Hotpot Dinner at Dong Lai Shun

It's hotpot season (kind of) and I could not be more excited!  I say kind of because while we are in early November, the weather in Hong Kong is still muggy and humid and hot.  I went outside today in long tights and a thin long sleeved top and found myself sweating nearly uncontrollably.  Hotpot is really more a cuisine for cold weather, however, I can eat it year round, I love it so.

Friday night saw the four (and, for a bit of it, five) of us settled around a yin-yang hot pot at Dong Lai Shun in Soundwill Plaza, Causeway Bay, licking our chospticks and getting our hotpot action going.

The restaurant is pretty fancy:

We sat in one area but the restaurant extends very far back, and it seems to contain many private rooms as well:

 There are a variety of sauces and dips, but not as many as I typically see at other hotpot restaurants.

They put the broth in a beautiful brass pot, which rests on top of a tray, which is heated by an electric pad hidden by the tablecloth.  Very subtle and elegant.

 We chose the fish head and Chinese herbal soup base, and  a chicken soup base, because one of my friends is pregnant and they don't recommend that pregnant women drink any herbal soup bases.

The fish head...

 The various items we ordered.  I absolutely loved their vegetable platter - so tender and stocked with high quality, fresh greens.

 Their hand pulled noodles were fantastic -- so good that we ended up getting them in spinach flavor as well.  I also loved their big sea prawns.

 I had heard that they are known for their lamb (being a Beijing hotpot restaurant and all), and the tender, thin slices of their deluxe mutton platter did not disappoint.

An action shot - so pretty and so yummy!

 Despite being stuffed, we still found some room for dessert - traditional sesame dumplings in glutinous rice and fermented rice wine, as well as some lychee and rose pudding.

Dong Lai Shun is a famous chain restaurant with locations in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.  The service was a bit choppy and confused - the staff here really do not speak much, if any, English.  However, that didn't bother me in the least.  I was impressed with the quality and freshness of the broth and ingredients and will definitely be back.

Address: 26/F, Soundview Plaza 2 - Midtown, on 1-29 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay

Phone: 2763 7038