Among the buzzworthy global food trends becoming popular in the Triangle recently includes hotpot cuisine, a style that actually dates back to ancient days in China. If you’ve not tried it, you’re definitely missing out.
Employing a do-it-yourself cooking method similar to fondue, hotpot involves a simmering cauldron of flavored broth filled with diverse ingredients. Ideal consumption occurs during a communal dining experience.
Szechuan Mansion Hotpot in Cary opened in early 2020, and immediately diners at their tables became enthralled with cooking thinly sliced meats, raw vegetables and edible fungi.
Then the pandemic hit.
Szechuan Mansion Hotpot opened earlier this year in Cary.
Husband-and-wife owners Tian Ju and Shirley He, both natives of China, made the difficult decision to transition their restaurant to takeout and delivery for an indefinite period.
“We really want to have the opportunity for people to enjoy our food, but we had to do what we felt was best for the safety of our staff,” He said, adding that she and her husband have provided food and accommodations for their staff members not currently able to work.
“We also have guests who say they will not order food from us unless we keep the dining room closed during the pandemic.”
Thankfully, ready-to-eat hotpot and spicy dry pot offerings are available for takeout and delivery for lunch and dinner. Dry pot is prepared sans the broth.
If you have a tough time figuring out what to choose, go for the Spicy Dry Pot Deluxe teeming with sliced beef, shrimp, beef tripe, Spam, quail eggs, potatoes, winter melon, black fungus, bell peppers, celery and beans. It’s plenty of food for two adults.
Seafood Combo Hotpot
When it comes to hotpot selections, adventurous eaters will enjoy the seafood combo featuring shrimp, crab stick, fish tofu, black fungus, seaweed knot, Chinese cabbage and beansprouts.
Additional hotpot options include a vegetable combo, beef combo and lamb combo. All main menu items are customizable.
Among the appetizers, the fried pork belly and chef special lamb skewers stand out. Whatever you do, be sure to order several portions of the superb egg fried rice along with a few bottles of tasty imported Chinese iced tea.
To cool things down after the meal, enjoy a refreshing yet eccentric brown-sugar-infused ice jelly dessert.
Call the restaurant directly to place a pickup order. Delivery is available through DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats.
Szechuan Mansion Hotpot
1353 Kildaire Farm Road (Shoppes at Kildaire), Cary
(919) 800-1802
szechuanmansion.com
