Essential Macau| Fiery Winter Feast

When temperature gets cooler, there is nothing better than sitting around the table and enjoying delicious boiling hotpot with your family and friends. Chinese cuisine is both extensive and profound; every region has its style of hotpot. However, when it comes to the most popular style of hotpot, Chongqing spicy hotpot is considered to be the one with the greatest representation.


Chongqing hotpot uses beef tallow, large quantities of chili and sichuan pepper. The broth is savory, pungent and rather addicting. There is a few authentic Chongqing hotpots that can be found in Macau, however, normally spicy lovers love going to Zhuhai to eat this kind of spicy food.
Starting from this week, Man Ho Chinese Restaurant at the JW Marriott Hotel in Macau launches a spicy menu designed by Chongqin guest Chef Charles Lei, who is bringing also bringing with him a large range of traditional Chongqin dishes. Chef Lei is a respected member of the Chongqing Celebrity Chef Association and has 23 years of cultivated experience in creating a Chongqing hotpot.

The all you can eat Chongqing hotpot menu features a slew of fresh and raw ingredients including shiitake mushrooms, calamari and eel—all doused in a flavorful boiling broth of sichuan bean paste, aniseed and dried green chili pepper. The must-eat ingredient for a spicy hotpot are items such as the stomach of a cow, fatty beef, pork kidney and more that can be found on the menu.
For an extra hint of zest, sauces such as red chili pepper sauce and Knorr sour and spicy soy sauce will add even more of an enticing piquancy.
Considering the preference of the local diners, the chef can often adjust it in advance if the customer is a someone who loves spice, than the chef can adjust it to suit your needs.

In addition to hotpot, Chef Lei also brings an array of signature Chongqing dishes. The A La Carte menu comprises of cold dishes, such as Sliced Beef and Ox Organs in chili Sauce and invigorating Chilled Cucumber in a chili garlic sauce. There is also the Chongqing Spicy Chicken; Mapo Tofu, and the Spicy Giant Prawn in Chongqing style which truly exemplifies the spicy and pungent characteristics of the Chongqing culture.

My favorite dish is the Boiled Fish Fillet with sichuan pickles. Every family in Sichuan always have their pickles made at home. They cook them with freshwater fish and this sour and spicy dish is considered to be a signature home dish in Sichuan. The broth is really tasty and appetizing, and the perfect side dish to eat this with is rice.

*Editor-in-Chief of Essential Macau