Hotpot / Fondue?
Wed, 2005-11-30 00:47 — Anonymous
Hi,
I know from my friends that hotpots or 'chinese fondue' with delicious chunks of beef are popular in HK at this time of the year. Does anyone know where I can eat this wonderful dish? I know its widely available, what i mean is where i can find a really delicious version of this dish.
What are they called in cantonese anyway?
Re:Hotpot / Fondue?
It's called 火鍋 - Fo (Fire) and Kwok (pot).
Here are some pictures I found on the web http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaxiubao/sets/1333757/
You can learn about it here on the wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_pot
In winter, lots of places have it. It's not just beef, but many ingredients that you choose. But, it seemed to me that it was even more popular and common in Taipei, when I lived there.
Try Vietnamese also
I can't really be of any help for a specific place, either. Frankly, I've never found there to be much variance in taste/quality for Cantonese hotpot at the places I've been to. It's such a simple concept it's really hard to differentiate.
Some places are more memorable than others, though. Last year we went with Mrs Tall's younger brother to a place in Mongkok that had a fairly exotic range of choices. I never realized, for example, that rooster testicles were so, ummm, large.
Might I also recommend trying Vietnamese hotpot? That does use strictly beef, which is cooked in a pot of boiling vinegar on your table. If you like pungent food, it's the bee's knees.
Mr Tall
Re:Hotpot / Fondue?
Hahaha Rooster testicles hmmmm That sure is exotic dude. Well, I guess i will just look for a shop and just try it (the hotpot not testicles ;-)) for the experience.
The vietnamese hotpot does sound nice man. I know Taiwan's famous for their really burning spicy hotpot though.
Re:Hotpot / Fondue?
A favourite place to bring visitors is the Tai Fung Lau restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui - 1/F Windsor Mansion, 29 Chatham Road S, Phone:2366-2494. (The entrance is from a side-street, Hart Avenue). They use the old-fashioned style of cooker that burns charcoal, instead of the newer gas burners, which also adds to the occasion.
It's not very expensive, but there is lots of raw food present. If you are taking people that are a bit squeamish about their food, or don't enjoy trying new things, you might think twice about taking them for hotpot.
To add to skmama's post, you'll also hear it called "da bin lo" in Cantonese. I think the direct translation is something like "hit edge stove".
Happy hotpotting,
MrB
Re:Hotpot / Fondue?
Mr. B,
Exactly!!! :D The one with the charcoal was the one I saw on T.V. I thought it was no longer in use. I will definitely give that Tai Fung Lau a try, it's what I've been looking for!! Cool!!
Hotpot video - hubble bubble...
Here's what the hotpot looks like at Tai Fung Lau: