Literally translated, 地锅鸡 (diguo chicken) means earthen pot chicken. Per Baidu Encyclopedia, “Diguo chicken is a famous Han Chinese dish that originated in northern Jiangsu, southern Shandong, eastern Henan, northern Anhui, northwest China, and Suzhou. It is made with chicken, star anise, chili pepper, onion, ginger, garlic, and flour. Diguo chicken has less soup and tastes fresh and mellow. The handmade pancakes borrow the flavor of the dish, and the dish borrows the fragrance of the pancakes.” This was my first time trying this hotpot format and there was no doubt the sauce was flavorful and spicy and potstickers were interesting flavor soakers. But you left the place smelling like your dinner as well.

Assorted Seafood Hot Pot. In dashi broth.

Left: Creamy collagen broth of conpoy, chicken, chicken feet, pork bone and pig's trotters. Right: Spicy broth derived primarily from pork bone. The dippers consisted of pork & chive dumplings, fish balls, pork meat balls, kurobuta pork, chicken thigh, fried taro and housemade udon (not shown). The whole affair was rather pricey, not least because everything added up and the pork and chicken were rather bland without condiments that the restaurant nickled and dimed you for (and extra $4/diner). The fried taro was excellent though.