Tasty Pot — Restaurant in Vancouver

Despite working at a Taiwanese based company for two decades, I haven't had much exposure to Taiwanese cuisine. Either that, or I haven't been aware of the subtle attributes that differentiate a Taiwanese dish from its Chinese counterpart. That said, my co-workers have all raved about Tasty Pot, declaring it to be distinctly Taiwanese in form and function, and thus it was my assignment...nay, my duty, to discover what makes this hotpot so special.

And, oh boy, it's something else! There's a lot to unpack on the menu, at first glance, but if you're going with one of the hotpots, it's easy as 1-2-3:

1. Choose your hotpot
2. Choose your side (rice or vermicelli noodles)
3. Choose your spice level

Price and size are already factored in; each column becomes slightly larger, and/or more expensive, as you move further right. Everything else is perfunctory: appetizer? extra side of beef tendon? a matcha or boba tea? Tack it on! We added a side of spicy pork dumplings, which were wonderful - especially when paired with the garlic soy and spicy chili sauces found tableside!

Within a few minutes, a piping hot bowl of something good will arrive in front of you, perennially-heated by a small gas stove underneath, that will keep your dish at a mouth-blistering temperature the entire time (particularly true the deeper you delve into the bowl!). Be prepared!

I went with the Kimchi Dumpling Hot Soup, while my wife ordered the Beef Hot Soup; a surprising choice for her, as I'd expected to see her hovering over a pot practically overflowing with seafood carnage! Regardless, the list of ingredients on any hotpot should be carefully inspected, as while there are some things that seem ubiquitous across all of the options, there are others that are unique to each dish. You can expect tofu and various little mushrooms in basically all of them, while some of the more...exotic components (pork aorta, for example, as well as other difficult-to-identify-without-a-legend ingredients) only appear in certain selections. Even for the squeamish, there's enough good stuff in each bowl that you're pretty much guaranteed to enjoy your meal, even if you may have to pick around a few things.

Service was...serviceable; nothing particularly stand out on that front, but hey, it's more of a fast-casual dining experience, anyway - don't expect a host stand at the front. But the real question has, as of yet, been unanswered: what's my take-away from my first conscious experience with Taiwanese cuisine?

Well, there was no take-away: we both emptied our bowls completely. If you ask me, that's the best compliment...

Short and sweet. The food I ordered here was absolutely delicious. I cannot say anything bad about it. This is my first time eating here. It is in a strip mall. The restaurant is incredible clean and organized. It is bright and welcoming. The big screen TV was playing Obviously Taiwan programing. The restaurant was full of patrons of multi ethnic backgrounds and heavily ethnic Asian Backgrounds. The menu was presented in both a visual as well as English and Chinese format. It was tough to choose because frankly the entire menu sounded delicious. The staff were incredibly friendly, professional, knowledgeable and helpful and directed me to the newest creation on the menu “Sweet Garlic Soy Sizzling Beef”. It came out from the kitchen so quickly and sizzling hot. The meat was uncooked and I was instructed to stir it to finish the process. Shortly it was done. There were various sauces available including those that would make your whole head burn 🔥. But I wasn’t ready for that yet. It was seasoned beautifully. I must have been hungry. I was a happy customer. The food I observed coming out for the other customers looked equally delicious, hot and fresh. This is not a dress up restaurant. But a great everyday treat to go back to over and over. They have tea drinks and good looking appetizers. I saw quite a few orders going out the door as well. And this was at about 1:30 in...

Authentic Taiwanese Hot Pot! After living in Taiwan for four years, this is the real deal. I can't vouch for the Chinese menu here but I'd recommend skipping it anyway. The Tasty Pot chain is known for legit, generous, and delicious Taiwanese hot pot.

If this is your first time, I'd recommend going with the #1 Beef Hot Soup with white rice. While waiting for your soup, grab your little black bowl and make your own dipping sauce concoction. Once the soup comes out, I'd recommend waiting a bit and stirring occasionally to get everything nice and cooked down.

Now here's my method for proven hot pot bliss -- use your chopsticks to grab whatever delightful item catches your eye, lift and plunk directly into sauce then quickly move it from sauce to the top of your white rice. It takes some practice, but onboard some of that fluffy white goodness whilst delivering the flavor train to your mouth -- the perfect bite. Repeat like 900 more times and leave Tasty Pot in East Vancouver so full you can barely think about dessert, but stop at New Seasons next door for something sweet anyway.

Pro tip for big eaters. Add a pack of ramen to your order and about halfway through, ask for more soup broth and mix in that ramen. Legit...