Sichuan Hotpot

Sichuan hotspot is no longer here (currently moved to Toledo? per new owners). The new hole in the wall place is called Muso Japanese Express run by a nice Chinese lady and her son who has been a Japanese noodle chef for 11+ years, now looking to go on their own. I had a very satisfying meal of ramen noodles in tonkotsu sauce (not as authentic as in LA, but still savory) and a side of gyoza. Husband had the roast pork with ramen noodles in tonkotsu, but he asked for the «special spicy sauce» on the side, which is highly recommended. It’s a combo chili oil, black bean, and slight ma la sauce. You can add as much or as little as you want. They also have the special spoons with a lip on the handle so the spoon doesn’t fall into the bowl. Nice touch. They have a good red ice tea drink in the drink fridge that is definitely from China. Really good stuff that brings us back to when we used to travel to China on business. They also have a no MSG sign.

We ordered several of the hot pot bowls and wow we were not impressed. The soup was boring and overly spicy, the service was awkward, and it was overall overpriced ($ 35 +Drinks for three people). Would not recommend… I’m not sure why this place has gotten such high reviews. Would rather walk over to Yaos or go to Fusian instead…

It is unfortunate that this place opened as the weather started to get warm as it has really great food! I had the beef ($ 6.99)and my husband had the lamb ($ 7.99), all cooked by a little man in an impressive chef hat. The broth was flavorful and the soup was packed with different delicious morsels– mushroom, glass noodles, cabbage, bean curd sheet, thinly sliced potato-​ish thing, etc. Very spicy but worth the pain. We also had the spring rolls– fried with a chili sauce– which were small but satisfyingly crunchy and tasty. All food seemed to be made to order and was exceptionally hot and fresh-​tasting. Neither of us could finish our meals so we’ll have plenty of leftovers tomorrow.
Ambiance was a bit lacking so it may not be the best place to go on a romantic date but if you’re looking for an inexpensive and filling meal, this will hit the spot. The limited menu makes it easy to choose and ensures that the food comes out quickly. Service was prompt and friendly, take-​out containers sturdy but not leak-​proof.
Overall, I would highly recommend this place to anyone who has an adventurous palate. I really hope it stays open because it will be awesome winter food.

This restaurant has some delicious and very authentic food.
What you won’t get, unfortunately, is the traditional hotpot set up, with boiling water in the middle, raw ingredients to the side, and everyone with their individual sauce bowl.
However, the food is quite authentic and delicious. Each bowl has slippery clear noodles and some good meat and vegetable ingredients. It is very spicy though, so be prepared for that.
I had the beef hot pot bowl and the steamed buns with meat inside and it was good. The buns were a bit on the pricey side (3.50 for two), though I thought that, at $ 7, the beef bowl was fairly priced.
There are downsides, but after eating there the first time, I am really wanting to go back another time.
It’s sort of a hole-​in-​the-​wall kind of place and they use plastic bowls and utensils, but I enjoyed it.
PROS: Delicious, authentic food that will keep you coming back; good service
CONS: Some stuff may be a bit pricier than it should be; they don’t offer you free iced water, so it’s a good idea to bring your own.
ALSO: You will NOT get the traditional Szechuan «ma la» spiciness. If you are looking for that, check out the newly opened Red Chili on high street.
Still, the food here is good.

Oh, yum!
I read about Sichuan Hotpot here and decided to try it out today when I was down on campus. A very good idea! I tried the lamb hotpot. I wanted spicy, but the waitress suggested I try medium since she found the spicy too hot for her. She he was right. I love spicy food, but the medium had tears rolling down my face the whole meal. But it was worth it. After only one visit, Sichuan has moved to the top of my list of favorite campus dining spots, even if the menu is pretty limited.

The previous reviews of this place have to be fake. I came here and had the beef soup bowl. The broth tastes like it came out of Maruchan ramen packets. It was somewhat spicy, but lacked the Sichuan «ma» aspect. The dinnerware provided was extremely crappy. The price was extremely high for the place being so disgusting. They are extremely slow about cleaning the tables, particularly in the upstairs area.
The one thing that was good was the chinese donuts. They were nice and crispy. I’ll probably come back here to buy these to have with soymilk which I can make myself at home.
If you want good sichuan food, hop on the 18 bus to Fortune on Olentangy. If you are looking for other lunch options within walking distance, try Moy’s.

Ever considered paying for an experience where the pain you’re experiencing gets transcended into pleasure?
Not like that.
Probably.
As has been mentioned, this is a TINY little place in one of the converted apartments off of Chittenden and High Street, and they do exactly one thing: Hot Pots. You get a big, steaming hot bowl of flavorful broth, your choice of meat, glass noodles, and veggies. The broth is made from hot peppers and Chinese herbs, and from the first spoonful you’re hit with incredible flavor… and pain.
It’s OK, though — the more you eat, the more you start getting the equivalent of a runner’s high, and by the time you’re halfway through the bowl, you’re dripping with sweat and grinning like a fool.
I strongly recommend the «Crueler» that they offer for an additional $ 2 — it’s basically a big savory stick of fried dough that does a great job of reducing the burn and soaking up flavor when you dip it into the soup.
This is amazing stuff, and about as authentic as it gets here in Columbus. It’s absolutely worth a try.
(By the way — want a surprise? Ask for the spam bowl!)

WOW! What a hidden hole in the wall with amazing food.
I got a beef hotpot to go. It was pipping hot and I couldn’t open it in the car so I had to wait till I got home to try it. The broth is so flavorful with a nice little spice. The noodles have the texture of what I would imagine jellyfish to be like which took a little getting used to but so worth it. I will be going there in between classes in the fall for sure. Great edition to campus.
I really didn’t find it to be too spicy, in fact I add a little sriracha. If is normally more spicy I say go for it.

Surprisingly good, and dangerously spicy. That about sums it up.
In China, you can find good food just about anywhere. Dumplings and buns steamed on the side of the street (literally) in a Beijing alley, or a fantastic bowl of noodles in a corner of a rural bus station. Sichuan Hotpot reminds me of that kind of place; it’s a tiny little out-​of-​the-​way eatery that nonetheless serves great food.
It’s about half-​way down the building on the north side of Chittenden at High Street — there’s no sign, but look for the storefront with Chinese students inside.
There’s really only one entrée — Sichuan-​style hotpot — although you can select your protein (beef, lamb, shrimp, various meatballs, or vegetarian — see my photo of the menu). It’s cooked in the kitchen, and the server shouts out your number when it’s ready.
It’s a pretty good hotpot — your selected protein, glass noodles, wood ear mushroom, half-​moons of daikon, dried bean curd, and two kinds of cabbage all swimming in a seriously potent broth spiced with chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. The server confessed it’s not quite as spicy as you would get in Sichuan, because if it was (in her words) «no one would be able to eat it!» Which is kind of true.
And make sure you buy a drink, or bring some water, to consume with your meal. You’ll need it.