If you are feeling adventurous and like both Chinese and spicy food, then a visit to Da Long Yi Hot Pot in London’s Fitzrovia is the place to go this winter. It is sure to warm you up on a chilly evening with its Sichuan spicy menu and fiery broths.
Da Long Yi is one of China’s most celebrated Chengdu hotpot brands and has over 300 restaurants worldwide.
If you are not familiar with Sichuanese cuisine from the Sichuan province, it is known for its fiery, complex and bold tastes due to the liberal use of garlic and chilis, as well as the unique flavours of Sichuan (Szechuan) pepper, garlic, ginger and fermented bean paste, creating dishes that are fiery, aromatic and savoury, like Mapo Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken and spicy hotpot.
Unless you have the same taste in food, I would not necessarily recommend it as a first date spot but for a less intimate evening or get together with a group of friends, Da Long Yi Hot Pot offers an incredibly enjoyable, unconventional and theatrical place for a great, authentic meal.
So, why is it theatrical? Well, to begin with you, if you haven’t booked a table, you will need to scan the QR code near the entrance to reserve your place in the queue. Once shown to your table, which is fitted with an induction burner for cooking your meal, you will be given an iPad and the interactive ordering system will be explained to you by the friendly and helpful staff. This entails scrolling through the menu pages on the tablet and choosing the items you want. The first and most important item is the soup or broth, as this what you will cook your food in. Depending on your individual tastes you can choose a single or split pot with two or three compartments so that you can try a variety of flavours. For example, you might like to have one spicy and one milder pot.
We chose to split the pot with both a mild tomato and mild chicken base soup, the latter proving to be the better one for cooking our meat and vegetables. But if you like your food hot and spicy then there are plenty of spicy soups to choose from.
The extensive menu has a wide selection of meat and vegetarian options to cater for most palates and include Premium Sliced Beef, Wagyu, Tender Beef, Premium Sliced Lamb, Premium Pork Belly, Pork Dumplings, a Chicken Fillet and more besides.
They also have some very nice fish choices, such as a Basa Fish Fillet, Cuttlefish, prawns and shrimps, Fish Tofu and even Frog Legs if that’s your thing.
As neither of us wanted to go the hot and spicy route we were rather conservative and chose the thin strips of Premium Sliced Beef, Fish Fillet, which was particularly tasty and a large plate of vegetables, accompanied by some seaweed, fresh Tofu slices, Vegetable Dumplings and a bowl of plain rice.
The menu is so extensive that there are a wide variety of Tofu options, depending on whether you want it fresh, fried or frozen. There are four types of mushrooms as well as different types of bean curds, rice and a choice of noodles.
We eventually got the hang of how long to cook the food and in particular the beef, which we definitely overcooked at our first go as it only needs two minutes tops.
There is a wide variety of soft drinks to choose from, including juices and flavoured sparkling water. The wine offering is small but reasonably priced, with some like the Malbec and Merlot also available by the glass, which is a plus. I enjoyed a pint of draft Asahi Beer, but they also have a Tsingtao Beer as well as a few spirits.
New to the menu this winter are some specials that include the impressive Volcano Beef, which is marbled ribeye or tenderloin drenched in a molten “lava” sauce. There is also a Peppercorn and Herb Beef Tripe, marinated in green Sichuan peppercorns, coriander and mint.
If you are feeling a bit more adventurous than we were, then you might like to try some of Da Long Yi’s signature dishes such as the Spicy Duck Gizzard, Spicy Pork Spare Ribs, Sticky Spicy Beef and Orange Beef Balls or how about Pork Brain or Boneless Chicken Claws.
Another fun addition to your meal is the DIY sauce bar, where you find over 20 condiments and toppings so that you can build your ideal flavour combo. And of course there is yet more spice available.
One of the things I particularly like and stands out about Da Long Yi Hot Pot, is the fact that the tables are well spaced out so you have plenty of room and are not sitting right on top of other diners. As well as a mix of smaller tables for two and four people, there are also some larger tables that are ideal for groups.
The other positive thing that struck us was how many Chinese diners there were, which is always an indicator as to how good and authentic any given type of restaurant is, be it Italian, French, Greek, Japanese etc.
So, if you fancy an entertaining night out and immersive dining experience, then I thoroughly recommend you visit Da Long Yi Hot Pot. It’s not for the fainthearted but you are sure to have a hot, spicy and fun experience.
The Details
Da Long Yi Hot Pot, 5A Berners Street, London, W1T 3LF, England.
Tel: +44 (0)20 3340 8140
Website: www.instagram.com/dalongyi.uk
The restaurant is located just north of Oxford Street on the right hand side if walking up Berners Street. The closest Tube station is Tottenham Court Road on the Central, Northern and Elizabeth lines, which is a short 3-minute walk, while Piccadilly Circus is a brisk 10-minute walk from the restaurant. Da Long Yi Hot Pot is open Sunday to Thursday from midday to 11:00pm and Friday and Saturday from midday to 11:30pm.
Type of Restaurant: Sichuan (Chinese) Restaurant
Price Band: Medium
Insider Tip: If this is your first visit, choose some dishes you know and like before venturing into the unknown. You can then start experimenting on your next visit! It’s also a terrific place in which to enjoy a special occasion or celebration with a group of friends or work colleagues.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8/10
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based travel and motoring journalist and editor, a former member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
Photographs courtesy of Da Long Yi Hot Pot
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