Little Sheep

Affordable Mongolian hotpot chain with excellent mutton
Popular plate: Order their mutton in a cumin-scented hotpot.

Word to the wise: The dish is spicy, so sensitive customers should ask for a split pot where one half contains less chilli and garlic than usual.
Hotpot is a dish where one cooks up a vast amounts of garlic and chilli in a steaming pot and then adds various types of vegetables and meat. Mutton, beef, shrimp, mushroom, tofu - yes, just about everything can be tossed into your hotpot.

Beijing is full of restaurants where you can be served hotpot and a safe alternative is the popular Little Sheep. The chain has earned a fine reputation for its lamb meat from inner Mongolia. While most hotpot restaurants have a number of dips on offer, at Little Sheep they've skipped this option to keep the already oil-drenched dishes a bit healthier. There are a number of branches throughout the city, including Xidan and Dongzhimen Nei, so keep an eye out for the green logo with a happy sheep.