Chongqing Hot Pot: A must-try for spicy food lovers " Go as far as you can"

Teach you how to eat Chongqing traditional hotpot in the right way!

Chongqing, the heaven of hotpot lovers!

Hotpot is the most famous and favorite dish in Chongqing. Chongqing local people consider the hotpot a local specialty, which is noted for its peppery and hot taste, scalding yet fresh and tender. Nowadays, as a matter of fact, Chongqing hotpot is famous and popular all over the country.

 

Chongqing hotpot was first eaten by poor boatmen of the Yangtze River in Chongqing area and then spread westwards to the rest of Sichuan Province. Now it is a very popular local flavor and can be found at every corner of the city.       

 

People gather around a small pot filled with flavorful and nutritious soup base. The pot may be boiled by various means, such as charcoal, electric or gas. You have a choice of spicy, pure or combo for the soup. There are a great variety of hotpots, including Yuanyang (Double Tastes) hotpot, four tastes hotpot, fish head hotpot, tonic hotpot, entire sheep hotpot, etc. Chongqing hotpot is characterized by its spiciness, but to suit customers of different preference, salty, sweet or sour flavors of hotpot are available. As long as you can stand the spiciness, you are advised to try the spiciest one to ensure an authentic experience.

 

Thin sliced raw variety meat, fish, various bean curd products and all kinds of vegetables are the main ingredients for this cuisine. All of these are boiled in the soup, and then you can dip them in a little bowl of special sauce.

Chongqing people love their hotpot, especially when the weather is steamy. The fire dances under the pot, the heavily oiled and spiced soup boils with hazy steam, and the people are bathed in sweat. Chongqing hotpot can be found wherever there are street vendors or small restaurants, it has the greatest variety and is known for its delicious soup base and dipping sauce. Tasting this traditional dish will be the first choice of tourists who come here.

The most representative and famous types of hotpots are as follows:

• Cattle-gut Hotpot

Hotpots are the traditional famous course of Sichuan, of which Chongqing hotpot is specially noted, characterized by hotness, heavy flavors and dense soup. The traditional Chongqing hotpot's materials include cattle guts, cattle waists, beef and other vegetables, being a real self-help course. Hotpot enjoys an age-old history in China.

 

• Yuanyang Hotpot          

Yuanyang hotpot is characterized by its unique flavor. In fact, Yuanyang hotpot is a mixture of the hot soup of traditional cattle-gut hotpot and the bree of mum hotpot. Thus it is honored Sichuan Innovative Hotpot. The pot is divided into two parts by a copper slice in the middle. One side is the container of hot soup, the other side is bree. The option of hotpot's materials is decided at your will.

 

• Time-honored "Qiaotou" Hotpot

Chongqing hotpot is well known throughout China as a unique local eating culture, and the Qiaotou hotpot is said to be among the top ones, and it has been enjoying a high reputation in generations of Chongqing natives. The staff of Qiaotou has created Yuanyang hotpot, hotpot banquet and various nourishing series stockpot on the basis of hot-soup hotpot.

 

The other famous local food is hot and spicyMa La Tang, which is similar to hotpot in some way. Literally, "ma" means numbness in the mouth, "la" is chili hot and "tang" means piping hot.Ma La Tang, with various raw ingredients cooked in a communal pot of steaming stock blended with spices, originated in Sichuan's largest city, Chongqing. The double-sided soup pot, placed on a central table burner, is the focal point of the meal. Ingredients include fresh sliced abalone, sea cucumber, hog tendon, Beijing cabbage and beef dumpling, prawns, carp fish fillet, bean curd, chicken fillet and vegetables. The excellent dipping mixture of sesame oil, chili sauce, peanut sauce, chopped chilies and garlic combine to make magic. Savory titbits are appetizingly tasty -- egg coated glutinous square, crispy spring roll, fried buns, eight treasure black rice and water chestnut jelly. Diners cook their food right at the table in steamingMa La Tang, a savory broth blended with the spices found in abundance in Sichuan.

 

I AM HUNGRY, DON'T YOU? :)

Night life in Xiamen

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I would love to give you all best wishes in the new year. Hope you can support my blog also in 2015, I promise to share the most traditional and excellent chinese food here with you.

Today I give you some tips about the clubs and bars in Xiamen. If you are travelling in this city during your new year vacation, i think these places are good choices for parties with you friends and family.

Me & You 2 Bar

Hai Wan Gong Yuan, Houhaiting No.1, park nearby Hubin Xilu 
+86(0)592 685 374 7

The Me&You 2 has become one of Xiamen foreigners' most popular places. It is at the Park nearby Hubin Xilu on the western coastline of Xiamen Island. The spacious wooden terrace with its great view, especially at sunset, invites you to call it a day and relax. Their menu offers both Western and Chinese dishes, and if you are in the mood for a special cocktail or Western beer (Tsingtao 20 Yuan, Becks 30 Yuan), Me&You 2 is the place for you.

Happy Hour from 4–8 pm: buy a Tiger or Beck's beer and get one free.

Elite (Club) 酒吧

14 Jianye Rd. Yangming Bldg. (建业路14号阳明楼)

The Elite nearby the Marco Polo Hotel is a blend of lounge and club, and very popular among foreigners. They have got a really nice interior with cozy couches and smooth lighting. Whether dancing or chatting over a reasonably priced drink (Tsingtao 25 Yuan), a night at the Elite fits the bill. On weekends you can meet expats, as well as students, and make friends with local Chinese. The music is a good mix of current popular songs played by a great live band and really nice electronic music.

Dreamfield

Lianbang Guangchang, Hexiang Xilu
+86(0)592 220 785 6

2.3–2 Lianhua Beilu, nearby Haishan Lu
+86(0)592 555 095 2

There are actually two places in town. The new one is on Hexiang Lu nearby Hubin Xilu. If you like live bands you should definitely give Dreamfield a chance. The nicely decorated interior is very comfortable, with easy chairs and lounges. Spend a great evening there having a drink (Tsingtao 25 Yuan) and listening to impressive musicians.

Jane Ai Bar

98 Haitian Road
+86 (0)592 574 4219

Nice little bar with classic music playing. The staff is very friendly and many of them even speak English, so it's not that hard to order sth. as a foreigner. Read a book or newspaper from their large library, and enjoy the soft music and a drink.

Zhansi Bar

10 North Hubin Road
+86 (0)592 531 1497

If you are from Germany, esp. from Bavaria, this place might help cure your homesickness. The bar definitely shows some resemblance to traditional places in Bavaria. Heavy beer is quite common and don’t be surprised to even hear some oompha music every now and then.

Easy Lounge Bar

102 Nanhu Hao Yuan B, Hubin Donglu
+86(0)592 507 051 2

Glass House

Huxin Dao, Jiangtou Gongyuan
+86(0)592 556 109 99

Jiulongwan Forest Bar

Hulishan Fort
+86(0)592 209 333 3

Hello Life Bar

1F Jingxie Mansion, Lianhua South Road, Kaiyuan District
+86 (0)592 513 6719

Live music is played nearly every night.

Edge Belt

Nanshan Road, Huli District
+86 (0)592 503 0922

Military style bar.

The Londoner

Guanren Lu, behind Marco Polo
+86(0)592 508 978 3

Have a good beer while watching sports of all kinds in this typical English pub.

 Sunset Avenue Bar

Binlang Road
+86 (0)592 514 2135

Upper class bar.

NASA

Block B, Bailuzhou
+86(0)592 532 333 3

Typical Chinese disco.

6th Night Café

2 Ziqiang Lu, Baijiacun, Gongyuan Donglu
+86(0)592 207 333 6 www.6night.com
This place nearby Zhongshan Park is very atmospheric. Enjoy your drinks while listening to live performances.

Dreamers Music Book Bar

Opposite to 7 Qiantian Yitiaojie, Xiada Xuesheng Gongyu
+86(0)592 392 718 1

Bar/Café with outdoor facilities, stage and live performance.

Linsa Café

170 Daxue Lu
+86(0)592 251 238 2

Very atmospheric place with quite nice interior and outstanding lights. The small stage invites artists of all kind to show their talent. Even if there isn't anyone performing, you can watch unusual music videos on the big screen. The staff is very friendly as well and a few of them even speak English.

Central Park Café

121 Xi An Lu, nearby the northern gate of Zhongshan Park (in the flower market)
+86(0)592 202 182 1

New café with a fantastic view over Zhongshan Park.

The British Bulldog Pub

8 Jianye Lu (建业路8号), nearby Marco Polo Hotel

Sun Dance

252 Lujiang Dao, Guomao Haijing Bldg, nearby XMU
+86(0) 592 239 053 8

They have always got some people playing life music on the weekend. Free Wireless Internet.

My Living Room

31-28 Jianye Lu
+86(0)592 575 855 8

Wine bar.

Noah's Ark

Block A Tian'e Guangchang, Bailuzhou, nearby a neon Eiffel Tour
+86(0)592 533 888 8

Oasis Bar

19 Hubin Beilu
+86(0)592 507 888 8

This bar is inside the Sofitel Plaza Xiamen, right at the lobby. Very luxurious place with a library and cigar serving. 


 The Orient Anderea

Guanren Lu, behind the Marco Polo

Shenduoli

28 Jiangjunci Lu
+86(0)592 205 828 8
Nightclub.

U & I Bar

Building 1, Photography Plaza, Bailuzhou Donglu
+86(0)592 556 551 8

Xiamen Country Club (Xiangcun Lieche)

2F, 2nd Section, Fujin Dajie

This place with karaoke is popular with Xiamen's gay community (for more information about the Xiamen gay scene, take a look at: http://www.utopia-asia.com/chinxiam.htm) 
Youfu Castle

Bailuzhou
+86(0)592 509 088 8

Big entertainment club, often with live music.