I finally scheduled a visit to @lajiangshanhotpot recently and I must admit that the hype is well warranted. At $18.80++ for the base BBQ & hotpot buffet package, an additional $2.80++ for the hotpot broth and $2.30++ for free flow drinks & ice cream, you can easily gorge yourself stupid for under thirty bucks a person. If you’re looking to go a little more bougie, you can splash more cash for a more premium buffet at $28.80++.⠀
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The basic package is serviceable, with offerings like cumin chicken, black pepper chicken & pork, pork belly, thinly sliced beef, sausages, cheese tofu and all the usual stuff available. If you’re interested in pure quantity, you could do a lot worse than La Jiang Shan’s basic buffet. The premium options are mighty tempting though, with wagyu beef, garlic pork belly, premium fatty pork, squid, scallops and even xiao long baos, so I’ll definitely be back to splash the cash.⠀
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If you’re a first timer to La Jiang Shan like I am, squirt some of the oil in the squirt bottle that can be found on every table onto the metal hotplate, and then put the grease paper on top. I didn’t realise this hack until I was close to two hours into stuffing myself, when a guy took the table next to me and did this. Not only did the grease paper stick to the hotplate, his meats cooked astonishingly fast compared to my unlubricated meat. Cue my brain exploding from this three hundred IQ technique, and me introducing my face to my palm for not realising this earlier.⠀
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Well, now that I know better, it sounds like I need to go for round two to correct my mistake.