I love hotpot. It’s not hard to see why, it involves a lot of my favorite flavors in a context that allows me to play with my food. But lately, I’ve been curious about mala-style hotpot, a regional variation from originally from Chongqing, if only because it seems to be taking downtown San Mateo by storm, with at least three locations in a four-block radius. I asked a friend of mine living downtown to pick his favorite, and I hopped onboard train 123 and headed towards San Mateo Station, followed by Tang Bar.
After a short walk, I entered and immediately noticed that this was the most illuminated hotpot spot I had ever been to. The large windows that used to house Le Boulangerie now light up the buffet line, as well as the charming water feature built into the counter. With the bowls and tongs at the front of the line, you might be forgiven for thinking you were in a Paris Baguette, but after turning the corner to find an array of raw meats to choose from, that illusion is quickly broken. A wide array of meats, seafoods, noodles and vegetables were laid out for our perusal, spanning from the everyday to the rather exotic (beef aorta is on my list for next time, I promise). Knowing that I’d be charged by weight, and that my eyes have been larger than my stomach in the past, I aimed smaller, building a base of pork belly that was complemented by a smattering of fish and meat balls, some tofu and tofu skins, as well as a fish tofu to cover both bases, with a nice thick noodle in the ballpark of udon to finish it off.
Arriving at the register, I had final decisions to make on whether I go for broth or not, and what seasoning I wanted. Again, wanting to play it more conservative on my first try, I went for the two-chili hot and sour broth, and that turned out to be a wise decision as they were not kidding in this case. I needed a few spoonfuls of the soup before I was able to not start coughing on contact, which may have been due to the heat or the strong vinegar taste. However, once I had adapted, it was clear that I had come to the right place.
The Szechuan pepper lit up my tongue like a Christmas tree with a pleasant numbness. The bowl was topped with what appeared to be deep-fried chickpeas, similar to Corn Nuts oddly enough, as well as chopped Chinese celery which gave both a pleasant crunch and a soothing coolness to the bowl. After tossing some pork belly into the bowl, it cooked through in seconds, with all those wonderful flavors joining the party in the process. With my confidence up, more and more ingredients found their way into the bowl. The noodles had exactly the chew I was looking for, as did the beef tendon balls that reminded me of pho. The mix of fish balls didn’t disappoint either, tasting fresh and clean, with the fish tofu standing out for me. But in surprising move, the tofu was a standout player, staying firm while soaking up the soup like a sponge, with the tofu skins having a fun texture while grabbing as much flavor and seasoning as it could manage.
I was delighted by my first experience at Tang Bar, and it will certainly not be my last. While the last restaurant like this I went to had a deceptive price point when it came to portion sizes, this cost just a hair over $20. I almost can’t wait for winter to roll around, as there is no February chill that could survive this place, and I am confident this soup can burn through the common cold. So, when you’re next wondering where to grab a bite, set your destination to downtown San Mateo, and make your custom hotpot bowl of your dreams.
Author’s Note: Chew Chew Train is a series on delicious destinations near Caltrain Stations written by Caltrain Public Information Officer and long-time Peninsula resident Dan Lieberman. All costs associated are paid by participants, Caltrain is not paying for the food purchased. If there’s a restaurant near one of our stations that you want us to review, contact us on social media and let us know where to go next!