Yuanshengju, Shengtai Street branch (元盛居 生态大街店)

Yuanshengju's Shengtai Street branch is a Beijing-style copper-pot mutton hotpot restaurant at 717 Shengtai Street in Changchun's Nanguan District, in Jilin Province, northeastern China. The brand traces its roots to 1937 and follows the old Beijing method of instant-boil hotpot, in which thin slices of meat are swished through broth heated in a charcoal-fired copper pot with a central chimney. Unlike the spicy Sichuan style, the broth is light and clear, so the flavour comes from the meat itself and from the sesame-paste dipping sauce, which is mixed at the table with chive flower, fermented tofu and chilli oil to taste. The signature orders are hand-sliced lamb, cut paper-thin so that it cooks in seconds; fatty beef; shuibao du, tripe blanched in the pot and eaten with sauce; and shrimp paste that is scooped into the broth as small dumplings. Sides usually include sesame flatbread, pickled garlic and vegetables such as cabbage and tofu. Typical spend is about ¥88 (roughly $13) per person, and the restaurant holds a rating of about 4.3 on review platforms. The dining room is warm and lively, particularly in the long northeastern winter when hotpot is the dominant meal, with tables set around the copper pots and the smell of charcoal and sesame in the air; dress is casual. Beverages are tea, soft drinks, and beer, with a traditional sour plum drink often served alongside. Reservation is advisable for dinner in winter and on weekends, when waits can be long, and groups of six or more should book by phone a day or two in advance. Visitors are generally advised to eat the meat in order from lean to fatty and to add vegetables and noodles at the end, when the broth has absorbed the most flavour. As a branch outside the central core, it suits visitors staying in the southern districts of Changchun.