Spain's biggest Chinese hot pot restaurant opens on the Costa del Sol

The people of Malaga and visitors to the Costa del Sol can now enjoy the traditional Chinese hot pot dishes. The largest hot pot restaurant in Spain opened its doors last Thursday in the city.

ShooLoongKan, one of the most renowned chains in the Asian country, has set up in the Carretera de Cádiz area and has done so in style, with a party where the lion dance and the dragon dance were on show as a way to bless the business with good luck.

The new establishment moved to 122 Avenida de Velázquez and occupies the premises next to the Hilton Garden Inn hotel, in the Valdicio area. Around 40 staff will be employed at the restaurant.

Hot pot is one of the most traditional dishes in China and consists of cooking different ingredients in a pot with a broth. Meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings and various seafood, among other ingredients, can be prepared in the pot. The cooked food is then usually dipped in a mixture of sauces.

During the restaurant's official opening on Wednesday 13 March, a chef taught the attendees the secrets of cooking a perfect hot pot. The restaurant will also have other typical Chinese specialities on offer such as slices of beef, beef steaks, chicken feet or glutinous rice paste with brown sugar. The average cost per diner will be between 25 and 30 euros.

The new premises is decorated in traditional Chinese style, with red lanterns, grey bricks, wooden tables and chairs. The company pointed out the colour red represents the typical Chinese colour, and also represents spicy food.

During the opening ceremony, the restaurant chain's managers said the majority shareholder is a Chinese citizen who lives in Malaga and is completely in love with the city. He started out as an entrepreneur on the Costa del Sol and "the love he feels for the city is what drives him to try to make Malaga grow and help turn it into a more touristic city".