I have a genuine passion for sushi, and Addiction Aquatic Development (上引水產) has really caught my attention for serving lunchbox-style sushi at incredibly great value. While Taipei boasts an array of exceptional Omakase restaurants, sometimes you may not have 1.5 hours to spare or the budget of $1500-$10,000 for a meal. For those moments when you crave a quick and satisfying sushi fix at a reasonable price, Addiction Aquatic Development is the perfect spot to fulfill your sushi cravings.
Addiction is not your typical marketplace. Fresh seafood glistens next to rows of freshly prepared lunchboxes, while the aroma of sizzling BBQ mingles with hotpot steam. Despite its name, Addiction offers a variety of options – melt-in-your-mouth sashimi, perfectly composed sushi platters, or a lively barbecue experience.
Don’t just stick to the obvious; a seemingly ordinary lunchbox might hold a delightful surprise. Whether you’re looking for simple and honest food, or to be wowed by a chef who knows exactly how to wield that razor-sharp yanagiba blade, you’re in for a good experience here.
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This is definitely not my first time at Addiction. Whether I am in the mood for a banging bento box that gives me the best bang for my buck, or whether I am looking for some delicious sushi that doesn’t break the bank, Addiction Aquatic Development is where I go.
This place should never be overlooked
Eating in Taipei, 2016
The Fish Market at Addiction Aquatic Development
I really like walking around and looking at the seafood. You’ll find lots of crab, lobster, abalone, and lots of other shellfish in big tanks here.
If one of these is what you’re looking for, then one of the fishmongers will gladly be on hand to prepare it for you to take home and cook however you would like. Frankly, that idea still scares me a little, though. I asked the lovely guy who was more than happy to hold these two crabs up for me – is the king crab sweeter than the other one? He assured me that both were equally sweet, in his opinion, and that he would go for the crab on the left rather than the king crab. He said that they offered up a similar flavour, but that value for money was greater in the crab on the left.
Walking around the fish market itself is an absolute joy. You get to see a bunch of seafood you may never have seen before, looking fresh and appetizing. The sea urchin might appear wildly expensive, but this is actually a great price for a whole tray of it, and it’s delicious!
The selection of the sushi boxes is excellent, with produce ranging from around $300 up to around $600 per box. The value for money here is truly awesome. The fresh crab is stunning, and the smoked duck is surprisingly delicious for a fish market. Honestly, I have never had a bad meal here, and I have eaten here a lot.
Wine Bar
If grabbing a sushi box on the go doesn’t strike you as something you want to do and if you are looking for a slower meal that you can enjoy with a nice glass of wine, then Addiction’s wine bar is where you want to be. If you walk past the fresh food section in the market, at the back of the indoor building you will stumble across this warmly lit wine bar.
They also serve plenty of fresh food, with some of the stand-out dishes being the oysters and the ham plate. But you should probably get their cheese platter, too, as it isn’t often that you can enjoy delicious wine and cheese in Taipei, especially at these reasonable prices!
More than sushi
They have more then just sushi here at the fish market, which is quite incredible, really. They do a whole host of grilled and deep-fried meat dishes. While I didn’t have any this time, I am excited to try out their beef brisket-looking dish. They have some delicious looking accompaniment vegetables in those pots, too.
Hot Take-out food
This is one of the greatest finds here – delicious grilled fish and your choice of food. They are incredibly reasonably priced, and they are invariably delicious! Whether you want some Teriyaki mackerel, grilled shrimp, or a fluffy Japanese omelette (tamagoyaki), you are sure to find something that intrigues and excites your tastebuds.
However, if that isn’t enough for you, you can order a large bento box, with your choice of meat (frequently it is all fish, but sometimes they do some succulent chicken, too!), as you can choose a total of 5 items to add into your bento box for $150.
Instead of bento boxes, you can order individual dishes. Vegetable dishes are $130 per serving, while meat and seafood dishes are $130 per serving.
Other areas inside
The inside area of this place is vast. You can pick up some really good Japanese sake, wine, beer, or juice from the fridge to pair with your take-out meal. Alternatively, you can also do your weekly grocery shopping here, with lots of reasonably priced seasonal produce on offer. Get some fresh cut sashimi or some freshly prepared wagyu beef to pair it with, and your friends and family will be very happy when you return home!
Other areas outside
There is a large standing area outside where you can eat your recently bought sushi, bento box, or grilled produce. It’s not air-conditioned, but it’s undercover and it also means that you don’t have dispose of your rubbish with their on-site bins. They have a grilled seafood restaurant outside that looks beautiful, and similarly they have a seafood hotpot that looks incredible, too. You’re able to choose the fish or seafood that you want and it is freshly prepared for you on site.
If you want an ice cream to cap off your meal, then just stroll to the area linking the fish market with the outside restaurants and you will find a whole host of ice cream flavours on offer.
Indoor Sushi Restaurant
Admittedly it’s been a little while since I have eaten at the on-site restaurant here, as I prefer to grab it and go home to eat in the comfort of my own home where I can sit and enjoy it. However, if you’re going out for some food and don’t mind standing to eat, then you should consider eating in at the on-site restaurant.
You’ll get similar offerings to those in the sushi boxes on the racks outside, but much more delicately put together and presented. You’ll get different pairings and accompaniments, and overall its a fresher sushi experience. The great thing about here is that you can order sushi and grilled seafood at the same time.
You should consider getting some of the salt-grilled red snapper or the Kabayaki grilled eel, and then wash it down with some ice-cold sake or a highball.
Mixed Sushi Box
So what I like so much about the food here, is the sheer variety of the fish that you get in their lunch boxes. I’ll go from left to right, top to bottom: snapper, tuna, salmon, snapper, salmon egg roll, tamagoyaki, tuna, salmon, snapper, salmon, scallop, shrimp, mini tuna roll. These lunchboxes run for about $500 but can fluctuate by $20 or so on either side of that.
Now don’t expect unreal quality here akin to that of a curated no-menu omakase restaurant such as LiXiu in Taipei, but more so a wide variety of good quality fish that has been presented nicely in a lunchbox for you.
My top picks here would be the salmon egg roll, tamagoyaki, and salmon. That’s not to say that the others aren’t good, but they’re not as good as those 3, in my opinion.
Tofu sushi & Tuna sushi roll
I have never picked up one of these boxes before. I tend to go for the mixed set above. But, I was pleasantly surprised by this and I would definitely get it again. You’ll find a sufficient amount of brown rice stuffed into the bottom of that tofu skin you see, and inside the roll, you’ll find a deep-fried length of tuna with some deliciously tangy and salty sauce.
I actually find it quite difficult to pick between the tofu skin on the left and the rolled deep-fried tuna on the right, here. Both are really good! The tuna has a little more in flavour with the actual fish, sauce, and deep-fried batter, but that tofu skin and brown rice combo totally surprised me!
I would have absolutely no problem ordering both of these again.
Assorted Nigiri & Rolls
This is probably a box to be shared, but I think on a day where I am feeling hungry I would have no problem taking this down by myself. You’ve got an amazing selection of salmon, squid, eel, salmon roe, rolls, and tamagoyaki here. If you were to get this in a restaurant it would likely cost double. It might not be the highest grade sushi in the world, but it’s still very tasty, and excellent value for money.
The pick of the bunch here is probably the salmon roe rolls or the tuna rolls. But a big surprise to me were both the eel and the squid. The squid had this delicate silky rich texture and flavour that melted in my mouth, and the eel had a chewy richness that I really enjoyed.
Tuna and Salmon Roe
This is a relatively new addiction to their sushi box offerings. Lots of salmon sits atop delicious sushi rice, with some salmon roe, ginger, and green onions on the side. I really enjoyed this, and while it looks like a smaller bowl, it is remarkably filling.
The tuna here is not a tuna belly that runs with fat or melts in your mouth, but similarly it isn’t full of the overpowering flavour that you may expect from that deep colour. Salmon roe is something I genuinely love to eat. I could easily eat one of those overflowing bowls of salmon roe with rice and an egg on top, and be very happy.
Addiction Aquatic Development – The bottom line
Is it worth it? Yes, definitely. It is a fun experience to walk around Addiction, sees the different seafood that it has to offer, and then either eat in or take out.
What else is there? There are lots of others types of restaurants within the grounds of the market – hotpot, barbecue, and a variety of other Japanese-style restaurant places. Or you can simply sit and drink an afternoon coffee.
Are there others like this? In Taipei, no. However, if you are interested in fish markets, then you should probably go and check out Keelung, on the North East coast of Taiwan. Keelung is a major fishing port in the north, and they sell some excellent seafood at their market. It’s busy every day, but well worth the wait and effort of heading out there.
Keelung City – A fast 24hr foodie tour of surprising keelung, Part 1