Final dinner in Beijing, and the challenge remains. Plan B has been put into operation, and all teams are a go. To dramatically increase the odds of a fantastic meal, I've resorted to drastic measures. I've recruited the cafe owner from the day prior to dine with me, showing me a great place for some local food. She graciously agreed and has picked a Sichuan place just down the road from her shop.
I had actually noticed this place the night prior! And skipped it! Why!
She raved about the Sichuan dry pot and so that is what we ate.
At its most simple, it is a large pot that you fill with the ingredients of your choice. They are cooked with plenty of Sichuan peppercorns and chillies according to your spice rating from 1 to 7. She leaned toward a 1, for my sake, and I convinced her we could go higher, settling on a 3.
It was so delicious! We got a cornucopia of ingredients, including preserved dried pork, beef balls, textured tofu skins, smoked tofu, young bamboo shoots, and long flat mushrooms. Each on their own was awesome. I particularly enjoyed the tofu skins, which had a crunchy texture and looked a bit like tank treads. The beef balls I had only had in soup before, and the dry version did not suffer at all, it was full of meaty flavor. The dried pork was the closest thing I've had to bacon in months, so good. We picked at the pot for the better part of an hour, and still had two large takeaway boxes of deliciousness to take with us.
It paired nicely with a unknown berry tea. The tea served as a much-appreciated heat reducer throughout the meal.
A hearty thanks to her for helping a traveller in need of a great last meal and completely coming through in the clutch. Her cafe just started, so should you be in Beijing, head over to Wudaoying Hutong near the Lama Temple and give her some business! Thanks, Yingying!
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