Chile-Laced Hunan Cuisine Enters the International District

Bellevue’s Hunan specialist, Sizzling Pot King, opened a Chinatown-International District location over the weekend. The restaurant highlights the smoke- and chile-infused flavors that set Hunan food apart from that of other regions of China.

The menu at the new restaurant (660 S King St.) reflects that of Bellevue’s, built around the signature dry pot dish, which involves a choice of protein (ranging from bullfrog to beef tongue to Hunan-style duck), vegetables, flavorings, and heat level. The second half of the menu consists of Hunan specialties like steamed whole tilapia with Hunan pepper, spicy crab, and crawfish.

Co-owner Dun Newton Lin said his menu “reflects contemporary Hunan cooking and dishes, as the cuisine has evolved and incorporated culinary influences from other regions, such as the sophistication of Cantonese cuisine and a little of the ma [spiciness] of Sichuan cuisine.”

Sizzling Pot King got its start in San Diego in 2014. From there, it expanded to the Bay Area before opening in Bellevue this March.

• Sizzling Pot King [Official]
• Sizzling Pot King - Seattle [Facebook]
• With Bellevue’s Sizzling Pot King, Spicy Hunan Cuisine Finally Arrives [ESEA]
• All Coverage of Sizzling Pot King [ESEA]