Liu's Sour Cabbage Hot Pot (Zhongzheng Hall Original)

Review

Liu's is one of the names most often mentioned for Zuoying's military-village cooking. The original branch stands beside Zhongzheng Hall on Jieshou Road, surrounded by navy grounds and old military housing. There are now several branches across Kaohsiung, yet many regulars still return to this first one. Food media round-ups of Zuoying eats and sour cabbage hot pots keep listing it, and locals treat it as a reliable pick for gatherings or for showing visitors around.

The signature is the charcoal chimney pot: coals burn in the center while the broth simmers around them. The sour cabbage is made in house, giving a clean, tangy broth that deepens as it cooks and pairs well with sliced pork and other ingredients. The sides are just as famous: hearty wraps, chewy handmade dumplings, and red bean cake to finish. Scallion pancakes, knife-cut noodles and stir-fries such as lamb with sour cabbage can be added.

Diners praise the natural sourness of the broth and remember the wraps and dumplings; portions are generous and suit groups, and some call it the hot pot with the most military-village atmosphere. Complaints focus on the dated interior, seats near the charcoal pots getting hot in summer, and some à la carte dishes being less worthwhile than the signature pot, so make the sour cabbage pot the star.

It generally opens daily from 11:00 to 22:30 with a short break between 14:00 and 14:30. Meal times often fill up, so groups should book ahead. Service is partly self-serve: drinks, sauces and small dishes are collected yourself. Blog reports say it takes cash only and has a parking lot. Per-person spending estimates range from NT$300 to NT$500 depending on the source, so check current prices before going.

It suits families, groups of friends and first-time visitors to Zuoying looking for authentic military-village food. Two people can simply order Set No. 1, which brings the pot, dumplings, wraps, side dishes and red bean cake together; larger groups can add scallion pancakes or the lamb stir-fry. If you dislike heat, avoid midday in high summer and come in the evening.