Haibin Seafood

Review

Haibin Seafood is at No. 68-16 Zhongzhou Lane in Cijin and has been running for more than 30 years, one of the seafood restaurants Cijin locals and Kaohsiung residents recommend most. Unlike the tourist stalls around the old street by the ferry pier, it sits in Zhongzhou on the southern stretch of the island. Supertaste stresses that it uses local catch cooked fresh each day, and Funtime's Cijin route guide also lists it as a locally recommended seafood restaurant.

The signature pumpkin rice noodles are stir-fried with pumpkin for a natural sweetness, and many diners consider them a must. The restaurant also recommends mullet roe, fresh-caught fish and fresh oysters, while shrimp patties, taro balls, steamed prawns and steamed fish get frequent mentions online. Some diners also suggest the seafood congee, mullet roe fried rice, fried oysters and lobster with glass noodles at market price.

Praise centres on fresh seafood, generous portions, fair prices and friendly service; one diner says an elder in the family has been coming for twenty years and still recommends it to visiting relatives. Warnings and complaints mostly note that market-price seafood can be expensive, so ask before ordering; there is an afternoon break on weekdays, so arriving late can mean missing lunch; and it is far from the ferry pier and inconvenient on foot.

It runs two sessions: online listings show 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays, and 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on weekends; Funtime gives slightly different times, so sources differ and you should check before you go. Supertaste lists pumpkin rice noodles at NT$120 small or NT$200 large, with most dishes at NT$200–400. Drivers can come straight through the Cross-Harbor Tunnel and there is street parking nearby; if you take the ferry, rent a bicycle on Cijin or take a taxi.

Ideal for families or friends wanting a proper shared seafood meal, and for travellers who would rather skip the crowded stalls of the old street. A group of three or four can order a large pumpkin rice noodles as the staple, plus shrimp patties or taro balls, a steamed fish and some mullet roe. Ask about market prices first, and smaller groups can choose small portions to stay on budget.