revisited/japanese/sushi: i still strongly recommend ADDICTION ACQUATIC DEVELOPMENT

ADDICTION AQUATIC DEVELOPMENT 上引水產

No. 18, Alley 2, Ln 410, Minzu E Rd

台北市民族東路410巷2弄18號

(02) 2508-1268

MRT: Zhongshan Jr. High School Station or XingTian Temple Station

website: addiction.com.tw

hours:  6AM- 12AM midnight

$$- $$$ (cash only)

Kid friendliness: sushi and raw bar are standing only. outdoor seating for seafood bbq area, room for strollers. lots of raw and cooked eats at indoor market

Visit reviewed: 4/21/2015
Previous visit reviewed: 10/2012

ready to eat uni and hokkaido scallops 

Addiction Acquatic Development is THE most popular post on the blog, and at my last shopping trip there a few months ago, I found that they smartly revamped several sections of it. So I thought I'd write up a quick new post with some of the changes. 

LIVE SEAFOOD TANKS 

live seafood tanks

When AAD first opened, you entered through the main entrance into the supermarket, but after awhile, they shifted that to be the exit and had you enter through the left into the seafood tanks area. It's very clean and not smelly for the size and space, so just hustle past it if you are looking for the main market/dining area. But don't miss the sections along the wall where they've added a few fridges with uni, scallops, oysters and a section with cooked crabs, lobsters and fresh oysters on ice, sold by weight.

 

MEAT & GROCERIES MARKET

I was pleasantly surprised to see a new section selling steaks, beef, shabu meats, cured meats and condiments, as well as a revamp of their freezer section which previously seemed like storage for fish. Now it is all easy to recognize what's inside and I could totally pick up some ingredients for cooking dinner along with sushi. 

These iberico salami were so good, but it was disappointing to see a price hike a few weeks later from NT$194 to almost NT$300!

Packs of veggies/tofu/mushrooms to-go to do shabu/hotpot at home, super sweet corn, shabu cut meats, totally high end supermarket packaging and easy to browse.

Ton of fresh veggies, fruits and cheese! There's even packaged condiments, noodles, pastas, and even packaged macarons, foie gras and drinks. Their cheese selection has definitely increased since my earlier visits, with cheeses like brie, parmesan, blue cheese,  and the prices are fairly reasonable for Taipei.

RAW BAR

Still standing only along the bar, I've had friends who come over to this side to snack while waiting for the sushi bar. Here you'll find cooked cold crab, lobsters, shellfish, oysters and bubbly.

HOUSEWARES/WINE BAR

Before this section was filled with beautiful but expensive glass vases, ceramics, cookbooks and housewares. I thought it was very smart of AAD to transform most of this area into a corner for a wine bar as well as a transition area into the supermarket, with fresh fruits and veggies. Maybe a glass of wine and cheese to end the night?

SUSHI TO GO

If you've ever enjoyed supermarket sushi, then you'll be awed by the variety of rolls, sliced sashimi, mini chirashis and even cooked seafood packaged and ready to eat. I used to live off of spicy tuna rolls at Nijiya in West LA and loved their rolls wrapped in the yellow soy wrapper and I think this is the first time I've seen that wrapper in Taipei here at AAD. Granted, it is supermarket sushi, so the rice will be cold and slightly hard if it's later in the day, but I feel the fish is comparable to the sushi you'll get at the AAD standing only sushi bar with less of a wait. But the rice can be pretty bad, even for supermarket sushi, so you might be best getting sashimi or rolls. 

The sushi at AAD's sushi bar isn't the best there is to be eaten in Taipei, but the sets are a great value for price and better than sushi I've paid twice the price for in LA. Just grab a ticket early for the waiting list for the sushi bar so you can spend your time browsing while you wait. The popularity of Addiction Acquatic Development comes from the whole complex, not just the sushi bar, as well as the value and freshness. I've definitely come here over the years to grab a box of uni, some sashimi or even some rolls. 

On this visit I tried the pre-cooked lobster and it wasn't as good as I expected, slightly overcooked and not sweet.. would skip it next time.

Crab cucumber roll with sweet shrimp and ikura 

I'm totally happy with the smallest box of bafun uni (NT$510) that AAD has and eating it with a bowl of rice at home. Sweet, creamy and indulgent, but a whole lot cheaper than ordering uni at the sushi bar and getting just one piece.  This is my favorite thing about Acquatic.

The sushi bar and outdoor courtyard where you can order live seafood to be grilled are the same, so you can look at my previous review for pictures. 

AAD has also added a hotpot restaurant now, Tresors De La Mer, on the other side of the courtyard where you can order live seafood (choose them from the tanks) and meat for shabu, as well as order grilled seafood, sashimi, oysters, and sushi hand rolls from the hand roll cart. It's the perfect place for the relatives/friends that don't want to stand while they eat, and you can sample a bit of everything Addiction Acquatic has to offer in one place. (Full review coming!)

Addiction Acquatic Development is definitely a must visit in Taipei for any seafood or sushi lover, and an awesome place to have as a neighborhood market.  It's been open until midnight for awhile now, which I think is so crazy, but I might have to go late one night to see what's available and how crowded it is at 11pm on a weeknight!