Tag: all you can eat

The OG of Hot Pot Was Pure Pain

M's Adventures
Two spicy broth, one tom yum, and one bone.

The lunar, Chinese, new year is February 17 to March 3 this year. Here is a memory of eating Chinese hotpot last year.

The OG (original gangster — a name from the 1970s for the “original”) of hot pot is a place called Hai Di Lao.

We ordered too much.

The first Hai Di Lao restaurant was opened in Sichuan, China, in 1994. Now it is a global chain with over 1,000 locations. When in Flushing, New York, we had to go.

Selection of meats.

First, even if you think you can hack spicy, go lower. We got the spiciest and the pain for the next, sleepless, 12 hours was not worth it. Never again (I hope I remember this next time!).

More stuff, from lotus root, tofu skin, dumplings, etc.

Second, make a reservation. The location in Flushing is massive. We were at table 89. The place is fun for families and there are treats in the waiting room (fresh soy milk! wowza).

Multi level swinging shelves.

Third, remember that you can order more… don’t go all out first time round. Remember to order the hand pulled noodles so that you get some good video of the guy spinning around and flipping noodles at you like a lasso.

Chicken skin.

Fourth, enjoy the aprons. It helps with the mess (and drooling?).

My dipping sauce bowl.

As you may know, sichuan peppercorns and other chiles are addictive. So while I enjoyed the spicy hot pot, I could not sleep that night and the pain in my tummy was too much.

A final note on OG. I always thinks it stands for original goat.

Fun Food Places in the DC Area

M's Adventures

Truong Tien to test out your new knees while sitting on a stump and slurping food from Hue. Kudos to them for miniaturizing and taco-izing the crepe. Go for that alone.

TeaDM Plus for the clubbing cool cat feel during the day while drinking boba.

High Tea at the Willard so you can test that pinky finger. Other places like the Ritz also serve British style tea.

Capital Grille for the old boys or old gals club feel. One of the few places where an all American dude can sound like a British butler.

Arlington Cinema and Draft House for a show and popcorn. You might even meet a comedian. There are new chains of drafthouses but this is the old one.

Perry’s for the drag show and sushi. Sashay you stay!

King Spa because nothing is so relaxing as eating with a towel around your neck.

Oegadgib for all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue. Sometimes you just want meat, meat, meat! There are other places but this one is a not flashy and new.