Location: Hsinchu Xishi Shantou Restaurant
Travel notes summary: Xishi Shantou Restaurant (satay hotpot) in Hsinchu. I had a meal with my junior Shengzhi two weeks ago. I didn't even know he was in Hsinchu until I ran into him on the street—Taiwan really is small! He took me to this place tucked away in an alley near the City God Temple, right next to a bunch of meatball shop signs (like Hairui, Lin Family, and Shangge). We walked into a path that felt like a traditional market. My junior, Bongbong, is also a food enthusiast, so he's been exploring eateries in Hsinchu tirelessly. That's how he brought me to this spot—a place I'd passed by many times but never noticed or entered. We ordered two plates of beef fried noodles ($60 each, total $120), a bowl of fish dumpling soup ($40), and asked the owner to stir-fry a mixed platter (beef, beef liver, etc.) for $210. The two of us ate nearly $400 worth. My junior said the satay sauce here rivals the famous Xiaohaozhou satay hotpot in Tainan. It's been years since I last ate at Xiaohaozhou in a Tainan alley, so my memory of its satay flavor is a bit fuzzy. Honestly, I prefer not to add too many condiments when I eat. Satay is fragrant, b…