Kuo Bee Pen Da (Guo Bi Pen Da)
Diners come to this Taiwanese hot pot chain not for its decor (unremarkable at best), but for its spicy soup bases and its fresh homemade dumplings. A curry soup base is the house specialty, but you can also choose the Thai-style hot and sour soup base, thesataysoup base, or theyuanyangcombination (of curry soup and pork-based broth in a different compartment). There's the usual selection of meats, seafood, and vegetables to cook in the bubbling broth, as well as the restaurant's handmade dumplings. Half of the fun here is in creating your own dipping sauces and there's a wide range of ingredients to choose from, including mashed fresh garlic, parsley, chili oil, peanut sauce, spicy sesame oil, and XO sauce. This is as fun as cooking your own food gets.
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| Cuisine | Hot Pot | |
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| Hours | Daily 11am-4am | |
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| Address | Huashan Lu 301-1 | |
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| Location | Across from the Hilton Hotel, Jing An District (Northwest Shanghai) | |
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| Transportation | Metro: Jing An Si | |
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| Reservations | Reservations recommended | |
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| Phone | 021/6249-8877 | |
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| Prices | Meal for 2 ¥150-¥300 ($19-$29) | |
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| Credit Cards | AE, DC, MC, V | |