If you’re looking for fresh seafood, the Addiction Aquatic Development is a must-see in Taipei. Seafood enthusiasts will be able to try a variety of fresh seafood such as fish, crabs, lobsters and other shellfish.
We first went into the seafood market that houses tanks of various live marine animals, including huge king crabs, spiny lobsters, tiger shrimp, various mollusks, and fish. You can see the selection and pricing of the seafood and make purchases here. Although the prices seem expensive, items are relatively reasonably priced since there is no middle-man driving up costs. You can also buy already prepared and cooked food.
Next to the tanks in the same building is the market, kitchens and restaurants. You can see the kitchens preparing a wide selection seafood meals such as sushi and sashimi boxes, raw oysters, other seafood and frozen goods. It also serves as a normal market where you can also buy fruits, vegetables, beverages and other goods.
We were excited to try some fresh seafood, so we went to the sushi bar for lunch. Although it was very busy, we only had to wait 20 minutes for our space. We ordered a platter of items that included lobster, crab, tiger shrimp, oysters, and fish, which cost us around $120 USD for four of us. It was well worth the price as the food quality was so fresh and delicious! There wasn’t anything we didn’t like and would’ve gotten a lot more if we had more cash! The service was also good and the waiters were very patient with us when we asked for something. It’s definitely a must-eat when you visit!
Afterwards, we did get a few sushi boxes to try out, which were pretty affordable at around $8-10 USD. They were good but you could tell the quality was not as high compared to the sushi bar. It’s more comparable to store-bought sushi than restaurant quality sushi, which is what you’d expect for those prices. There is also an outdoor restaurant for hot pot and grilled seafood but we did not get to try it.
So if you’re craving some seafood, the Aquatic Addiction Development is the place to go!
Some tips to know when you visit:
1. It can be very crowded during peak hours and weekends. Seating is very limited but there are standing tables available. It may be better to visit during off hours and weekdays.
2. Only cash is accepted at the Addiction Aquatic Development, no credit cards. Be sure to bring enough cash for the amount you want to eat, which I recommend around $50-100 USD (about NT$1500-3000) per person to be safe.
3. Menus do not provide English translation, but you can point to the menu based on how much you want to spend. Most of the items are pre-set platters so you don’t have to order individual items. You can also try bringing translations for what you want to order specifically.
Visit the Aquatic Addiction Development website here for more information.
