This neighbourhood hotpot near Chunxi Road emphasizes handmade dishes and beef-tallow broth. It fits an evening after shopping, but queues can be substantial.
Branches and spending
- Chunxi Road old branch
- In Yongxing Lane by the Panda Post Office, a few minutes on foot from Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li.
- Shuncheng Street branch
- Convenient for Chunxi Road and Wenshu Monastery. We recommend late opening for supper; confirm the exact closing time with the branch.
- Price
- For reference, CNY 70–90 per person. Some self-selected plates are priced by colour — quoted as CNY 3, 6 and 9 — so check the current price display before choosing.
Dishes recommended
- Cheese and pork meatballs
- Pork meatballs with cheese and crisp gongcai, coated in chilli powder. We recommend about six minutes of cooking for a soft, stretchy centre.
- Fresh-cut tender beef
- Fresh beef is delivered daily, hand-sliced and coated in sweet-potato starch. It cooks in seconds and stays tender and juicy.
- Tomato pork slices
- Tender meimao pork is coated in tomato. The slices stay silky and juicy, with a gentle sweet-sour flavour that balances the spicy broth.
- Slow-braised pork trotter
- A trotter described as slow-braised for four hours; sip its broth or finish it in the spicy pot.
- Tripe, duck intestine and aorta
- One plate combines the three crisp textures of tripe, duck intestine and aorta. Other suggestions include vegetable ciba dipped in brown-sugar syrup, chilled liang gao decorated with a panda head, and old-style soy-sauce egg fried rice.
Queues, dips and the self-selection fridge
- Arrive before the dinner rush
- We recommend arriving before 17:30 or checking online queueing. Its rule about holding a missed number for 30 minutes must be confirmed with the restaurant.
- Take plates in rounds
- Some dishes are selected from a fridge. Close the door and take meat in rounds rather than over-ordering at the start.
- Weekly-made tallow broth
- The owner hand-fries the tallow broth weekly, with a rich layer of Sichuan pepper and chillies. It becomes more aromatic as it cooks without turning bitter or excessively salty. Visitors should start mild, while experienced chilli eaters can choose medium.
- Sesame-oil dip and cold soy milk
- Try garlic, sesame oil, spring onion and a little broth to soften the heat and lift the aroma, with chilled rather than room-temperature Weiyi soy milk. Parking is available outside, but spaces become scarce after 18:00, so arrive early or take a car.