✨ AI Quick Take
After moving to the second floor opposite Hongshulin Station on Section Two of Zhongzheng East Road, 磚腳麻辣鍋 (Zhuan Jiao Mala Guo) gained more breathing room while retaining the rustic atmosphere of red brick, wooden partitions, and Hakka floral fabric. Food is ordered à la carte. Mala Red Broth and a light, garlicky Milk Hot Pot can form a split pot, while Duck Blood and Tofu may be replenished under the day’s rules. The draw is not a lavish buffet; broth, meat platters, and fried dough sticks gradually build the meal.
● Mala Red Broth
The red broth follows the Taiwanese herbal mala tradition, bringing herbal aroma, heat, and saltiness directly. It is not a flimsy version with surface oil and no foundation. Full-bodied and assertive, it may contain small spice fragments, something diners who prefer perfectly clear broth should expect. Adjust the base to your heat tolerance; do not order yourself into a sweat for pride. Hot pot awards no medals for bravery.
● Milk Hot Pot
The white broth is not thick, sweet, or creamy, but led by fresh garlic aroma, with milkiness that does not smother the palate. Vegetables and mushrooms keep their natural character in it, and it offers a rest from the red broth. A split pot also means no one must accept the same heat level. Try meat first in white broth for sweetness, then in red broth for depth—there is no need to spend the evening in mono.
● Taiwanese Black Pork Belly
The black pork belly has visible marbling and turns smooth yet springy in the pot without falling apart easily. Red broth coats it with herbal mala fragrance; a quick swish in white broth makes the meat’s sweetness and fat aroma clearer. Divide one plate between both broths for the best comparison. Lift each slice when it changes color—do not make the black pork work overtime until its texture disappears.
● Duck Blood and Tofu
Duck blood comes in large, silky, springy cubes with braising liquid and broth penetrating within. Tofu benefits from more time in the red broth as spices and liquid slowly seep in. Whether either is unlimited and what spending threshold applies follow the day’s rules. These are mala hot pot’s key supporting players; when dependable, they keep the gaps between meat platters interesting.
● Fried Dough Sticks
The aged fried dough is dry and cleanly fried, with a substantial crunch and no obvious stale-oil taste. Dip it in mala broth for just a few seconds and the outside stays crisp while the center absorbs broth—the ideal state. Soaking it until limp gives flavor but removes half the fun. Eat it plain or add sections in batches; just do not throw everything in at once and finish with fried-dough porridge.
First-timers can choose a red-and-white split pot and cook half the black pork in each. Confirm refill rules for Duck Blood and Tofu, and add fried dough in batches to preserve its crunch. Reservations are safer for busy times and larger groups.
- Location:新北市淡水區中正東路二段33號2樓, across from Hongshulin Station.
- Type:À-la-carte mala hot pot, red-and-white split broth, meats, and hot-pot ingredients.
- Highlights:Herbal mala red broth, garlicky white broth, Duck Blood and Tofu, and a Hakka-floral interior.
- Good for:Families, friends, and diners who like to linger over hot pot and care about distinctive broths.
📌 Editor’s wrap-up
磚腳麻辣鍋 makes its second-floor space near Hongshulin Station rustic and comfortable. The red broth is rich with Chinese herbs, the white broth light and garlicky; black pork shows different sides in each, while Duck Blood and Tofu and fried dough cover the supporting roles. The red broth can contain spice fragments and refill rules require checking on site. With strengths and caveats stated plainly, it is easier to decide whether this pot suits you.
