Image
  • Writing
    • Andy Gavin: Author
    • About my Novels & Writing
    • All Writing Posts
    • The Darkening Dream
      • Buy the Book Online
      • Sample Chapters
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Untimed
      • Buy Untimed Online
      • Book Trailer
      • Sample Chapters
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Scrivener – Writer’s Word Processor
    • iPad for Writers
    • Naughty Dark Contest
  • Books
    • Book Review Index
    • Favorite Fantasy Novels
    • Andy Gavin: Author
    • The Darkening Dream
      • Buy the Book Online
      • Sample Chapters
      • Short Story: Harvard Divinity
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Untimed
      • About the Book
      • Buy Untimed Online
      • Book Trailer
      • Sample Chapters
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Naughty Dark Contest
  • Games
    • My Video Game Career
    • Post Archive by Series
    • All Games Posts Inline
    • Making Crash Bandicoot
    • Crash 15th Anniversary Memories
    • World of Warcraft Endgames
    • Getting a Job Designing Video Games
    • Getting a Job Programming Video Games
    • Naughty Dark Contest
  • Movies
    • Movie Review Index
  • Television
    • TV Review Index
    • Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    • A Game of Thrones
  • Food
    • Food Review Index
    • Foodie Club
    • Hedonists
    • LA Sushi Index
    • Chinese Food Index
    • LA Peking Duck Guide
    • Eating Italy
    • Eating France
    • Eating Spain
    • Eating Croatia
    • Eating Vietnam
    • Eating Australia
    • Eating Israel
    • Ultimate Pizza
    • ThanksGavin
    • Margarita Mix
    • Foodie Photography
    • Burgundy Vintage Chart
  • Other
    • All Posts, Magazine Style
    • Archive of all Posts
    • Fiction
    • Technology
    • History
    • Anything Else
  • Gallery
  • Bio
  • About
    • About me
    • About my Writing
    • About my Video Games
    • Ask Me Anything
  • Contact

Archive for Szechuan Hot Pot

Chun La Hao – Infernal Pot

Sep20

Restaurant: Chun La Hao Chong Qing Hot Pot

Location: 5701 Rosemead Blvd, Temple City, CA 91780. (626) 766-1230

Date: August 5, 2019 & May 16, 2021

Cuisine: Chong Qing Hot Pot

Rating: Tied for best hot pot I’ve ever had

_

After Yarom and I met up in March at the awesome Shancheng Lameizi for some fiery hot pot (which blows the boring mild hot pot out of… something) we decided to drag some more people to a different new, higher end Szechuan Hot Pot place.

7U1A5242

Chun La Hao is located in the same Temple City mall as Grand Harbor and right across the street from Bistro Na. It hails from Chong Qing, the largest city in Szechuan and well known for its brazen, no holds barred take on spice.
7U1A5243
They have bar style munchies and tea in the waiting area.
7U1A5259
And a modern Chinese decor much like the aforementioned Bistro Na or Shancheng. It’s more spacious than either of Shancheng’s branches.
7U1A5260
Our table for size was still a bit tight — for us big westerners.
IMG_2245
The menu is the usual check sheet and with an extensive list of favorites and freakish culinary bits one can boil up. Aka duck intestine, black tripe, pork aorta and the like.
7U1A5251
The have the best “snack bar” I’ve yet seen at a hot pot. Extensive munchies.
7U1A5252
The usual kind of peanuts and crisps.
7U1A5253-Pano
A big assortment of pickled things like spicy cucumbers, kimchee like stuff, etc.
7U1A5258
And more weird crispy stuff.

7U1A5267
Here are some I got. The cucumbers were great. The kimchee was very hot, even by my standards.

1A4A6331
And some different “snacks” on 5/16/21.

 

7U1A5261
From my cellar: NV Pierre Péters Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvée de Réserve. JG 91+. As is customary with this bottling from Rodolphe Péters, the wine is a blend of fifty percent of its base year of 2014 and fifty percent from last year’s blend, which had gone into the family solera of reserve wines that dates back to 1988. The vins clairs here do not entirely go through malo as fifteen percent are non-malo wines, with the range raised in a variety of vessels, including barrels, stainless steel tanks and cement vats and the wine spend two years aging sur latte. The new release is very good indeed, offering up a youthful blend of apple, pear, hazelnut, chalky minerality, incipient pastry cream and spring flowers. On the palate the wine is crisp, focused and full-bodied, with a good core, still pretty brisk acidity, frothy mousse and very good backend mineral drive on the long and nascently complex finish. This is very good today and will be even better with a couple of years in the cellar.

7U1A5276
We ordered the maximum spicy classic Chongqing ox fat broth and a light mushroom broth for the losers.
7U1A5317
Here it is all fired up, at the end too when the spice has taken over some of the wuss side.
7U1A5245
Chun La Hao also has a big sauce bar. Bigger perhaps than HDL but a bit smaller than SL.
7U1A5246-Pano
A slightly better view. There are all the classics here and more, plenty to make a great sauce. They lack a few of the weird (and delicious) fermented options at SL, but otherwise it’s pretty complete. All the base components are here. Spices, sesame oil and paste, soy sauces, vinegars, etc.
7U1A5300
This is my “mild” (not really) vegetable sauce with a soy vinegar garlic base.
7U1A5297

And my fiery sesame flame garlic “meat” sauce.
7U1A5269
The presentation is cute. A red army truck brings the Veggie Combo Platter of various greens.
7U1A5303
Oddly, no cabbage in the combo, so we ordered some.
7U1A5305
Lotus root provides a nice crunch.
7U1A5271
Lately I’ve taken to Square Bamboo Shoot as a source of great texture and fiber.
7U1A5286
Mushroom Combo Platter serves up even more fiber.

1A4A6338
Wood Ear Mushrooms.

7U1A5272
The tofu combo platter brings handmade tofu, black tofu (which was kinda gross), fried beancurd and others.
7U1A5283
Fish Filet was marinated. It looked pretty, but was filled with bones.
7U1A5278
Cuttlefish dumplings look like sticks of wax, but cook up to be delectable chewy sticks with a hint of seafood.

1A4A6358
Crab sticks.
1A4A6349
Dumplings with roe — actually pretty darn good.

1A4A6352
Raw beef with egg (you coat it in the egg and cook it).
1A4A6355
Pig butt. Yup.
7U1A5292
Luncheon Pork is one of my favorites and I got two orders. Basically spam, this stuff is soft and delicious.
7U1A5280
Mini Sausage are fun.
7U1A5289
Pork Meatballs were clearly house-made and the best I’ve had. Really tasty.
7U1A5282
Fatty Beef. Delicious.
7U1A5315
Beef Brisket. Moderately leaner.
7U1A5308
Beef belly is also fatty and delicious.
7U1A5293
Lamb shoulder was delicious. Too bad under all that spice one can barely tell the meats apart :-).

1A4A6357
Probably also lamb shoulder or some other lamb cut.
7U1A5301
Beef Tendon isn’t a white boy favorite, and is very gelatinous when cooked up, but tastes amazing (if you can handle the texture).
7U1A5311
Pork is good too and needs to be cooked a bit longer.

1A4A6356
A leaner beef cut.

7U1A5320
It’s a bit crowded at the table and the uncooked food is on shelves at the edge of our alcove, a bit hard to get at.
IMG_2246
Sure makes a big mess.
IMG_2248
Check out the congealing spicy ox fat after it’s had a chance to cool down!
IMG_2247
They have a funny timing game you can play once per table to “earn” a discount too.

1A4A6359

Thai Red Curry Sorbetto — I made a version of this in 2017 and it was a dismal failure, but haunted me since and so this one is redemptive. Made a (no salt) red curry paste from scratch (chilies, lemongrass, galangal, cilantro roots, kaffir lime leaves, garlic, Asian shallots etc) and then cooked it into a pure Thai Coconut Milk base. Sweet and Spicy! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto#Thai #red #curry #spicy

1A4A6360

Buko Pandan Gelato — Infused the milk with fresh Pandan Leaves and then crafted it into a dairy coconut base as my take on the Filipino favorite. Unusual and soothing. — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #buko #pandan #coconut

Overall, service was great. Decor is good. Snack bar is best in class. Sauce bar is an A-, but still great. Plating is the best I’ve seen at hot pot and the flavor was spectacular. If you can handle spicy hot pot, this is one of THE places to go. Seriously it’s as good as a similar place in Chengdu or Chongqing!

It should be noted that only 2 of the six of us (Yarom and I) were brave enough to eat from the spicy side. I ate entirely spicy, consequences be damned! It’s well worth it, but part of the experience is the catharsis and adrenaline rush. Expect coughing in reaction to the toxic fumes and insanely great heat. Some intestinal distress is nearly guaranteed.

IMG_2249
Afterward, to cool down, we went across the street to Meet Fresh.
IMG_2250
Counter order Asian Shave Ice place.
IMG_2251
Very nice decor.
IMG_2252
Shave ice with various beans and taro pudding and the like.
IMG_2253
Super mango shave ice with sweetened milk and ice cream. Yum Yum! Plus some milk teas and the like.

IMG_2254
Flan shave ice with ice cream, two kinds of flan, various jellies and jiggly bits, and all sorts of other cool stuff.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Szechuan Impression Tustin
  2. Diablo 3 – The Infernal Barbarian
  3. Molten Lava Goodness
  4. Happy Table 2X
  5. Chong Qing Special Noodles
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Chinese cuisine, Chongqing Hot Pot, Chun La Hao, hot pot, SGV, Sichuan, spicy, Szechuan Chinese, Szechuan Hot Pot

Molten Lava Goodness

Apr01

Restaurant: Shancheng Lameizi

Location: Mandarin Plaza. 18932 Gale Ave, Rowland Heights, CA 91748. (626) 581-8808

and 1530 S San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776. (626) 766-1700

Date: March 7 and March 26 and May 7 and June 22 and December 27, 2019

Cuisine: Szechuan Hot Pot

Rating: Best Hot Pot restaurant I’ve been to

_

On the middle night of my 3 day class trip to the SGV Yarom made the trek out east to join me for what Erick and Skylar said is the best new Chongqing style hot pot.
7U1A6123

They describe themselves on their website thusly:

Our secret recipes of the soup base all come from Chongqing, so that our customers can taste the authentic flavor of hot pot from that mountain city. Apart from that, more than twenty kinds of free special snacks also attract many diners and lead to our good reputation, making the company prosper in the dining industry for more than twenty years. Our tenet of providing quality and comfortable service also makes every one of our customers “come with joy and leave with satisfaction”. Our specialties are delicious, rich-flavored and good for your calcium supplement. Their functions of skin care and regulating Qi and blood are also good for your health. Our soup is daily fresh-made.

7U1A6122
This branch (there are a couple) is located in busy Mandarin plaza. There are like 15-20 Asian places out here and we are returning in the summer for a crawl.
7U1A6119
There is even a bit of outside decor.
7U1A6124
Check it out, they spent some actual money.
7U1A6203
There is even an outside hot pot patio! (the tables have the built in hot pots). I’ve never seen this before.
7U1A6125-Pano
Inside has a cute bit of decor, and tiny Chinese girl sized booths. We were initially offered a 2 person booth like the near one on the right — Yarom and I, being neither a couple nor particularly petite waited for a four person sized table.
IMG_1089
Then 2 weeks later I was out in the SGV by myself picking up some gelato equipment and decided to try out the Alhambra branch. Similar elaborate building — I didn’t see the patio, but friends say it’s there. I went back again 5/7/19 too because this place is just that good.
IMG_1111
Inside has another of these “fancy” Chinese decors that would cost an American 3 million but probably only cost them $300,000.
7U1A6129
They have the best “sauce bar” I have ever seen, although you have to pay $1.50 a person for it. It includes more than just sauce like these snacks (which I didn’t eat).
7U1A6130
More snacks.
7U1A6131
Dessert. Very Chinese. Bean stuff sesame balls. Kinda dry and not worth the carbs.

IMG_1100

More snacks. Peanuts, dried lima beans, etc. These were good. Shrimp chips.
7U1A6134
Not sure what all these were. Some red beans. Some weird mysterious sweet things. Like those sperm on the left. Kinda gelatinous and sweet.

7U1A6137-Pano
This is the main sauce components (there were a few others, not pictured, like garlic, peanuts, etc. This stuff was awesome. So many different super Chinese fermented spice flavors.

IMG_1090
IMG_1091
IMG_1092
IMG_1093
IMG_1094
IMG_1095
Very detailed pan across of all the sauce components!

7U1A6136
Various toppings to add into your sauce mixes. The soy sauces, vinegar, oils are separated out.
7U1A6202
Never heard of this oils, which makes it cool.

7U1A6142
You fill out the menu while waiting.
7U1A6145
From my cellar: NV Philipponnat Champagne Royale Réserve Rosé Brut. BH 92. A moderately fruity nose reflects notes of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, yeast and a subtle citrus nuance. There is a really lovely sense of energy to the delicious, round and nicely voluminous flavors that are shaped by a moderately fine effervescence that carries over to a lingering and solidly complex finish that is drier than the 9 g/L of dosage would suggest. One of the aspects that I particularly like here is that unlike many examples of rosé that tend to be prettier than they are deep, there has very good depth. Like the Royale Réserve, this could easily be held for further aging but it is so attractive now that there is no particular reason to do so.

agavin: perfect hot hot pot pairing

7U1A6152
I developed 3 sauce blends. This is the “light” blend with a lot of vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and various fermented flavors. Trying to be vinegar heavy.
7U1A6151
This is the “meat” blend with a lot of peanut, sesame, and other spicy fermented flavors. Very thick and and heavy but delicious with the meat.
7U1A4937
A different day’s sesame based blend.

7U1A6156
This was a “fermented” flavor. Tons of peppers and every weird fermented chili thing I could find. Interesting and delicious.

7U1A4961
And another take on fermented flavor of death. I added every type of chili oil and everything fermented.

IMG_1105
Sauce refills.

IMG_1866
Crispy Pork Appetizer. I really wanted to order some pork rind like things I saw on another table, but ended up with these, basically like the fried pork chunks that are in a good version of the sweet and sour pork. Pretty delicious actually. Like pork tenders.
7U1A6148
We got the hot pot split with bone broth and super spicy Szechuan hot pot (the slurry of melted ox fat, chilies, and peppercorns). I asked for max heat. They also have a 9 way split but it’s more so people can have their own area. They only have 2 broths.
7U1A6153
Starting to heat up.
7U1A6157
Furious boil (on the left).

Video of it boiling.

IMG_1110
On request, you can even get a branded bib — I highly recommend you do!
7U1A6161
Certified Angus Beef Short Rib. Very nice meat.
7U1A6163
On top was Lamb Shoulder. Also really good.
7U1A6165
Fatty Beef Belly — richer!
7U1A4964
Some other meat.
7U1A6168
Streaky Pork. Thicker and full of flavor.
7U1A6172
Meatball Combo (beef? and a fish ball).
7U1A6175
Tofu Combo. Lighter and heavier tofu.

7U1A4954
Rice cakes. Carby but great texture.
7U1A6176
Vegetable combo. Various cabbage and greens. These are really good sauce vehicles and helped wash things down.
IMG_1107
Some root vegetables.
7U1A6181
Yarom brought this Cab from the night before — still in awesome shape and strong enough to overcome the heat.
7U1A6187
On top, Special Luncheon Pork (spam). So good we had three orders! Below was Mini Sausage which have a lot of flavor and open up when cooked.

7U1A4944
Raw Pig brain! Yeah, it’s really scary. I made sure to cook it really really well.
7U1A4947
Chicken gizzard. Very very chewy. Can’t say I would recommend.
7U1A4950
Spongey mushroom with shrimp. Surprisingly delicious. Interesting spongey texture too.
IMG_1857
Fish Filet. Chunks of thick deboned whole fish that you drop in — in my case into the spicy side — to get that Szechuan boiled fish effect.

7U1A6193
Mushroom combo to add even more fiber to the mix — plus one of our extra luncheon meats.

7U1A4953
Wood ear mushroom. I love these guys.
IMG_1557
Special baby bamboo shoot (5/7/19). On one of my return trips they had added LOTS of specials, including all sorts of intestines. I skipped those and got this sheet of delicious fiber — along with the mushrooms and chili oil keeps one fully regular. Notice that I again ordered the baloney.

7U1A4957
Lotus root. Always add some nice texture to a hot pot.

IMG_1861
You can order fried or white rice if you like.
7U1A6198
The girls next door ordered quite differently with quail eggs, bean curd, and PIG BRAIN!
7U1A6201
The bill is 100% in Chinese!

Overall, this was probably the best Szechuan style hot pot I’ve had, up there with my friend Wendy’s epic home cooked New Years hot pot (which isn’t spicy, but had really good stuff). I think Shancheng Lameizi was actually better than the place we went in Chengdu and definitely a little better than my local favorite Hai di Lao. The atmosphere was very Chinese, the ingredient quality was excellent, service good, they allowed us to open our wine ($10 corkage, which they might not have even charged), the broth, particularly the spicy broth was insanely good, and the sauce bar was unparalleled for blending weird intense Chinese flavors. Now, do bear in mind, that given the super spicy soup base, and my thick chili laden slurry of sauces that what goes in the pot is largely about texture. lol.

Apparently there is a branch at Valley and San Gabriel, right near the Crack House, Shaanxi Garden, etc. When I went 2 weeks later it was just as good! Very crowded at lunch too (and this is a HEAVY lunch!). I’ve now been at least 5 times and it’s always great.

Oh, and do bear in mind that hot pot like this is a form of high fat “cleanse.” As they say at Killer Noodle, “mind your bottom!”

For my catalog of Chinese restaurant reviews, click here.

 

7U1A6217
This minimall is hilarious. Tons of different places. Don’t know what this kind of BBQ is (appears to be a Chinese take on Yakitori), but the slogan is amusing.
7U1A6214
This old school 50s or 60s place has become a Benihana clone — but more Chinese.

Related posts:

  1. Spicy City!
  2. Hip Hot
  3. GuYi — Szechuan in Brentwood?
  4. Hop Woo is Hop New
  5. Eating Chengdu – Szechuan
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: beef, Chinese cuisine, hot pot, pig brains, pork, Sichuan, spicy, Szechuan Hot Pot, Yarom
Watch the Trailer or

Buy it Online!

Buy it Online!

96 of 100 tickets!

Find Andy at:

Follow Me on Pinterest

Subscribe by email:

More posts on:



Complete Archives

Categories

  • Contests (7)
  • Fiction (404)
    • Books (113)
    • Movies (77)
    • Television (123)
    • Writing (115)
      • Darkening Dream (62)
      • Untimed (37)
  • Food (1,481)
  • Games (100)
  • History (13)
  • Technology (21)
  • Uncategorized (16)

Recent Posts

  • OOToro Double
  • Robo Eats – Anarbagh
  • Fred loves N/Naka
  • Major Major Major
  • Far East – Beijing Tasty House
  • Home Sweet Spicy Home
  • Quick Eats – Bafang
  • Quick Eats – Peking Restaurant
  • Quick Eats – MK BBQ
  • Wolfing it Down

Favorite Posts

  • I, Author
  • My Novels
  • The Darkening Dream
  • Sample Chapters
  • Untimed
  • Making Crash Bandicoot
  • My Gaming Career
  • Getting a job designing video games
  • Getting a job programming video games
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  • A Game of Thrones
  • 27 Courses of Truffles
  • Ultimate Pizza
  • Eating Italy
  • LA Sushi
  • Foodie Club

Recent Comments

Archives

  • March 2023 (9)
  • February 2023 (11)
  • January 2023 (14)
  • December 2022 (11)
  • November 2022 (13)
  • October 2022 (14)
  • September 2022 (14)
  • August 2022 (12)
  • July 2022 (9)
  • June 2022 (6)
  • May 2022 (8)
  • April 2022 (5)
  • March 2022 (4)
  • February 2022 (2)
  • January 2022 (8)
  • December 2021 (6)
  • November 2021 (6)
  • October 2021 (8)
  • September 2021 (4)
  • August 2021 (5)
  • July 2021 (2)
  • June 2021 (3)
  • January 2021 (1)
  • December 2020 (1)
  • September 2020 (1)
  • August 2020 (1)
  • April 2020 (11)
  • March 2020 (15)
  • February 2020 (13)
  • January 2020 (14)
  • December 2019 (13)
  • November 2019 (12)
  • October 2019 (14)
  • September 2019 (14)
  • August 2019 (13)
  • July 2019 (13)
  • June 2019 (14)
  • May 2019 (13)
  • April 2019 (10)
  • March 2019 (10)
  • February 2019 (11)
  • January 2019 (13)
  • December 2018 (14)
  • November 2018 (11)
  • October 2018 (15)
  • September 2018 (15)
  • August 2018 (15)
  • July 2018 (11)
  • June 2018 (14)
  • May 2018 (13)
  • April 2018 (13)
  • March 2018 (17)
  • February 2018 (12)
  • January 2018 (15)
  • December 2017 (15)
  • November 2017 (13)
  • October 2017 (16)
  • September 2017 (16)
  • August 2017 (16)
  • July 2017 (11)
  • June 2017 (13)
  • May 2017 (6)
  • March 2017 (3)
  • February 2017 (4)
  • January 2017 (7)
  • December 2016 (14)
  • November 2016 (11)
  • October 2016 (11)
  • September 2016 (12)
  • August 2016 (15)
  • July 2016 (13)
  • June 2016 (13)
  • May 2016 (13)
  • April 2016 (12)
  • March 2016 (13)
  • February 2016 (12)
  • January 2016 (13)
  • December 2015 (14)
  • November 2015 (14)
  • October 2015 (13)
  • September 2015 (13)
  • August 2015 (18)
  • July 2015 (16)
  • June 2015 (13)
  • May 2015 (13)
  • April 2015 (14)
  • March 2015 (15)
  • February 2015 (13)
  • January 2015 (13)
  • December 2014 (14)
  • November 2014 (13)
  • October 2014 (13)
  • September 2014 (12)
  • August 2014 (15)
  • July 2014 (13)
  • June 2014 (13)
  • May 2014 (14)
  • April 2014 (14)
  • March 2014 (10)
  • February 2014 (11)
  • January 2014 (13)
  • December 2013 (14)
  • November 2013 (13)
  • October 2013 (14)
  • September 2013 (12)
  • August 2013 (14)
  • July 2013 (10)
  • June 2013 (14)
  • May 2013 (14)
  • April 2013 (14)
  • March 2013 (15)
  • February 2013 (14)
  • January 2013 (13)
  • December 2012 (14)
  • November 2012 (16)
  • October 2012 (13)
  • September 2012 (14)
  • August 2012 (16)
  • July 2012 (12)
  • June 2012 (16)
  • May 2012 (21)
  • April 2012 (18)
  • March 2012 (20)
  • February 2012 (23)
  • January 2012 (31)
  • December 2011 (35)
  • November 2011 (33)
  • October 2011 (32)
  • September 2011 (29)
  • August 2011 (35)
  • July 2011 (33)
  • June 2011 (25)
  • May 2011 (31)
  • April 2011 (30)
  • March 2011 (34)
  • February 2011 (31)
  • January 2011 (33)
  • December 2010 (33)
  • November 2010 (39)
  • October 2010 (26)
All Things Andy Gavin
Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved
Programmed by Andy Gavin