Shabu-shabu is not unfathomable, according to the old Beijing tradition, it is a combination of mutton, clear water, and charcoal copper pot, and discerning diners will also add wolfberry, green onion, ginger slices and other slices to the water to enhance the flavor. Due to Xi'an's "pollution control and haze reduction", most of the city's shabu shabu restaurants have switched to clean energy such as induction cookers or vegetable oil, and are gradually moving away from charcoal copper pots. However, as long as the firepower is acceptable, there is not much difference between the use of clean energy and charcoal fire, and there is no sense of traditional ritual. As a representative of the "new school", the new school of copper pot shabu shabu in Heyuan naturally does not follow the old Beijing tradition in everything, and its comprehensive performance is quite eye-catching.
Even for the bottom of the clear water pot, Heyuan deliberately chose Nongfu Spring mineral water, and added some green onions, jujubes, etc., compared with the traditional pot base of "peculiar smell" tap water that is common in the industry, Heyuan's products are more acceptable. In addition, the restaurant even has a variety of flavors to choose from, such as the secret leisurely pot, the spicy pot with clear oil, and the secret sauerkraut pot, which can be described as a blessing for "heavy taste" diners. Heyuan also strives to create a sense of high-end on the copper pot, not only the traditional large copper pot, but also the cloisonné pot with a unique Beijing style. The small pot can only be eaten by one person, which is more hygienic, but the price is slightly higher, which is suitable for business banquets. Although the courtyard is heated by vegetable oil lamps, the firepower is quite sufficient, and it has little impact on the shabu experience.
The quality of mutton can best demonstrate the level of a shabu restaurant, and it is good mutton that is not fatty or fishy. The main factor affecting the taste of mutton is the fatty acids unique to ruminants - BCFAs, the lower the content, the better. Many mutton food shops in Xi'an sell Shaanxi Hengshan goats, and say that they are authentic and delicious. In fact, this kind of sheep is promoted because of the low difficulty of breeding, and it has a strong smell and has little status in the hearts of shabu lovers. The sheep breeds with less BCFAs content and greater fame include Inner Mongolia Sunit sheep, Wuzhumuqin sheep and Ningxia Tan sheep. The hand-cut fresh mutton in the courtyard is all beach lamb to ensure the dining experience of diners.
Eating shabu shabu naturally pursues the original taste of mutton, and the first recommendation is the clear water pot. Because the bottom of the pot was too light at the beginning, the exquisite way to eat was to first put half a plate of fat sheep's tail, which is called "fat pot" in Beijing dialect. After the bottom of the pot is fattened, it is recommended to taste the hand-cut mutton tendon core. This is the part with a higher lean meat content, which is very suitable for fat pot shabu. The restaurant is cut on the spot, the meat slices are thicker, the shape is not as good as the machine cut meat, and the overall presentation effect is acceptable. Take the tendon core meat slices and boil them in the pot for more than ten seconds to eat, because they are thin, almost no smell, extremely delicious, and you can feel the slight milky aroma when you chew it carefully. Shabu-shabu is served with sesame sauce, which is a mixture of sesame sauce and peanut butter, and if diners want to experience the traditional flavors, they can try the lamb dip in it. Some southern diners may find sesame sauce novel or even unappetizing, but for northern shabu lovers, sesame sauce is a delicacy worth passing on. However, the sesame sauce is too thin, and it has already taken on the appearance of soup after a few dips, which does not match the quality of mutton. If the tendon core is too thin, diners can try hand-cut mutton, which is fat and thin, and the presentation is more beautiful, the mutton has a strong aroma and a very smooth taste. Yanchi mutton roll is machine-cut meat, the meat slices are thin, and it does not need to be soaked for a long time.
In addition to the traditional sesame sauce, the temple also has a wide selection of small ingredients such as secret garlic paste and secret spicy sauce. The restaurant also gave away an eight-flavor dish (i.e. fermented bean curd, chopped green onion, garlic paste, etc.), so that diners could adjust their favorite flavors. However, the restaurant did not hint at the purpose of the eight-flavor dish and suggested pairings, which was not friendly to first-time diners. Of course, the base of the special pot such as the secret sauerkraut pot is also worth trying, and the mutton shabu does not even need to be dipped to enhance the flavor after it is cooked.
The vegetables in the restaurant are all grown by the Japanese garden, and diners can directly see the rows of vegetable pots in the hall, and customers can also pick them to order.
The overall environment of the courtyard is quaint, and a courtyard-like restaurant is hidden in the floors of the building, which really makes people have a sense of surprise in treasure hunting. The "courtyard" of the courtyard is a large hall with more than a dozen tables and many private rooms inside. There is no minimum consumption for the box, as long as the number of people meets the requirements of the corresponding box, generally 8 people. If you are looking for a private business banquet, it is a good choice to have a hospital.
