Hotpot, Beer & Lobster Paofan

When the birthday boy requested for hotpot, we obliged. He wanted an easy fun meal that nobody needed to dress up for. Casual is the buzzword. The husband and I rarely do hotpot Chinese-style because we just can't eat so many items on our own. Of course we super welcomed the suggestion of hotpot. Tonight, we went to Broth and Beyond (汤之境) at Chijmes.  

None of us are fond of mala or Sichuan peppercorn or Sichuan food. Along that line, no Hunan cuisine either. I think we'd all starve in anywhere in Sichuan (Chengdu), Hunan (Changsha) and Chongqing. Tonight's hotpot restaurant indicated 'Yunnan'. Perfect. The table opted for chicken broth with white fungus. I took the pork and tomato. It was pretty good!

I love it that Broth and Beyond offered individual hot pots with our own little induction plates. They also kinda 'force' you to pay S$4.99 for the dips. You aren't served any sort of dips. But you pay, and you get a selection of it at the 'bar', and that also comes along with appetizers of edamame, kimchi and the sorts, and a small spread of dessert that included mochi, fruits and odd puddings. Not too bad. I got all the minced garlic that I wanted, along with soy and chilli padi.

There was plenty of food. Beef, beef tongue, fish, celtuce, loads of cabbage, pea sprouts and mushrooms. The chicken was available for us to choose either half of the breast and the wings or the thigh and drumsticks. In the end, we had both. 

We also got a small Boston lobster (which was alive!), and had the shells steamed over rice, and added that to our soups like a lobster pao fan (泡饭). Nobody minded a spoonful of rice or so to finish up. That was a satisfying dinner. The birthday boy was pleased with food that his stomach likes. We needn't drink like crazy. We split three bottles of beer among us for the night. The Tsingtao was so light that it tasted refreshing with the food. 

I kinda said okay to the server's suggestion of having one item of dessert since they would plate it as a birthday thingy. It was this Yunnan-style milk ice-cream with flower pastry (云南鲜花饼). Quite cute lah. Very flower, very ermmm China. I didn't mind Yunnan flower cakes, although these were far from the best. What a fun night!