Little Sheep
Little Sheep 2/F, Causeway Bay Plaza 2 463-483 Lockhart Road Causeway Bay Branches also in Tsim Sha Tsui, Mongkok and Tsuen Wan Tel: 2893 8318
Grub: A hotpot restaurant from the mainland, with Mongolian mutton and Chinese herb soup base the main attractions.
Vibe: Every table is obscured by smoke coming from the hotpot and the air is filled with a very strong smell of Chinese herbs.
All the branches tend to be packed to the gills with families and groups of friends - it's not a place for a quiet tete-a-tete.
Who to bring: A big group of family and/or friends for a mirthful gathering. Also perfect for showing friends from overseas a real Chinese experience.
What's hot: What makes this restaurant stand out from other hotpot places is the delicious herbal broths. There are many different flavours. The most popular is the half clear soup/ half extra-spicy broth, which contains dozens of Chinese herbs and seasonings, such as goji berry (wolfberry), shallots and garlic, to give a very rich flavour. Anything you plunge into the soup base, especially the vegetables, absorbs so much of the flavour, you won't need the dipping sauce served in most hotpot restaurants.
For chilli-heads, the spicy broth is a must. The bright red soup radiates a strong chilli smell and stimulates the appetite.
Don't miss the signature mutton, which is rich and tender, or the thick, white Fat Sheep noodles, which are made with potato flour, and turn transparent when cooked.
What's not: Accept that you will stink of soup when you leave. And it can be hard to book a table - if you try to book in Chinese and they tell you it's full, call back and speak English.
It's also quite pricy for what is generally a bargain meal. Small groups can save money by ordering the all-you-can-eat menu, but bigger groups should stick to a la carte.
Cost: HK$130-HK$150 per person for dinner.
