Cold 串串 Hotpot in Chengdu

Seeking respite from the scorching summer heat in Chengdu, I stumbled upon a small hotpot restaurant that offered a delightful twist on the traditional 串串 or chuanchuan experience. Here, the skewers were cooked in the kitchen and then submerged in a bowl of oily and spicy broth, left to slowly cool down to room temperature.

Now room temperature might be in the mid-30's Celsius in a restaurant without air-conditioning but it was bearable with just big standing fans. At least there weren't gas burners sending plumes of steam and oil up into the air, as in a typical hotpot or chuanchuan restaurant. The 串串 selection was diverse so it was easy to get my daily intake of protein, veg and various organ meats in.

The beauty of cold hotpot was apparent as soon as I took my first bite. The skewers, having been pre-cooked, were not subjected to the intense boiling broth at the table. Instead, they were served in a bowl of gradually cooling broth. As they sat there, the flavors mingled and danced, creating a more subtle symphony for the taste buds. The broth, unlike its tongue-scorching cooked-at-the-table counterpart, was lighter and less spicy, allowing flavors of the skewered ingredients to shine through.

To complement the meal, I opted for a big cold bottle of Wusu beer. It's a clean, light brew hailing from the far western Xinjiang region. The unique blend of flavors between the cold beer and the savory cold hotpot was simply divine, a true match made in gastronomic heaven on a hot day.