Prepare to be “Numbfounded” by this Spicy Sichuan Dry Pot

Sichuan food is something I often crave. The numbing, spicy “mala” flavour that’s quintessential to this cuisine is something that isn’t mimicked elsewhere in the world. Thankfully, Chef Pin’s Dry Pot delivers on those Sichuanese flavours and satisfies my cravings.

A Dry Pot features a mix of ingredients stir-fried with aromatic spices, sauces, and chilis – tons of chilis. The Dry Pot at Chef Pin is customizable from the size, base, additional toppings, and spice level. Available in different sizes, the base options include a variety of spicy seafoods, chicken, or pork. You can even combine a few bases together, and then choose a variety of toppings. The more you choose, the bigger your Dry Pot will be in the end!

My friends and I decided to share a bigger Dry Pot featuring a mix of the spicy rib and squid bases. To this base, we added a mix of toppings: beef tripe, quail eggs, handmade shrimp balls, lotus root, tofu puffs, oyster mushrooms, and Chinese cabbage. All the ingredients were stir-fried and topped with sesame seeds and a mound of cilantro.

Though we ordered medium spicy, this was enough for people who love spice. The bone-in rib pieces were meaty, while the squid, shrimp balls, and beef tripe werepleasantly chewy. The cabbage and lotus root provided a nice crunch in contrast, and I’d recommend adding them to your Dry Pot. The quail eggs, tofu puffs, and oyster mushrooms brought an earthy flavour yet satisfyingly mopped up all the flavour of the sauce and spice. In the sauce, I could taste soy sauce and vinegar, which gave umami and acidity to the dish to balance the other flavours. Finally, the cilantro added a necessary herbaceous flavour.

Chef Pin is open for dinner until 2am, making it a great spot for a late-night meal. The friendly staff helped us tremendously with our order as it was our first time going. So if you want to have a pleasant spicy numbing experience, go to Chef Pin!