This place is wonderful. If you have lived in China then you will recognize the authenticity of this Birmingham establishment. Oh I guess even if you never lived in China you'll probably realize that something is up. Simply stated, I think that a great way to check if a restaurant is authentic is if you are the only person there who does not come from the country where the food is from...
This restaurant brings heavy Szechuan influence to its dishes and the main focus is hot pot and open face grill. Hot pot is a meal where you get a soup pot full of broth (normal or spicy) and then you add the meats and veggies you want to be cooked in the pot. It gets better and better as you cook more stuff.... Well if you cook good stuff and pick the right combos. They provide each table with individual hot plaques built into the table's surface at each place and a grill in the middle where you can grill some shrimp or thinly sliced beef or lamb. They have a buffet deal for all you can eat hot pot and grill ingredients for about 16£ and although it might not inspire the untrained eye - the selection of meats and veggies (and sauces) is just like what you would have in China.
I also have tried several other dishes and I highly recommend the dumplings, the eggplant (the best I have found in the UK), and the spicy "Han" noodles (with a cucumber, garlic, and chili sauce - again not for the faint of taste bud). Don't forget a pot of tea to wash it down and cool off from the spices! The staff are super friendly and are happy to exchange in Chinese if you know a few words :) I love this spot and will be coming back for more soon! read more