For me, hotpot is all about the soup base, if the soup is delicious, your ingredients will naturally absorb the flavours and taste great too. We gotten a mixed pot with Matsutake Soup and Beef Oil Sichuan Spicy Soup. The Matsutake Soup is a type of mushroom broth that’s savoury with piney, earthy tones, great for non-spicy eaters. The Beef Oil Sichuan Spicy Soup is true to its name, spicy and oily, with a thick, dense layer of oil. I found the spiciness to be mild to medium, as I wasn’t sweating or needing a drink, but non-spicy eaters may find it very hot. The numbing effect from the Sichuan peppercorns was moderate, allowing the food’s flavour to come through, but the oiliness became jelak after a while. In terms of flavour, I preferred the Matsutake Soup, as the spicy broth lacked a certain savoury depth.