General Pot - Fremont

This restaurant has an extensive menu, but I want to highlight their spicy dry pot. The portion is large and perfect for sharing family-style. The flavor and mi... read more This restaurant has an extensive menu, but I want to highlight their spicy dry pot. The portion is large and perfect for sharing family-style. The flavor and mix of ingredients are amazing—I haven't encountered anything this good in a long time. I highly recommend trying the spicy dry pot with intestines; you can choose your desired spice level. There's plenty of parking available, and you even get a 5% discount for paying in cash. It's a typical Chinese restaurant with minimal ambiance and average service, which is a good sign of authenticity. Expect to spend around $25-30 per person.

General Pot’s authentic Chongqing flavor, generous portions, and very stylish decors win me over. (Bewarned that Chongqing is the hotter one among the two most... read more General Pot’s authentic Chongqing flavor, generous portions, and very stylish decors win me over. (Bewarned that Chongqing is the hotter one among the two most popular Sichuan cuisines. The place comes recommended by Chihuo San Francisco Bay Area. For appetizers we ordered bean jelly with chili sauce and mixed beef tripe with chili sauce. Both local favorites, the former from Chongqing, the latter from Chengdu with its own legend. (Its Chinese name, 夫妻肺片, translates into husband-wife lung slices. By the way, lung is not a main ingredient in this dish if used at all. Both are quite on the mark. For the main course, we ordered spicy pig’s large intestine in dry pot. This was the first time I had dry pot. (I tend to believe that it was a relatively recent development. It has some characteristics of a hotpot, but comes fully cooked. It also has some characteristics of a stew, but the flavor is closer to sir fry and braise. Given the restaurant is called General Pots, I highly recommend that you get one. Here is a new cooking technique that I don’t want to do at home. Of course, pork intestine is always a great ingredient for this type of cooking. General Pots is in a less densely populated open mall. We entered at peak dinner time, and get seated quickly. The service was also relatively quick. (Dry pot takes a while. I cannot leave without a praise of its Northern Sichuan themed decor. I have seen quite a number of new Chinese restaurants in the SF Bay Area open with decors that I call all show, no-substance. Some of them also try to create a “high cuisine” environment to jack up price (without a taste to match . Not General Pots. Its decor and lighting is very stylish without being in your face. Seating is very comfortable. Definitely a place I’d like to visit again.

The restaurant was incredibly busy on Friday night, but the food was absolutely worth the wait. Everyone in our group enjoyed their meals! read more The restaurant was incredibly busy on Friday night, but the food was absolutely worth the wait. Everyone in our group enjoyed their meals!

The lunch special menu is reasonably priced and offers great value. Be sure to try their dishes! read more The lunch special menu is reasonably priced and offers great value. Be sure to try their dishes!