The Major Snow has arrived, and the cold is getting stronger. People's perception of temperature and season has awakened their deep desire for hot pot. Among the various types of hot pot, copper pot lamb is the most nostalgic for old Beijing residents. A steaming hot pot of copper pot lamb is the warmest companion in the winter of Beijing.

Donglaishun Restaurant

Donglaishun Hot Pot has a history of more than 100 years since its establishment in 1914. While adhering to tradition, it has also learned the strengths of others and pursued excellence, forming a harmonious unity of color, fragrance, taste, shape, and utensils. Donglaishun's lamb hot pot has eight characteristics: carefully selected ingredients, beautiful knife skills, fragrant seasonings, strong soup base, fresh broth, crispy sugar garlic, fine ingredients, and complete accessories.

In 2008, the beef and lamb cooking skills (Donglaishun lamb hot pot production skills) were listed in the national intangible cultural heritage list. In 2016, Donglaishun was awarded the title of "China's first halal hot pot of old brand". Donglaishun's lamb hot pot production skills refer to the process from the slaughter and processing of lamb, meat cutting, packaging, and finally dining at the table. This complete process of lamb hot pot has been recognized as intangible cultural heritage.

Hand-cut fresh lamb is a unique skill, which cannot be separated from the "carefully selected ingredients" and "beautiful knife skills" among Donglaishun's eight characteristics. For example, "beautiful knife skills", whether it is hand-cut fresh meat or mechanically processed lamb slices, both have good taste and appearance, which can bring great satisfaction to diners in terms of vision and taste. Another example, "carefully selected ingredients", Donglaishun's meat is all selected from grassland sheep in Inner Mongolia, with the base located in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, controlling the quality from the source.

Many old customers like to eat Donglaishun's sugar garlic. This "crispy sugar garlic" requires traditional secret methods, and takes seven steps and a hundred days of pickling to complete. The pickled sugar garlic is amber and translucent, with a sour and sweet crispy taste, which is perfect for lamb hot pot.

Pick up the chopsticks and dip lamb slices in the hot pot, it will be cooked in an instant, and it will not get old even if you keep dipping it. There are also exquisite snacks for diners to taste after dipping, salty, sweet, crispy, and crunchy, with different flavors and complete varieties, suitable for all ages.

Friendly reminder: There are several branches of the restaurant, so you can choose the one closest to you or based on your preference.

Youyihao Beijing-style Hot Pot

When it comes to the traditional Beijing-style hot pot, the quality of the clear soup base is crucial. Youyihao uses natural drinking water to make the clear soup base, which not only highlights the freshness and sweetness of the meat, but also supplements the body with various natural mineral elements.

The essence of the hot pot lies in the sesame sauce and other condiments. Youyihao's Beijing-style hot pot pays great attention to the its sauce condiments, which are all secret recipes of the restaurant. Four ingredients, including garlic chives, fermented bean curd, scallions, and cilantro, are served separately for customers to add according to their own taste preferences. Finally, a spoonful of freshly fried chili oil is poured on top, making the Beijing-style flavor even more authentic!

It is worth mentioning that the garlic chives used here are not ordinary. They are fresh garlic chives from Inner Mongolia, which are known for their unique soil conditions that enhance their original flavor. Fresh garlic chives are washed with water, dried, and then mashed with salt to retain their strong garlic flavor, which perfectly complements the lamb.

Lamb is the highlight of Youyihao's Beijing-style hot pot. It is well-known that hand-cut fresh lamb is the best choice for hot pot, which is much better than machine-cut frozen meat. Youyihao's Beijing-style hot pot is carefully crafted in terms of ingredient selection and processing. The fresh lamb used in the restaurant is flown in from Inner Mongolia every day. The cutting method emphasizes thinness, uniformity, straightness, and beauty, which maximizes the retention of the lamb's fiber and texture, and locks in the juice.

The lamb only needs to be cooked in the clear soup base for about 40 seconds to 1 minute, then coated with sesame sauce and eaten. The thick and juicy meat fills the mouth at first, and the tender and chewy texture gradually emerges as it is chewed. The flavor of the lamb slowly spreads out, and the juice is abundant and not greasy, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

In addition, from the moment you enter the door of Youyihao, the sound of cicadas and Beijing opera singing can be heard throughout the restaurant. This immersive sound atmosphere creates a unique "noise" of Beijing flavor, instantly transporting people back to the old days.

With the scent of flowers in your nose and the sound of Beijing opera in your ears, you are immersed in the atmosphere of old Beijing, full of ingenuity and interest. Before the various delicious dishes even arrive at your table, they have already taken you on an authentic journey of Beijing-style culture, raising your expectations for food to the fullest.

Address: No. 51, Xi Damochang Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Yitiaolong Restaurant (Taijichang Branch)

Yitiaolong Restaurant was originally named "Nanhengshun Lamb Restaurant" and was founded in the 50th year of the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1785 AD). It was renamed "Yitiaolong" because Emperor Guangxu had dined here.

Yitiaolong Halal Hotpot has always adhered to the traditional method of using copper charcoal fire pot, with four characteristics of selecting high-quality meat, fine processing, complete seasoning, and fragrant staple food. The meat used for hotpot is the lamb from the Gansu area, which is characterized by small bones. The meat are manually cut and processed at Yitiaolong Restraurant , and a unique "cold pressing" process is used to make frozen meat rolls, which removes the greasiness and keeps the meat tender.

The seemingly ordinary dipping sauces for hotpot are made from dozens of ingredients, among which the traditional sesame sauce, wonderful seafood sauce, and imperial pot dipping sauce are famous. The sesame cakes, which are almost ordered by every table, are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with distinct layers and a delicious taste, loved by both the elderly and children. In addition to hotpot, representative dishes such as oil-braised prawns, braised meat strips, braised kou strips, fried diced lamb, braised ox tail, fried lamb tail, and crispy chicken are also worth trying.

Address: Building 2, East Area, Qianmen East Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Nanmen Hotpot

Nanmen Hotpot, Beijing's traditional halal hotpot, was founded in 1994. As the main store is located at the south gate of the Temple of Heaven on the second ring road, it is affectionately called "Nanmen Hotpot (South Gate Hotpot)". Due to its reliable quality, honest operation, and excellent taste, it has become a popular old Beijing catering brand.

Compared with the spicy and numbing Sichuan-style hotpot, the traditional copper pot used in old Beijing hotpot uses clear soup as the base, allowing the meat to be eaten in its original flavor, which requires higher quality meat. In order to ensure quality, Nanmen Hotpot has built its own ranch in Hebei, introduced Inner Mongolian lamb, and adopted standardized breeding. The lamb produced here has a bright color, tender meat, and a smooth and elastic texture, with almost no gamy taste. The lamb from different parts also has different flavors, each with its own unique characteristics. Hand-cut fresh lamb and fresh lamb omasum are almost dishes that diners must order.

It is worth mentioning the unique dipping sauce here, which is said to have been personally formulated by the founder after trying out various hot pot restaurants in Beijing. It has been upgraded and improved several times. Cilantro and scallions are placed at the bottom, while sesame sauce, garlic chives, fermented bean curd, and shrimp oil are layered on top. The aroma is delightful and the taste is unforgettable.

Friendly reminder: There are several branches of the restaurant, so you can choose the one closest to you or based on your preference.