Hotpot Success

Hotpot is an essential Shanghai must have.  I have been told by many people, that no trip is complete without at least one hotpot dinner.




Getting ready to hotpot

 Quick hotpot primer... Hotpot is where you order a lot of meat and veggetables and cook them at the table in a big bowl of broth.  There are many types of broth (both spicy and mild) from diffrent regions in China.  Some places even serve two or three different broths at the same time.  As if that weren't complicated enough, you can choose your size, and even how you want your broth heated, electric or coal. 

Look at that hotpot deliciousness

Obviously, I left hotpot for a night when my Chinese coworker would be able to assist me in aquiring hotpot.  Friday could not come soon enough.  Luckily, there is a good hotpot restaurant, part of the Little Sheep hotpot empire, a block from my hotel.  We ventured down the block seeking hotpot goodness.

mmm... beef

Hotpot did not disappoint.  First and foremost, there was cheap beer.  Beer and alcohol in general is crazy expensive.  Not NYC expensive, but close.  A bottle of decent beer will set you back
about $10 in any restaurant, and even more in a nicer part of town.  I now understand why happy hour is such a huge phenomenon in Shanghai.

Yes! Tsing Tao exists in China

Okay, moving on to the food.  My coworker ordered some common meats and vegetables.  The pork and beef were paper thin and very fresh.  There was a ton of marbling and fat, I mean flavor.  The frozen tofu was awesome.  It was like a little sponge of delicious.  The lotus root and mushrooms also soaked the broth.

Pork, tofu, and mystery veggies

In order ot eat, you drop the food in the broth, a few pieces at a time and wait a few minutes.  The meat cooks quick and you eat it a few minutes after dropping it in.  The mushrooms and tofu are done quickly, but the longer you wait, the better it tasts.  Once the food is cooked, there are several sauces you can season the food with.  We had a chili pepper vinigar sauce, a peanut sauce, and a mystery sauce (my favorite). 

Hotpot action shot

The best part about hotpot is getting to sit and chat with your frinds for hours while snacking.  The worst part about hotpot is how you smell like hotpot when you leave.  When I took the dress I wore to the laundry, as soon as the dress came out of the bag, the hotpot sent filled the room.  The lady at the laundy exclaimed, "O, hotpot!"