With the rush of Mainland Chinese tourists returning and Hong Kongers’ penchant for food brands hailing from north of the city, many regional Chinese flavours are finally seeing a deserved spotlight in Hong Kong, including the globally cherished spice of Sichuan.
The buzz of a new restaurant can make any Hong Kong foodie blush. When a brand as established as Chaotianmen Hot Pot comes to the city, Instagrammers, journalists, and food-crazed individuals alike are eager to get the first snaps of the restaurant.
As Chinese foodies mandate, every aspect of of the work-play life balance is Instagrammable – or, in this case, perfect for Xiaohongshu. The main dining room of Lan Kwai Fong’s Chaotianmen is decorated akin to a Chinese palace, the private rooms are comfortable with padded seating, and the hotpot ingredients – meat galore – suit the diet of a king.
Chaotianmen has nearly nine decades of history of which to boast, with more than 1,000 locations in Mainland China and abroad, and it ranks in the top 10 of China’s hotpot brands. Meals at the hotpot restaurant, like ours did, begin with attentive service from the wait staff.
Each meat, shellfish, and vegetable order is presented on ice, to preserve freshness, inside castle-shaped chests. The premium ingredients are shipped fresh from China. We selected a dual tomato umami broth and Sichuan spicy broth and let the hotpot stewing commence.
The restaurant allows users to order bases, ingredients, and drinks on a touchscreen, whilst also specifying the spice level of each base. After mixing our own sauces from a rolling sauce tray (a nice touch), we began dipping the beef neck and Sichuan-spiced beef cheek into each broth.
Holding quality marbling, each dunking of the beef into the broth allows for the fat to soak up Sichuan spice or more subtle tomato flavours that melt on the tongue in a juicy salt bomb.
A serving of A4 Wagyu loin was up next, again requiring just seconds of dunking in the steaming soup bases to soak up the juice. We wrapped the beef around our chopsticks and slapped a heavy spoonful of our sesame-soy-vinegar-chilli sauce mixture to help to bring out the saltier side of the meat.
The white fungus and soybean rolls, hotpot staples, both helped to deliver the broth juice to our mouth with a sesame-heavy and nutty flavour from these sides. They are must-orders at Chaotianmen.
Their New Zealand lamb rolls were recommended to us by our server. Tougher than the beef on our palate, they hold a quality gamy flavour and good fat-to-meat ratio that matches the power of the beef at the table.
Ending the meal with a fresh mango yoghurt snowflake ice was the cherry on the top of a spicy and euphoric meal – the perfect palate cleanser.
Our verdict of Chaotianmen
Hong Kong deserves more regional Chinese flavours in the city, especially at a time when the restaurant scene is in flux. I celebrate the arrival of Chaotianmen in Lan Kwai Fong, where diners can enjoy the true flavours of Chongqing’s spicy cuisine. The meat is utterly supreme in quality and the spice level ample to get your body ringing and leave you ecstatic after your meal.
Chaotianmen Hot Pot, UG/F, California Tower, 30–32 D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, 9833 0177, book here
| Order this: A4 Wagyu loin, beef tripe, beef neck, New Zealand lamb rolls Menu: available at the restaurant Price for two: HKD1,200–1,500 | Atmosphere: palatial yet personal, with comfortable private rooms Perfect for: private parties with drinks and karaoke or post-work dinners with friends |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
