Beijing Hot Pot and BBQ Meat, Anyone?
Following the success of their first store, King Pot have decided to make Beijing-style hot pot more available to citizens of Hangzhou with the opening of a Binjiang branch. A tad different from the spicy, mouth-numbing Sichuan-style hot pot you may be used to, King Pot delivers a breath of fresh air in the hot pot department. Additionally, its new store offers yet another style of the cooking, the Beijing way: Beijing-style Barbecue.
Walking through the doors, your eyes are immediately drawn to what look like extremely decorative vases. However, although these may serve as the centrepiece of your table for the duration of your meal, they will also be doing the cooking.
Aesthetics aside, Beijing-style hot pot differs in that it uses a relatively plain broth in which to cook your food so as to avoid masking the freshness of the ingredients, something which can occur when using heavy amounts of spice. It was clear to see why, as the freshness of their cuts of lamb (Fillet 50RMB) were duly noted and fully appreciated. Heated by coal, the high temperature of the pot means that you mustshuàn your meat, keeping hold of it at all times as it cooks almost instantly between your chopsticks. A lot of the standard hot pot meat and veg is available, although there is a heavy emphasis on keeping with the Northern flavor, with Beef (Ribs 58RMB) and Lamb (Tender Leg Meat 48RMB) dishes in abundance.
As if this wasn’t enough, King Pot’s new restaurant exclusively offers you the chance to try traditional Beijing-style barbecue as an alternative means to cooking your food. Your first decision will be whether to get stuck in and brave the grill yourself or let a member of staff do it for you, as you sit back and toast with a glass of traditional Beijing èrguōtóu (98RMB 500ml).
Dishes for the barbecue are also treated and flavoured in keeping with the Beijing vibe and the high temperature of the metal circular grill makes it ideal for cooking meat dishes, searing nicely while keep it moist. Ox Tongue (38RMB), Chicken Liver (28RMB), Sirloin Steak (28RMB) and Lamb Leg (48RMB) dishes were all complimented very highly by this type of cooking, meaning the menu is somewhat meat-heavy, although not altogether void of veggies. After eating this meat, however, you may decide to become a straight-up carnivore.
So grill or pot, that is the question. I wouldn’t worry too much though; the results are equally delicious. Menus in English, smoking allowed, parking available.
King Pot, Binjiang Branch/幸福里文涮武烤, 滨江店
Address: 4/F, Jiangjin International Mansion, 251 Anye Road, Binjiang 滨江安业路251号江锦国际大厦4楼
Telephone: 0571 8677 9689
Opening Hours: 11am - 2am
作为一个假京片子，到了幸福里就是回了老家，平时装了一嘴的京片子到这里是派上了用场。除了继续他们老店的老北京火锅和羊蝎子火锅外，还多了炙子烤肉，冯老板亲自上阵给我们来武烤 (据说文烤是烤好送上餐桌的)，就着两斤牛栏山把同去的几个老外给灌的晕晕乎乎。
Want to know more places like this, discover more in the up coming October issue.
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