✨ AI Quick Take
This long-running live-fish restaurant on Zhongyang North Road in Beitou is near TNUA and Costco Beitou. Live-fish restaurants once lined this stretch; now only two old establishments remain. It specializes in multiple grass-carp preparations and classic Hunan dishes. The women serving guests bring warm Taiwanese hospitality, and the robust seasoning is made for rice. It is an old family restaurant for every generation to gather around a fish.
● Poached Chicken
The skin gleams, and the meat is springy with a definite bite rather than falling apart. Thigh pieces are especially thick and juicy. Seasoning does not cover the chicken itself; eat skin and meat together so the fat beneath connects the lean portion. Though not a fish dish, it can steal the table. Diners wanting only extreme tenderness may find it firm, while fans of free-range chicken chew will relish it.
● Fresh Oysters with Garlic
The oysters are plump, and garlic soy sauce lifts their freshness without staying as intense as the chili-bean fish. Cabbage beneath is the real target of chopsticks: it absorbs oyster juices and garlic yet remains crisp, becoming almost fiercer with rice than the star itself. If the table already has boldly flavored fish, this provides a lighter rhythm. Oysters release water over time, so share them before family gossip delays the chopsticks.
● Signature Braised Carp with Chili Bean Sauce
A whole carp fills a broad plate, wrapped in glossy red sauce, covered with scallions, and surrounded by tofu that drinks up the juices. It looks fierce, but chili mainly adds color and aroma rather than aggressive heat. The bean sauce is richly savory without greasiness, while porous tofu becomes especially full-flavored. Carp has many fine bones, so follow the grain and lift pieces slowly rather than taking large hurried bites. Pricing is by weight; smaller parties should request a smaller fish instead of ordering grandly and packing the rest.
For a group's first visit, make Signature Braised Carp with Chili Bean Sauce the main, with Poached Chicken and Fresh Oysters with Garlic, moving from savory depth through fresh sweetness to garlicky seafood. Add greens or stir-fries according to party size. Fish portions are large, so ask staff to estimate first for a more complete meal.
- Location:Section Four of Zhongyang North Road, from Exit 2 of Guandu Station about a 6-minute walk away.
- Type:Hunan-style live fish, Taiwanese shared dishes, and family gatherings.
- Highlights:Multiple grass-carp preparations, rice-friendly chili-bean fish, and staff who help control portions by party size.
- Best for:Family reunions, group meals, and diners who enjoy old-school banquet dishes.
📌 Editor's Summary
This is not a place for refined individual sets. It belongs to an older generation's generous style of big meat plates and whole fish. The springy poached chicken, plump oysters, and warm, honest service leave both stomach and spirits full. On the way back from Tamsui or Bali, when the family needs a proper meal, its old Taiwanese-Hunan flavors are well suited to gathering together.
