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In Chengdu, two Mad Explorers try Sichuan hot pot together for the first time. A helpful waitress guides them through meat, bamboo shoots, spicy and tomato broths, and dipping sauces. They sample an unusual herbal iced tea, open a mysterious parcel that appears to contain tofu outside and possibly tongue or organs inside, and finish a meal that cost 169 yuan, about €21, for two. A dog waits outside the restaurant.
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Ordering a first Sichuan hot pot
The two Mad Explorers try Sichuan hot pot in Chengdu for the first time. They cannot read the menu, so a waitress helps them order and explains the cooking process. The table has individual cooking systems and a window view over the city. They choose meat and bamboo shoots and receive two broths: a spicy Sichuan base with a numbing sensation and a milder tomato base. They add the ingredients to the bubbling soup themselves, initially unsure how long to cook each item and how to use the dipping sauces. Chopstick struggles and their nervousness make the first meal unfamiliar, but they become more comfortable as they taste the food.
The pair enjoy both broths, especially the spicy one, and use sauces to adjust the flavors. They describe the meal as a meditative soup experience, with each diner cooking at their own pace. Their order includes meat and bamboo shoots; afterward they say they might choose more vegetables next time instead of relying on their usual preference for beef. A waitress remains nearby to help, and the travelers reflect that both they and the waitress seemed nervous during the ordering.
An unusual parcel and the bill
The meal includes herbal iced tea with a strong, unusual flavor. A mysterious parcel prompts another conversation: its outside seems to be tofu, while the inside might be tongue meat or other organs. The travelers are not certain what it contains, but say it tastes good and could put some diners off.
Their bill is 169 yuan, about €21 for two people. They are pleased with the meat and the overall meal and say they would approach the ordering more calmly next time. After leaving the restaurant, they encounter a friendly dog. The visit combines a first attempt at cooking hot pot, a meal with two contrasting broths, and the small surprises around the table. The two-broth setup makes the meal a comparison as well as a first attempt. They taste the spicy Sichuan base and the gentler tomato broth separately, then decide how long to leave the meat and bamboo shoots cooking. They find the process unfamiliar at first, including the use of chopsticks and the condiments, but the waitress’s guidance helps them settle into it. The experience leaves them thinking about a different order next time, with more vegetables alongside the meat. Their reaction to the parcel remains uncertain: they describe what it looked like, not a confirmed ingredient list.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What broths did they try?
- A: They ordered a spicy Sichuan broth and a tomato broth, so they could taste two different bases in the same hot pot. A helpful waitress also guided them through the meal and its ingredients.
- Q: What ingredients did they cook?
- A: They chose meat and bamboo shoots, then cooked them in the broths and used dipping sauces. They also examined a mysterious parcel that seemed to have tofu on the outside and possibly tongue or organs inside, though they did not identify it with certainty.
- Q: How much did the meal cost?
- A: The bill for two was 169 yuan, approximately €21 in the source. The meal included meat, bamboo shoots, spicy and tomato broths, dipping sauces, and herbal iced tea.
- Q: What was unusual about the restaurant visit?
- A: The restaurant had a modern interior and a window view over Chengdu. The travelers also tried an unusual herbal iced tea and noticed a dog outside while they were eating.
- Q: Was this their first Sichuan hot pot?
- A: Yes. The two Mad Explorers describe it as their first Sichuan hot pot in Chengdu. A waitress helped them choose food and understand the cooking process, including the two broths and dipping sauces.
