Gentrification of a Beijing favorite

Bill Murray put it best in “Lost in Translation”: “What kind of restaurant makes you cook your own food?” Anyone who’s spent time in Beijing can easily answer: "Hot pot." I know, I know. Not another hot pot feature. Sure, we all love the stuff, but how much can you say about raw meat and a vat of boiling water? We've all done the lamb slices and the chunky sesame dip. We’ve all had articles of clothing that despite repeated washings still smell suspiciously of ma la chili and smoke. The divided metal bowl is a familiar sight, not a novelty. So what’s new with hot pot?

When I think of “huoguo,” I envision delightfully rowdy restaurants. Fluorescent lights illuminating plates of meat, veg, tofu and noodles. Pots bubbling away with intoxicating oils and spices. Friends gathering around, dropping all pretenses as they dip into the communal bowl, chattering loudly in an attempt to out-ruckus neighboring tables.

These visions of hot pot may soon change if the new generation of hipster restaurateurs have their way. "Upscale hot pot is the exact trend in Beijing now," says Wang Lei, marketing manager of the recently re-branded Hot Loft. Upscale hot pot? How upscale can boiling water be? Do they use Perrier? My skepticism fades as I step into Hot Loft. Formerly known as The Loft, the space has traded in its elegant theme of white and cream for an edgier combination of black and red. Stone floors and walls, imported granite table tops, exposed brick and understated lighting make for a chic, museum feel. High-backed, circular crimson booths and ornate chandeliers veiled by hand-sewn vermilion tubes add softer touches.

The menu offers a wide range of liquids in which to cook your food. The duck soup, mushroom, meat and tripe broths are all light and tangy. The dips are more exotic as well. Since the place doesn't look like your regular hot pot joint, the restaurant has tailored a menu for those who wander in unwittingly. "This isn't so different," I muse to my friends while savoring the familiar taste of lamb and sesame. Then the bill comes. Ok, maybe it is a bit different. But hey, you pay to be trendy, right?

Joseph Lee owns several fusion restaurants in the United States and is eyeing a move to Beijing. He also sees high-class hot pot as the way forward. "People like hot pot but they want to be comfortable and know that it's sanitary too. Most importantly, they want a variety,” says Lee. He is now scouting locations and hopes to create a venue serving Chinese, Thai and Japanese hot pot. He wants the ambiance to be upscale, avant garde and "someplace you can do business or impress a date."

Until Lee seals the deal, those looking for upscale Thai hot pot can check out Lemon Leaf, owned by Taiwan pop star Wu Qilong (trendy enough for ya?). Those looking for hot pot with a Japanese twist can drop into the see-and-be-seen Kagen.

As for me, I still prefer hot pot on Gui Jie, where meals begin at midnight and end at 4 a.m. Where we can talk as loudly as we want and I won't be embarrassed if I drop my silverware, or, in this case, cheap disposable chopsticks.