Shoo Loong Kan Hotpot

Shoo Loong Kan (also known in other cities as Xiao Long Kan) is a popular, international hot pot chain. And like its other locations, Chicago’s has a dining room full of booths separated by carved wooden paneling, red lanterns, and large stone tables. Here you can order up to three different broths, like mushroom, pork bone, and their spicy house chili—which is indeed very spicy, even at the lowest spice level. The broths start out mild flavor-wise but develop more complexity as ingredients like A5 wagyu, shrimp paste, and enoki mushrooms (all ordered via iPad) are cooked in them. They charge separately for the dipping sauce station, but appetizers like beef tripe in chili oil and fruit make it worth it.