Get Carnivorous and Chow Down on Meaty Lamb Spine
While Lao Li offers a number of lamb hotpot choices, regulars go straight for the lamb spine option (羊蝎子火锅, yangxiezi huoguo, RMB98 for a small pot, RMB108 for a large), a classic Beijing-style dish that is heavily influenced by Mongolian flavors and ingredients. Cumin, cinnamon, aniseed and Sichuan peppercorns make the hotpot broth rich and spicy, and the spine segments themselves have been tenderized by a lengthy stewing process. By the time they hit your table, these thorny clusters of bone, meat and gristle are unsightly, to say the least. But the plucking of meat and marrow from skeletal remains, combined with the intense flavors of high-plains lamb and heady broth, make for an exciting, ritualistic experience best shared among close friends in cold times.
DETAILS
What: Lao Li Lamb Spine Hotpot
Where: 103 Xijiangwan Road 西江湾路103号
Tel: 5666-2349
