Guys, this is what a spicy hot pot base should look like: dark, opaque brown, not just clear water with chilis in it. They add a lot of Chinese medicine herbs in it--I know a lot of people my age have bad memories of Chinese herbs from those nasty soups we had to drink to help us grow taller (it doesn't work--I'm 5'1") but when used correctly, they make an incredibly aromatic broth that you can't get from other flavors.
The most important thing about eating spicy hot pot is to never get vegetables--yes, it is okay not to eat vegetables at one meal--because it will soak up the spice like a sponge. We ordered beef, shrimp paste, enoki mushrooms, black wood ear, and noodles.
Like most hot pot places, they offer the usual dipping sauces, like soy sauce, rice vinegar, and turnip paste, but their suggested sauce is their soup base with green garlic shoots (it looks like scallion in the picture, but it's garlic). You add some of the garlic in your bowl, ladle in some broth, mix it and dip your food into it.
This place is so good, and you'll walk out smelling like the broth too. Obviously I wouldn't recommend it for people who can't eat spicy food, but it's a great place to try if you're feeling adventurous.
Taihodien 太和殿麻辣鍋
No. 315, Section 4, Xinyin Rd., Taipei
台北市信義路四段315號
http://www.taihodien.com.tw/
http://www.taihodien.com.tw/
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