Between luxury boutiques and rows of hotels, historic shopping centers and international restaurants, there has been one more stop on my Ku’damm list since the end of last year (2023): Hou Tang. Hotpot à la Chengdu is served here – a fire pot that is a true classic in East Asia, especially in winter. The restaurant’s interior is reminiscent of Asia’s tea rooms and bustling marketplaces. Take the tiled corridor that you share with waiters and their serving trolleys is narrow for example. Traditional handicrafts such as bamboo weaving and Guo Hua paintings, red lanterns and neon lettering adorn the room creating an exciting atmosphere. Hou Tang is practically straight out of China, and people have long been queuing up to get a table. What makes it so popular? There are many reasons but above all is that everyone can enjoy a shared hotpot exactly as they like it. Here you don’t have to choose just one broth, the hotpot can be subdivided as you wish with the help of small partitions, saving you the headache of deciding who in your group likes it spicy (and who likes it over-spicy), who only eats vegan food or who has allergies. We end up with three different broths in the pot: the spicy version with Szechuan pepper, dried chillies, star anise, cloves and cumin, where you can choose the level of spiciness yourself; a pork bone broth, and a vegan tomato-based version.
And then the real choices begin, because the list of ingredients is long: beef, lamb, pork, shrimps, meatballs, noodles, quail eggs, mushrooms, pak choi, tofu skin – you’ll find all the classics, but I’ve also discovered a lot of new things here too. You can also put your own sauces together at a help-yourself counter: soy, sesame oil, oyster sauce, fermented tofu paste, spring onions, garlic and ginger – you can mix everything to your liking. If it all sounds too overwhelming, there is also a guide to traditional sauce mixtures hanging above the counter. Drinks and desserts are also catered for. The homemade lemonade adds balance to the spicy food and the jasmine milk tea is so delectable it’s almost dessert (but only almost). Don’t miss out on the desserts because the shaved ice is the perfect way to cool down after a hot firepot. Every street has an end, but Ku’damm feels endless – Hou Tang brings the Chengdu of the 1930s to the boulevard of Berlin’s West – and with it on your list, you’ll discover Ku’damm’s final destination.
Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen
Hou Tang, Kurfürstendamm 175, 10707 Berlin–Wilmersdorf; map
Mon–Sun 12–23h
@houtang_hotpot
