China. The hot pot

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Part 2. Social, fun & delicious.

Some call it hot pot, steam boat or shabu-shabu. One thing that is clear, the hot pot is eaten only with the people you like.


The Yunnan-style hot pot with 4 different broth. Spicy, tangy, mild and mushroom. We love them all!


Over my many visits, I was lucky to have tried 3 different regional versions – Yunnan, Mongolian and Sichuan. And what’s my verdict? They are all yummy and yet I wasn’t allowed to repeat. Well, because there’s more to explore and enjoy!



Close up of the seriously yummy Yunnan-style hot pot. Well, everybody loves hot pot.


The Yunnan version has that tangy and spicy taste which reminds me of the flavours of southeast Asia. It is aromatic, mild (almost sweet) on the onset and then the spiciness kicks in, dances about your palate and then you think you will sweat, and then it leaves you with a savoury sensation and that is when you reach out for more. I love it! It was delicious!


Mmmmmmmmmmeat...


And what do you dip the cooked meat and items into? Oh ho, the Yunnan style was wicked! There was a counter with over 20 items - I stopped counting. All you do is grab this little bowl or ramekin and start pimping up your sauce! Add in spices, shallots, various versions of chillies, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, versions of soy sauces and whatever you fancy and voila! Your yummy dipping sauce is ready. If you are confused, you may add all. Or make a few ramekins and enjoy! Makes me feel like a chef... well, kinda...


My awesomelicious dipping sauce. Experimental but goooood...


This is where we kept the stash.


The Mongolian version had a lot of meat – mostly lamb, veal and beef. The stock in the pot for cooking was clear but the dipping sauce was a thick, sesame paste which reminds me of the Japanese shabu-shabuthat I ate in Kobe. Dipping cooked meat into this sesame paste made me feel full really quickly. And yet my plate was hardly ever empty. The Chinese are very hospitable and they will ensure a generous and continuous flow of food – in this case a lot of meat. There were vegetables and mushrooms too but I guess they wanted me to dine on the finest cuts.



The authentic Mongolian hotpot made of copper with chimney in the centre. Wicked!


Hey hot pot! Smile for the camera! We like you!


And finally, if you are ready for HOT pot - here comes the Sichuan version. Well not finally, but the third version I tried at the time of writing this. Sichuan is probably a code word for crazy killer numb hot spicy. Forget that spicy Thai food. This is a new level of hot. It was so hot beyond tears or words that my last recollection was, I could not feel my tongue. Quite literally. I often question myself,why, why do anyone eat anything this hot? How early do Sichuanese babies start going wild like their adults do with spiciness? and what is spicy Sichuanese baby level? Despite these burning (quite literally) questions, I went for more.



You ready for this?


Team of "fire fighters". Goma or sesame paste dipping sauce and that one in the can is sesame oil, my friends. Nopes, not your can of fizzy drink.


Here's how you pimp up your dipping sauce. Sesame oil, garlic, spring onions and a friend added chillies. And she said this dip is only for the meats dipped in the spicy broth. Madness.


Notice the chillies dancing in the broth. The one in the middle is for the faint-hearted (yours truly) - how thoughtful of my friends. I guess this is my last call to change my mind?


And they wheeled in the good stuff. There's no looking back now.


Again, this Sichuan hot pot restaurant is halal. Apparently, there are many halal restaurants these days in Beijing and Shanghai – you just need to ask. Typically, when the exterior is marked with a green banner instead of the standard red ones, the establishments serve halal food. But not all will put these banners such as this Sichuan place but my friends found this place because she is a fellow foodie just like me. So, to this I say bon ap! Or 吃吃吃 (let’s eat) or 吃好 (eat well)! Smaklig måltid! Mahl Zeit!



Fiery good stuff. Om nom nom nom...




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About Post Author

We are a couple that who simply love life and enjoy food. Nicklas is from Kåge, Sweden and Sue is from Singapore. Having grown up in different countries, our appreciation for good food goes beyond international and sometimes experimental too.

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About us

We are a couple who simply love life and enjoy food. Nicklas is from Kåge, Sweden and Sue is from Singapore. Having grown up in different countries, our appreciation for good food goes beyond international and sometimes experimental too. We seek to discover delicious food, enjoy and yes explore new dining experiences (because some experiences are just new, fabulous and should be told). And above all, we wish to share this with anyone who wishes to know where to eat in Vienna.

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