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2016 Golden Store Pick: Northeastern pickled cabbage, a uniquely fragrant, numbing-spicy aroma that greets you at every breath; once it touches the tongue the mala heat is mellow and rounded. This was the first encounter between Huachuan Banquet and Sichuan mala. Following the chef to hand-pick ingredients, Huachuan Banquet refuses to compromise for Taiwan’s gourmets: carefully selected Sichuan peppercorns paired with Guizhou chilies are slow-simmered into the restaurant’s signature mala broth. Fiery yet smooth, the faintly herbal broth is served in the ancient Chinese emperor’s vessel of authority—the ding—its refined surface etched with Sichuan’s timeless original flavors. Shandong napa cabbage chosen by veteran craftsmen yields a pickled delight that is tart with a touch of sweetness, lingering on the palate, vying for attention with the mala broth. Huachuan Banquet’s mala yuanyang hotpot delivers an imperial experience amid the gentle bloom of floral steam.