Here’s the low-down on the latest action-

The Beef: Actually we stuck with seafood this time. But they have a range of top-knotch cuts that range from the 38RMB beef shank to the 298RMB M9 Waygu Sirloin. The quality of ingredients here is indisputably fresh, which is paramount when inexperienced chefs have to cook their own food at the table (yes, me!).

Walking into Qimin is like walking into a spring garden, or rather a flourishing farm. Half-harvested produce is all the rage here, where you are served a bed of potted sprouts and cut it table-side for your pot. Same with certain mushroom. And live seafood.

Here, each diner is served their own little hotpot, so you can take your pick from the vast broth selection without having to come to a consensus with your table mates (highly recommend the Thai Style Tom Yum w/Coconut Milk if you’re feeling frisky). The presentation and creativity of the offerings beats out the competition with dishes like tri-color dumplings (porcini with mozzarella cheese, truffle…you had me at truffle), squid paste waffle sandwich (served up in a mist of dry ice), and colorful shrimp paste with wild bamboo fungus.

Oh, and we haven’t even talked about the sauce bar. Any hot pot place that does not offer a sauce bar is sin. That’s why Qimin is sauce bar heaven, with 15 types of sauces and condiments to satisfy purists and innovators alike who can create their own sauce concoctions.

For those who want more than just hot pot, this Taiwanese owned established also serves up a variety of snacks that are perfectly accompaniments to the draft beer selection. And leave plenty of room for dessert – must eat shaved ice for refreshing way to finish the steamy meal.

The Motive: For the freshest hotpot around. And to splurge a bit on out-of-town guests, as it’s a gentle introduction to those foreign to the cuisine.

The Damage: 566RMB for 2, including 5 draft beers at 38RMB each. Early bird deal: 10% if you dine from 5-7pm on weekdays, and 4-7pm on weekends.

The Down n’ Dirty: Nice n’ Clean. Zero complaints.

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