Hotpot restaurants heat up as weather gets chilly
Print Edition
There’s no denying many people are crazy for hotpot meals. With the weather gradually cooling down, more people may start craving for cooking their own meal in a pot of boiling broth. Hotpot restaurants in Hangzhou are trying new things to attract customers as competition is fierce. Some restaurants offer rare ingredients, others focus on concocting the best broths, and some specialize in creating a variety of dipping sauces.
Love in December
Hotpot, seafood and buffets are three popular dining options in Hangzhou.
The owner of Love in December Buffet Hotpot Restaurant has combined all three to create something close to heaven for loyal customers.
Even the owner admits he didn’t expect so much success so quickly with long queues forming outside despite the restaurant only opening two months ago.
People come for the fresh fish, live crabs and shrimps, as well as a variety of snails and shells. They add them into a hotpot, but there are also ordinary items such as beef rolls, sausages, fish balls and a nice assortment of vegetables.
At Love in December, each diner gets their own hotpot, which is a change from the usual communal pot at each table in most such restaurants. Wait staff recommend boiling shrimps for three minutes, crabs for 10 minutes, and shells and snails for no more than two minutes.
The a la carte menu includes grilled fish, oysters, shrimps and steak.
For those with a sweet tooth, the chocolate fondue is an indulgence in tasty fun.
Address: 3/F, 48 Qingchun Rd
Tel: (0571) 8106-5111
Chuan Yue 1996
Chuan Yue 1996 makes authentic Sichuan dishes and serves up a hotpot that may seem as hot as the inside of a volcano.
A full range of hotpot options is available, with dozens of chillies, peppers and seasonings boiling for upwards of four hours to make spicy broths. The non-spicy broths are made with ox bones, chicken, beef and herbs. It’s boiled for at least 12 hours prior to serving.
There’s also a pot with nine types of broth for large groups. It’s popular as diners can taste the difference between the various levels of spiciness.
A la carte Sichuan dishes are also on the menu.
The building is an imitation of the diaojiaolou, or stilted houses, that are found in Chongqing, which was once part of Sichuan.
Address: 161 Qingchun Rd
Tel: (0571) 8724-6728
Big Dragon Fire
Big Dragon Fire is a hotpot chain restaurant from Chengdu. It’s now in Hangzhou and features two types of broth — spicy and non-spicy.
The spicy soup is made with peppers, chili, grains, herbs and butter while the non-spicy broth is made with large pork bones, mushrooms and herbs.
For those who enjoy spicy food, the “slightly spicy” level will be sufficient as the longer the broth boils the spicier it becomes. Remove the dried chilies floating on the top if the soup becomes too strong.
Big Dragon Fire doesn’t go all out with a variety of dipping sauces, preferring to go with the traditional Chengdu version of garlic, scallion, special sesame oil, soy sauce and vinegar.
Some ingredients like fish skin and goose intestines are direct from Chengdu. Most ingredients require several minutes to cook.
The spicy beef is popular for those who really love fiery food. It’s preserved in salt, starch, heaps of spice and then hammered dozens of times to make it nice and tender.
Address: 133 Yan’an Rd
Tel: (0571) 8679-9956
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
