Hot pot

See third picture posted by Lee for reference for this post. The first two pics give a good feel for how crowded some of the streets are.

Hot pot is basically Chinese fondue. We went to dinner last night and had it. Its basically a bowl w two sides (spicy and mild) over a heat source. Full of all sorts of goodness, like garlic and peppers and herbs. Then they bring out raw stuff and you heat it in the boiling pot w chopsticks and enjoy. For example we had beef, lamb, seafood dumplings, Chinese mushroom, and some other vegetables and things that I'd never seen before but that were good.

It was a lot of fun, but its a very communal and slow way to eat. People share the pot and the trays with food. People can go to get hot pot in groups as a fun social occasion. I'd love to find a restaurant in the states that does it.

We had beer with the hot pot. An interesting thing I learned is that the beer stems from the early 1900s. When western powers invaded China during the Boxer Rebellion, the Germans came too. And they built breweries, from which the Chinese picked up the beer thing. I am grateful for that, as good beer is enough to keep me happy anywhere!

I've also learned to be more careful when I chew and swallow. Chinese food here is almost universally spicy (and if it doesn't come that way I make it that way). But while not super hard on the tongue, the particular spice that they use will absolutely decimate your throat if it gets anywhere near the windpipe, and you will be coughing and burning.

Nick
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