Ordering Hot Pot: Choosing a Broth and Popular Meats
IntermediateRestaurant
At a busy Sichuan hot pot restaurant, a customer asks the waitress to recommend a broth that isn't too spicy and to explain which meats are the most popular.
M
MingL
LanM
服务员，你好，我们想吃火锅，不过我不太能吃辣。
fúwùyuán, nǐ hǎo, wǒmen xiǎng chī huǒguō, búguò wǒ bú tài néng chī là.
Waitress, hello. We'd like to have hot pot, but I can't handle spicy food very well.
L
没问题，那您可以点鸳鸯锅，一半辣一半不辣。
méi wèntí, nà nín kěyǐ diǎn yuānyāng guō, yíbàn là yíbàn bú là.
No problem. In that case you can order the split pot—half spicy and half non-spicy.
M
那不辣的那一半，有什么汤底可以推荐吗？
nà bú là de nà yíbàn, yǒu shénme tāngdǐ kěyǐ tuījiàn ma?
For the non-spicy half, is there any broth you'd recommend?
L
我推荐菌菇汤底，味道特别鲜，一点儿都不辣，很多客人都喜欢。
wǒ tuījiàn jūngū tāngdǐ, wèidào tèbié xiān, yìdiǎnr dōu bú là, hěn duō kèrén dōu xǐhuan.
I recommend the mushroom broth. It's especially fresh and savory, not spicy at all, and a lot of customers love it.
M
听起来不错，那我们就要一个菌菇加麻辣的鸳鸯锅吧。
tīng qǐlái búcuò, nà wǒmen jiù yào yí ge jūngū jiā málà de yuānyāng guō ba.
That sounds great. Then let's get a split pot with mushroom and spicy sides.
L
好的。那肉类您想吃点什么？我们店里的肉都很新鲜。
hǎo de. nà ròulèi nín xiǎng chī diǎn shénme? wǒmen diàn lǐ de ròu dōu hěn xīnxiān.
Sure. As for the meats, what would you like? All the meat in our restaurant is very fresh.
M
我们不太清楚，你能介绍一下最受欢迎的几种肉吗？
wǒmen bú tài qīngchu, nǐ néng jièshào yíxià zuì shòu huānyíng de jǐ zhǒng ròu ma?
We're not too sure. Could you introduce a few of the most popular meats?
L
当然可以。卖得最好的是肥牛，涮几秒就熟，又嫩又香。
dāngrán kěyǐ. mài de zuì hǎo de shì féiniú, shuàn jǐ miǎo jiù shú, yòu nèn yòu xiāng.
Of course. Our best seller is the fatty beef—it's cooked in a few seconds, tender and flavorful.
M
那除了肥牛，还有别的推荐吗？我们人比较多。
nà chúle féiniú, hái yǒu bié de tuījiàn ma? wǒmen rén bǐjiào duō.
Besides the fatty beef, do you have other recommendations? There are quite a few of us.
L
人多的话，可以试试羊肉卷和虾滑，爱吃辣的话还可以点份毛肚。
rén duō de huà, kěyǐ shìshi yángròu juǎn hé xiā huá, ài chī là de huà hái kěyǐ diǎn fèn máodǔ.
If there are a lot of you, you can try the lamb rolls and shrimp paste, and if you like spicy food you can also order a portion of tripe.
M
好，那就每样都来一份，再给我们来两杯酸梅汤解解辣。
hǎo, nà jiù měi yàng dōu lái yí fèn, zài gěi wǒmen lái liǎng bēi suānméitāng jiějie là.
Okay, then bring us one portion of each, and also two glasses of sour plum drink to cool down the spiciness.
L
好的，我马上给您下单，请稍等，菜很快就上。
hǎo de, wǒ mǎshàng gěi nín xiàdān, qǐng shāo děng, cài hěn kuài jiù shàng.
Alright, I'll put in your order right away. Please wait a moment—the food will be out soon.