Guihou A-Jiao Seafood House

Review

Guihou A-Jiao Seafood House is at No. 80 Yu'ao Road in Wanli, among the cluster of seafood restaurants around Guihou fishing harbour. Wanli crab is the North Coast's most famous autumn catch, and Supertaste, introducing North Coast autumn food, lists this restaurant as one of the seafood houses for Wanli crab; the rest of the year it serves fresh harbour dishes and is a common meal stop for visitors to Yehliu and Guihou.

The recommended dishes compiled by ifoodie include squid rice-noodle soup, pyramid fried rice and scallop fried rice, and bloggers praise the generous seafood in the squid rice noodles, saying one bowl is filling. Other common dishes include salmon sashimi, golden hairtail, clams, basil sea snails, garlic-braised squid and Japanese-style hard clams, and diners particularly recommend shrimp cooked on hot stones. Wanli crab and live seafood are mostly charged at market price, so ask about prices before ordering.

Fans praise the fresh seafood, bigger-than-expected portions and prices that feel fair compared with neighbouring shops, plus friendly staff who make suggestions, a clean air-conditioned room and children's high chairs. Complaints mostly come from house rules: there is a minimum spend and it is cash only; crab-season weekends are crowded, making parking and waiting harder, and with seafood priced by weight it is easy to over-order.

Online information shows hours of about 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; check before going. The restaurant has two floors, with roomy seating upstairs suited to groups and wave murals on the walls. There is a car park, and takeaway is available. One ifoodie reviewer notes it is less crowded and easier to park outside crab season, and the restaurant says crabs after the peak season are even more flavourful.

Good for families and friends visiting Yehliu or Guihou harbour who want a Taiwanese seafood meal. Two to four people can start with squid rice-noodle soup and pyramid fried rice as staples, then pick one or two seasonal live items such as Wanli crab or shrimp, plus garlic-braised squid or clams; larger groups can add sashimi. Remember to bring cash.