King Crab Hot Pot in Taichung: Jhu Jian Shabu Shabu

Last Mid-Autumn Festival, I visited a friend in northern Taiwan’s Keelung, where I was told to try JhuJian Stone Hot Pot. As I savored this delicious dish, I was deeply impressed by its unique cooking method. The essence of a stone hot pot lies in the fact that the server first stir-fries the ingredients for the broth before adding the soup base to simmer. This technique completely changed my perception of traditional hot pot and left a lasting impression of Zhujian’s culinary style.

Recently, I planned to meet up with my friends to find a hot pot in Taichung. Recalling my previous experience in Keelung, I searched for any nearby Jhu Jian Shabu Shabu（築間幸福鍋物）. To my surprise, there was one, but it was extremely hard to reserve a table. We had to book two weeks in advance to finally get in, which shows just how popular this restaurant is!

This branch of Jhu Jian Shabu Shabu in Taichung is conveniently located near the TMRT City Hall station, with nearby parking available. The large sign is quite eye-catching, but even more noticeable is the crowd waiting outside. The restaurant reserves half of its seating for walk-in customers, so even without a reservation, you can try your luck on the spot.

Upon entering, the samurai armor and black-themed décor create a cool and mysterious vibe. The menu is extensive, offering everything from beef, pork, and lamb to seafood and vegetarian options. The variety of broth choices includes chinese herbs, spicy, kimchi, milk, and stone hot pot. Though the dining time at Jhu Jian Shabu Shabu is limited to just 1.5 hours, it’s a reasonable arrangement given the large number of people waiting.

I ordered the classic stone hot pot as I did before, but it was slightly different. While the Keelung branch cooks the broth right in front of you, the Taichung branch brings out the pre-cooked broth with the soup already added. Although the taste was similar, I prefer watching the cooking process as it adds to the visual experience. After the broth was served, the basic platter was brought out, followed by my Kagoshima Pork Hot-Pot Slices. The pork had beautifully marbled fat, with evenly colored slices. I turned up the heat until the broth was boiling, then added the pork slices for just about two seconds then took it out to eat. The texture was a bit on the chewy side, not very smooth, but the natural sweetness of the meat was present, with a good balance between lean and fatty parts, so it wasn’t too dry or greasy.

The most expected was the daily limited supply of the Premium King Crab, which finally made its appearance! The restaurant had already cut the crab legs in half, allowing the translucent crab meat to be seen right away. It was accompanied by slices of snapper, salmon, and bass, along with prawns, clams, scallops, oysters, and abalone—a true seafood feast! My friend chose the chinese herb broth, and the king crab’s delicate, sweet meat paired perfectly with the aromatic broth, making it irresistible. No dipping sauce was needed; the crab’s natural flavor was simply enchanting. The snapper had a springy texture and was very fresh without a strong fishy smell. The salmon, being more flavorful, had its characteristic taste, while the bass had a very delicate texture—I highly recommend their fish slices.

My friend enjoys not adding any broth while eating hot pot, saving just a little bit of broth at the end to mix with the noodles so they absorb the herb essence. That flavor is so addictive that it has become a must-do for my friend whenever eating hot pot. If you’re interested in trying this way of enjoying hot pot, give it a try!

📍Jhu Jian Shabu Shabu（築間幸福鍋物）
No. 205, Section 2, Wenxin Rd, Xitun District, Taichung City, Taiwan 407