomfortable with the level of service in many of the establishments here in Taiwan.. but it is something they pride themselves on and as well they should.  Elixir Health Pot (無老鍋) does a tremendous job of constantly being present without being intrusive.  During my two visits here I immediately noticed how friendly and helpful the wait staff are, and how incredibly attentive they are to making sure you have a fantastic dining experience.  Perhaps i'll run into this type of service in the top of the top restaurants here, but for a hot pot place... i felt it was worth mentioning as it made a lasting impression on my mind.

 Digging In

 Their famous meat.  Comes almost precooked.. lightly dip it in broth and your ready to go.  Comes in a mountain of ice.  Fancy Pants.

So considering all the smoke I just blew straight up the butt of this place... you might expect to pay through the nose.  And to a certain degree you may be right, but only in comparison to how cheaply you could eat in some other places.  I found that the prices, although not cheap, were incredibly reasonable for the quality.  Just be forewarned that you might want to make reservations well in advance as Elixir Health Pot (無老鍋) is very popular and especially so during the winter months.

Top it off with a nice icy drink.

Based on personal preference... I would go to the AYCE hot places more often than not.  But that's just an indictment of my own fattiness than anything else.  Elixir Health Pot (無老鍋) is deserving of its accolades and its popularity.  The place brings ingenuity to its line up of selections across the board and manages do it with food that is incredibly tasty.

Overall Elixir Health Pot (無老鍋) recieves: 

Til next time - some more treats for your eyeballs.

Man Tang Hong Hot Pot (滿堂紅)

Address: No.228-4, Sec.4, Ren Ai Rd, Daan District, Taipei.  台北市大安區仁愛路四段228之4號

Telephone: (02)2701-6669

As I have previously said..... HOT POT!.  Oh sorry, my love for hot pot got the better of me again, what i meant to say that during my friends visit to Taiwan, it was necessary for me to make sure that they had Ding Tai Fung, hot pot of some form, and make a trip to the night market for the culinary exploits that exist there. I have heard of Man Tang Hong, and what I have heard about it was positive, and that can be exhibited by the long waits you can expect during peak hours (call ahead please).  To make a name for yourself in the crowded market of Taiwanese hot pot is an accomplishment, and invariably this is a place that I hear come up rather frequently in conversation. 

 Hurry and boil damn you! Half Spicy and half 'suan cai'.  One of the four non spicy broth choices to choose from

The space was large and offered plenty of walking room between the tables.  The customary options were all there on the menu, and it included a good choice of different kinds of beef, pork, lamb, chicken and seafood.  Suffice to say.. my out of town friends were head over heels over the place.  The fact that they offered a translated menu in English helped quite a bit for us, but it was amusing when the wait staff was passing it around like a game of hot potato in fear of making a mistake.

Stacked on high.  And trust me.. the sauce tastes much better than it looks.

In my review of Luo Shen Fu (洛神賦) I touted the fact that they offered the customers all you can drink cans of soda and Movenpick ice cream... well.. Mang Tang Hong offers all you can drink glass bottles of soda and Haagen daz... advantage Mang Tang Hong.  Apparently its somewhat of a common thing to do that, and you know what? This is a practice that I can get on board with.  In further comparing the two.. i would have to say that almost everything is strikingly similar.  The quality of the meat, the sauce selection, the price ranges and the offering of side dishes and vegetables were all almost too similar to crown a champion.

 Meat~

 Bursting at the seams.

But that's really besides the point.  A quality restaurant needs to be stand on its own merits, and this is another economical option that provides very good food for you to stuff your face with.  Coming here with a large party is a blast as they have ample seating to handle it and congregating around a pot of steaming delicious food is a good way to spend an afternoon or an evening.

Overall I'm gonna have to give Mang Tang Hong the same grade as Luo Shen Fu, but at gunpoint I still like Luo Shen Fu because of the ambiance and the atmosphere... but honestly... you cannot go wrong with either choice.

Til next time - Some more treats for your eyeballs.

Hot Pot - Luo Shen Fu 洛神賦

洛神賦

No. 16, Lane 27, Section 4, Ren Ai Road  台北市仁愛路四段27巷16號

02-27313779

Walking along the streets of Taiwan.. you'll begin to notice a few things.  It's like a constant game of chicken with pedestrians since people refuse to get out of your way (i've adopted the run them over strategy).  People dressed as if they were living in Siberia in balmy weather seems to be another pretty common theme, but what i notice most is the preponderance of small businesses littering the streets.  Hair salons, banks and restaurants are everywhere.  Maybe this is the case in many places, but i mean seriously... they are getting almost as abundant as the widely documented love for convenience stores that we Taiwanese have.  

When it comes to restaurants and Taiwanese cuisine.. my mind immediately thinks of a few things.. and that is ding tai fung, the food at the night markets... and of course hot pots (or how i usually say it to myself : HOT POT!).  It really does seem like such a simple thing.  Just heat up some broth and start chucking things in at your leisure.  But like anything in life, the key to a true hot pot experience really rests in the details.  And it is in this that i shall begin to laud Luo Shen Fu.

 Just the beginning. Half regular broth and half spicy.

The setting: On an rainy and chilly monday afternoon, my nephew, my sister (whom some like to affectionately refer to as the food gps) decided to cure the rain with some all you can eat hot pot.  Many of the hot pot places in Taiwan are AYCE, because well, let's face it, Asians love themselves a buffet and a deal.  The decor is modern, and the prices I find incredibly reasonable considering its location, quality and extras (the details we were talking about and that we shall get to.)

Open Late! All you can eat! Affordable Prices! (I've been told this is probably a bit on the upper end, but my mind still compares everything to dollars.. and it seems like a friggin steal.) 

Like any respectable hot pot place, they have a good selection of condiments for you to create the type of sauce that will suit your particular taste buds.  The menu is chock full of any of the proteins and seafood and other goodies that you can to expect, and I find the quality to be above par.  However, I would have to say that the quality of the meat isn't the best, and the seafood or small dishes trump the offering of meats.

Sauce Station. 

Sisters delicate hand concocting a variety of choices. 

Tasty... balls.  There is no other way to say it.

So yes, all the mainstays are above par to me, but what i love most about this place is the fact that they offer an ice cream station by Movenpick and all you can drink can soda.  As I wrote that sentence, I realized that it will definitely not blow anyone away.  But the simple fact is that by offering these little things for their customers, this particular hot pot restaurant has made an impression on my mind and now stands above the rest by offering something that anyone else could do.. but that they just don't.  

Ice Cream! Fantastic.

The establishment stays pretty packed for all of these reasons and more, and its probably best to call ahead if you are planning to dine during peak hours.  As I eat my way through more hot pot places in Taiwan, I will have more to compare with, but for the time being.. this is my favorite.  

Overall Luo Shen Fu receives:

Til next time- Some more treats for your eyeballs.

Steak with.... steak 

Sisters amazing congee with the leftover broth, rice, seafood, egg.. and of course... love.