This Chicago Iron Pot Stew is Just Too Satisfying… 😭

The restaurant is called Central East Asian Cuisine – Hometown Flavor, located in Chicago’s Chinatown. It used to be "Impression Xinjiang" but recently added a series of iron pot stews to the menu! Options include: Free-range Chicken & Mushroom Pot, Iron Pot Stewed Goose, and the newly added Beef Trotters Pot, among others. It’s like bringing the whole vibe of a Northern Chinese winter ❄️ straight to Chicago. 🏅 My Personal Top 3 Recommendations: 1️⃣ 【Iron Pot Stewed Beef Tendon & Brisket】 They bring a timer to your table—stew it for about 20 minutes. Once it’s ready, open the lid, and the whole pot starts bubbling vigorously, with savory aromas wafting right up at you 🌬️💨. A final sprinkle of green onions, and it’s time to dig in! The beef tendon is so tender it almost sticks to your lips 😋, and the brisket falls apart with just a light pinch. Potatoes + wide noodles + corn 🌽 soak up all the flavors like they were born for this pot! We also added extra tofu and napa cabbage 🥬—both were perfect additions: the cabbage sweetened up, and the tofu turned silky while absorbing all that rich broth. The pot is seriously deep—the portion is huge! Even after eating until we were stuffed, it looked like we’d barely made a dent 😅. Took the leftovers home, threw in a tomato 🍅 and a bag of Haidilao tomato hot pot base, and bam—tomato stewed beef brisket, unlocked 🆕! 2️⃣ 【Xinjiang Baked Lamb Buns】 The crust is baked to a golden crisp 🥟, flaking apart at the slightest touch. Inside, the minced lamb filling is juicy and fragrant with a hint of sweet onion 🧅. One bite and the juices burst right out 💦—an absolute must-order every time! 3️⃣ 【Stir-fried Cabbage with Naan】 The naan is fried until crispy on the outside yet chewy inside, infused with that classic wok hei (breath of the wok) 👨‍🍳🔥. The cabbage stays sweet, fresh, and crunchy—a perfect balance to the rich stew! They’re currently also featured in Fantuan’s Annual Must-Try Food Awards voting 🗳️—go show them some love! 📍 Address: 2353-2355 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL 60616 #ChicagoEats #ComfortFood #IronPotStew #ChineseFood #ChinatownChicago #XinjiangCuisine