Sichuan hotpot is the great communal eating experience of Chinese restaurant culture, and Beijing has absorbed it enthusiastically. The format: a pot of fiery broth (or split pot with a mild side) at the centre of the table, raw ingredients — thinly sliced beef and lamb, offal, vegetables, tofu, noodles — dipped into it for a few seconds and eaten with sesame paste and raw garlic. The Sichuan variety is numbing as well as spicy, from the combination of dried chillies and huajiao (Sichuan peppercorns).
Haidilao, the largest chain, is reliable and famous for its theatrical service (table-side noodle pulling, face-changing performances while you wait). But local Chongqing-style hotpot restaurants in the hutong areas around Gulou are cheaper and often better. Go on a cold evening; it is one of the most warming meals available anywhere.