Boston | Zhi Wei Cafe

I've always been curious about ice-boiled lamb but never tried it. When I saw this restaurant listed in the Boston Michelin Guide, I decided to give it a go. Overall… slightly disappointed. I didn't really taste anything particularly special about the ice-boiled lamb. 🍲 Ice-Boiled Lamb An acceptable lamb hotpot, but I didn't experience the supposed "tenderness" from the "ice-boiling" or "low-temperature cooking" methods—it's just a regular lamb hotpot. The lamb has a relatively high fat content, which doesn't pair well with the default sweet sesame sauce. It was better with an extra order of dry spice dip. The broth is quite flavorful and works well with the vegetables and noodles from the set. 🌟 Hand-Torn Lamb The best dish of the meal! The lamb has a rich, aromatic fat flavor—almost buttery—and it's actually more tender than the ice-boiled lamb. The dry spice dip is fragrant and well-matched. Highly recommended! ❌ Crispy Lamb Ribs A negative example. Same cut of meat, but deep-frying didn't render out the fat—it's just oil on top of oil, making it overly greasy. 🍜 Lanzhou Beef Noodles The broth is similar to "Kou Kou Xiang," but the noodles are much better—very chewy and springy. Recommended! 🥢 Side Dishes Spicy Beef Tendon: Acceptable, the chili oil is nice. Spicy Century Egg: Confusingly bland—theoretically it should use the same seasoning as the beef tendon, but it's very mild, with only the century egg flavor coming through. The cucumber underneath is better. Silky Tofu: Greasy fried tofu with a sauce similar to spicy mayo—not tasty. Skewers: All average… not recommended. Pumpkin Cake: Tastes like frozen pre-made… but still pretty tasty, showcasing mature industrial production standards. Lamb Stuffed Pancake: Greasy scallion pancake with even greasier lamb rib meat… overwhelmed by the oiliness. Final Thoughts The ice-boiled lamb is more about the concept than the actual experience, but the hand-torn lamb and beef noodles are worth trying. The side dishes are generally average, with some being overly greasy. As a restaurant listed in the Michelin Guide, I expected more. #Michelin #BostonFood #IceBoiledLamb