It was our last night in Jiuzhaigou scenic area, and we decided to try the restaurant which was just next to our hotel, so we could get back and rest early
From the outside, we could tell that they specialise in claypot chicken hotpot and yak meat hotpot, which is something very different, so we wanted to try the cuisine, which is probably closest to the local-style cuisine
There were some Tibetan elements in the decor of the restaurant, from the foyer paintings to the colourful silk cloths draped around the doors. The restaurant itself was quite spacious and big, with many tables. We were also one of the first customers, as we came very early
On top of their food menu, they also had these very cute dessert cakes placed right at the entrance of the restaurant. They also had a condiments counter for customers to make their own dipping sauces, but the variety is mostly chilli powder or peppercorns. I only took the one I found familiar, which is the soy sauce and some spring onions
Our soup broth arrived in a big brown claypot and was furiously boiling. As some of us did not take beef, we did not try the yak meat hotpot, which seems to be quite popular with other tables. The chicken was thick and creamy and very fragrant, even before we started putting in the ingredients
We ordered quite a small number of ingredients due to our affected appetite from the high altitude. The claypot comes with chicken meat, so we did not order additional meat. They also did not have sliced pork and only yak meat, so we ordered mainly vegetables and mushrooms like cabbage, radish and tofu. The ingredients are generally fresh and naturally sweet, and go well with the chicken broth, which has deep umami flavours. The chicken was a little tough as we left it to cook in the broth for a long time
We also ordered a special coral mushroom, which is not common in other hotpot restaurants. The mushroom is very crunchy and has no special taste, but the texture is great when it absorbs the flavour of the broth. One surprisingly good thing was the truffle claypot fried rice. The rice was fried perfectly, with each grain nicely coated in flavour and having the perfect texture and softness. The ingredients were simple, but the wok flavour was strong, and it was an extremely delicious dish. We even ordered a 2nd helping of the fried rice
Overall, the meal at Mima was good, and the flavours were somewhat different from the usual hotpot we are used to. The soup bases were also surprisingly refreshing and full of flavours, as we were afraid they would only have spicy or meaty flavours. The fried rice was a surprise find, which we would definitely recommend
Address： 漳扎镇彭丰村一组6号附8号藏王广场（离景区口600米）
Opening hours: 11 am to 10.30 pm
Bear Travels . Bear Eats . Bear Cooks 