Qing Shu Spicy Hot Pot

# Overall:I'm raring to come back to Qingshu! The Mala dry hotpot was an absolute game changer for me. You can also customize the spice level too if you're uncomfortable with spice.# AmbianceQingshu sets up a warm homely feel with its lighting and tightknit seating. The freezers where you build your own bowl are right next to the register where you pay.# Food and DrinkSalt and Pepper Squid TentaclesThe salt and pepper flavor wasn't the strongest from this appetizer, but it overall wasn't bad.Husband and Wife Beef Tendon and TripeTripe is just a great appetizer choice, especially for sharing.Build Your Own Bowl Hotpot (Mala Dry hotpot)I've been to Qingshu on different occasions, but I've always built my bowl with a soup base. The mala dry hotpot base is definitely a game changer and will be my go to choice the next time I come back. The level of freedom in choosing what goes into the dry hotpot is great; the only restriction really is that the contents need to weigh over 1 pound.Yan Yan Milk Green TeaMy friends have compared this to the pudding dessert at LaoJie hotpot, but I don't feel that it is similar enough. It's still a good drink to get that pairs well with the mala flavor, but it doesn't reach the same tier that LaoJie pudding resides in.

I used to come here on a weekly basis ever since their grand opening. I came here so often (for takeout) that they were pretty friendly with my husband and my daughter.I love their kimchi soup. I would always order it on the side. Sometimes, two so I can share with my co-worker. My co-worker and I describe it as shin ramen broth on crack. When I do not finish it with my meal, I mix it with my rice. It elevates my meal. My husband and I normally order the dry spicy stir-fry option with noodles. I would then have it with my kimchi soup. I felt like the flavor (stir-fry option) has recently gone down a bit and so we do not order it as often anymore. Maybe its just once a month or once every couple of months now.Their green milk tea is comparable to the Kung Fu Tea one so I love to order it to have along with my meal.I have tried their fried coconut sago balls. They are yummy but pricey for what you get.

i like this location bc their spicy broth milky flavor is so good and don't be scared the milk isn't tasted at all. Its just creamy spicy and you can add any ingredients on the menu additional to a combo they have for you on the menuthe portions are so generous with the price too. one bathroom and friendly staff. There is a self pick pay by pound section too

Enjoyed coming here for custom dry pot and being able to hand select the ingredients from the fridges ourselves allowed us to control the portions of each ingredient we like. Theres a limited selection of other dishes available that they make like popcorn chicken. There was plenty of seating although we found the chairs a bit clunky to move around.

I love mala foods & was so happy to try this. I have to agree that the ordering system here is very odd. You have to go to the back area to order, then pay. Then someone will give you your food items. If you pay cash, you get a 10% discount. Waitress told us that we should leave tips when we are done. We ordered mala dry pot combo A & also ordered some things on the side ($13.99/lb), medium spicy. The mala dry pot overall tasted ok. It it wasn't the best we have eaten in NYC & there wasn't much meat (fatty beef) in the mala dry pot. I think if you need to eat mala to satsify your cravings within the neighborhood, then this will do the job.There were tons of tables & chairs but they were placed very close to each other. I felt like the space was very cramped up.

We were happy there is a mala restaurant in the neighborhood, but the ordering system is a bit weird. You have to order & pay at the front area, so it makes you think that this is a fast food style place (you don't have to give tips). But one of the waitress came over to tell us when we sat down after ordering food that we should leave tips on the table after we finish. Then why won't they just let people order & then give them the check after eating? Sounds like they have a trust issue w/ their customers, to make them pay up front & then bother them to pay tips afterwards. And the ironic thing is that there was not much customer service going on from the staff. They would just come over to give you the food & that was it. There were many things offered in their menu. We chose mala dry pot & we chose combo A which had fatty beef, chinese cabbage, bok choy, potato slices, beef tripe, spam, your choice of noodle (we chose wide vermicelli). We also picked up some random vegetables (lotus root, enoki mushroom, etc) and paid the weighed amount ($13.99/lb). They didn't combine all the items in 1 bowl, but divided it into 2 bowls which I also thought was weird (some yelpers have stated this on their reviews). That 1 bowl could have fitted the food from the 2nd bowl. Maybe they do this to make it appear like there's more food than it is? I chose medium spicy and it was spicy for me (I typically don't eat spicy things). They sold bubble tea, but we opted for wong lo kat (herbal tea) drink. The mala dry pot overall tasted not bad, but it wasn't the best we have eaten in NYC & there wasn't much meat (fatty beef) in the mala dry pot. I think if you need to eat mala to satsify your cravings within the neighborhood, then this will do the job. Tons of tables + chairs for dining in - very cramped up. The chair height was too close to the table, so it was not comfortable sitting there. If that was their goal to get people to eat & go, then they have succeeded.P.S - If you pay cash, you get a 10% discount.

This place is very good, but what separates it from being a 5* rather than 4* is the cleanliness when eating at the store. I usually do takeout, with a very inviting set of employees who are very attentive. This is a very unique Asian restaurant because it offers many different types of food: dry pot, yunan noodles in soup, and even sour fish soup. I usually go for the dry pot and my friends get the yunan noodles in soup. The process begins with choosing a combo option, there's three that include beef, vegetables, and mix, or you can build your own from an expansive menu with over 40 options. Then, you can choose your soup base and spiciness level. Finally, finish off your order with appetizers or drinks!

After coming here a few times I've been having a good idea what I like to order here, so I can update my review with my usual protocol. I realized I don't like the ingredients that come with their preset combos. Since the DIY version lets you choose whatever you want from a much wider range of ingredients (rather than say limiting you to x number of ingredients), the extra dollar or two is worth it. $13.99 per pound, minimum one pound, and their scale goes in increments of 0.005 lb. It's quite hard to get exactly 1.000 lb. I often have to make multiple rounds to the scale to get as close as possible. As with my first visit, my usual order consists of udon and herbal pork soup. For the ingredients, I spend 70-80% of it on fatty beef and lamb. I think those meats are the most worth it and it legitimately matches my taste preferences (i.e. not interested in their balls or seafood items). The rest of my 1lb I spend on enoki mushroom, king oyster mushroom, and bean sprouts (豆苗). I keep getting their udon since it's relatively palatable and not everywhere offers it. I wouldn't call it yummy though. Note that it gets quite choppy probably when they yank it out of the precooked pile. My mom likes getting rice noodles but the past two times they keep undercooking it. The herbal pork soup isn't that herby, more pepper forward. I appreciate the warmth, and it wouldn't feel msg heavy. I've convinced my parents to order this broth every time too. Despite coming here quite often, there's still a lot of flaws with the place. The staff are not good at explaining their process to new customers. I keep seeing new customers get confused whether to order at the counter or at the table. The staff only ask "do you want spicy or not spicy" which isn't a good way to help people choose what they want to eat. There's no signs in the ingredients fridge, so you can't always tell what's each item. It's obvious they boil your ingredients and just add in your requested soup base, so again this isn't a good place for people with allergies. The chairs being too bulky and not fitting underneath the tables still bother me. I wish they could put another scale besides only having one at the cashier, so I won't hold up the line when going back and forth weighing multiple times.

The restaurant is very spacious. Tables can be rearranged to accommodate large groups. This place is baby/kid's friend. The staffs are helpful and explains the menu. The menu has preselected combo or you can pick whichever ingredients you like. There are more than six soup base. You can select your own spicy level. I didn't give a five star because they messed up my drink. I ordered passion fruit green tea with jelly but I got green tea with jelly.

Mala restaurant is finally here in Bensonhurst.I was thrilled to check this out.Service was good, quick and attentive. It could be quite packed and crowded during peak hours. Casual ambiance to hangout with friends and family. Food was okay. I ordered DIY Mala dry pot in medium spicy. The flavor could be stronger though. Compared to other places, It was milder and less numb. Maybe they try to attract non Asian communities.I would order highest spicy level next time.Check it out if you are in the area! Worth to try!