あきたいぬじかん
Two people visited on a weekend night. I had never tried hot pot before and wasn't very interested in it. A friend who loves hot pot recommended this place to me, so I decided to give it a try. When we entered through the inconspicuous entrance and descended to the basement, we were immediately hit with a sense of authenticity, or should I say a sense of a seedy atmosphere (laughs). A stern-looking madam who somewhat reminded me of a Gauguin painting greeted us with a serious expression and led us to our seats without saying a word, apparently not very good at Japanese. Despite the somewhat intimidating atmosphere, the feeling wasn't bad. Looking at the menu, I couldn't find hot pot, so I realized this wasn't a hot pot specialty restaurant, but I was surprised by the number of items on the menu. China is really amazing. The hot pot menu was separate, so I took a look, but it seemed complicated and hard to understand. So, we decided to go for the all-you-can-eat hot pot. We didn't really want to eat a lot, but at 2,580 yen per person, it seemed like a great deal. However, there was a catch. When we placed our order, that stern madam told us that if we wanted lamb meat, it would be an additional 800 yen. As lovers of lamb meat, this was a difficult option for us. And this decision would later lead to regret because if we had ordered a single plate of lamb meat, it would have been 880 yen, but if we wanted all-you-can-eat lamb meat, it would be 800 yen x 2 people. Without fully understanding, we ended up opting for the "all-you-can-eat lamb meat" at an additional 1,600 yen. After placing our order, the madam muttered something like "Vegetables are all-you-can-eat" and then left, leaving us unsure of what to do. Just then, a group of young Chinese men and women at a nearby table all went to the corner to get vegetables, so we finally understood. In a corner, there was a refrigerated case with trays containing various ingredients. Bean sprouts, broccoli, lotus root, enoki mushrooms, pea shoots, bok choy, dried tofu, glass noodles, tofu, black fungus, chicken meatballs, and even beef tendon? There was a wide variety! Excited, I started to pick out different items, but my partner hurriedly came over in a panic. Something terrible was happening? I returned to the table and was shocked. What on earth was this massive amount of meat?! Four plates of meat (beef, pork, chicken, lamb) piled up like a mountain! We're not food fighters, you know!? Is it okay to bring out this much food that makes you worry if you can finish it as soon as it arrives? (laughs) And on the wall, there was a big sign saying something like "Please eat all the food," so no, no, no... If you ordered additional items yourself, it's your responsibility, but bringing out this amount from the start and saying not to leave anything behind... China is amazing in various ways after all! (laughs) We chose the two-color hot pot, one red and spicy, and the other white and gentle, both of which were exquisite. The red and spicy one had a strong Ma La aroma full of exotic charm, but it was extremely oily with chili oil floating on top. The spiciness was also quite intense. So, at first, I enjoyed the white one for its gentleness, but as I continued eating, I became captivated by the allure of the red one. It was good that the floating oil on the soup disappeared as I ate more. However, that was probably a wrong or too mild way to eat it, as there was a Ma La sauce for adding more, which we probably should have added more aggressively. The sauce came with sesame, Ma La, and garlic flavors, and I particularly liked the garlic sauce. I thought we definitely wouldn't be able to finish the meat, but the presentation was beautiful and elegant, and when we actually ate it, it wasn't as voluminous as I had expected. Still, it was a massive amount, and we somehow managed to finish it. We fought to eat it all, so while I slightly regretted adding the lamb meat, the lamb meat was still my favorite, so it was a tough call. What we should really regret is opting for the all-you-can-eat lamb meat (800 yen x 2 people) instead of just ordering a single plate, which would have been half the price at 880 yen! I couldn't have eaten any more than that, and if it had been a single plate, it would have been enough! I was worried about the items taken from the refrigerated case corner, but the madam's words were somewhat ===========
Conclusion: The reviewer and their friend visited a hot pot restaurant recommended by a hot pot enthusiast friend. The restaurant, though not a hot pot specialty place, had an extensive menu. They opted for the all-you-can-eat hot pot, but were surprised by the massive amount of meat that came with the order. They enjoyed the two-color hot pot, with the red and spicy one standing out for its Ma La aroma. Despite struggling to finish the food, they managed to eat it all, with the lamb meat being their favorite. However, they regretted opting for the all-you-can-eat lamb meat option instead of ordering a single plate. Overall, they had a unique and memorable dining experience, showcasing the richness of Chinese cuisine.