Shiling Shabu Hotpot

At Shiling Shabu. No trip to Taiwan is complete without sampling their world famous hotpots. It’s a tale as old as time - yes we know history states Chongqing (China) was where this soupy heaven was first created. Two decades ago, in one of my many work trips to Taipei, I had their ‘high-end’ hotpot experience - meaning someone cooks and executes the best, freshest, seasonal ingredients for you. It’s almost hotpot-Omakase style if you will.

This time sampling this fine Shabu hotpot establishment in Taipei 101 - recommended by locals - did not disappoint one bit. If it’s even possible the artisanal hotpot experience has been elevated to new heights.

The sauces available were just 3 - displaying conviction with their (freshest) ingredients, letting the food speak for itself. There’s radish/ soy, shacha, and sesame sauces. The server recommends which item to eat as is, and which better with which sauce - just in case like me, you’re wondering.

This is the epitome of ‘simplicity is elegance’ IMO. The soup base don’t lie. Brewed fresh in situ, and gathering umami steam with every ingredient added, it’s a perfect maelstrom of the senses. A good maelstrom that is.

I’d do a blanket statement and say each ingredient is at least 7.5 but an exceptional 8.5 for the Kagoshima slices. There are many types of melt in your mouth. From roast pork etc or from grilled/ seared steak. This is next level. Its drips. It’s really the goat (greatest of all time) of melt in your mouths

A5 Kagoshima Surf & Turf set NT$4,580

The other ‘unique’ thing I like about Taiwanese hotpots is how they turn the broth you’ve used to cook each ingredient - into a heavenly egg congee. The essence of each ingredient imbued and infused in the stock/ soup base - and add rice to get your perfect ‘ending’ to the hotpot experience. This was a long anticipated experience - even for Taipei standards - definitely a solid 8/10 overall.

Total damage NT$5,300 for the A5 surf and turf set and bottle of Taiwan beer.