Hotpot restaurant Wang Gang Bo boasts an authentic Chongqing-style hotpot restaurant flavor. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily]

He says that there is a health consideration for eating hotpot in the summer from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine.

"Chongqing is very humid which increases the dampness in the body, so eating hotpot can burn off the excessive moisture," says Chen.

Unlike Beijing-style hotpot broth which is largely flavorless, the Chongqing-style broth is heavily flavored.

The broth served at Wang Gang Bo has seven ingredients including chili pepper, Sichuan pepper and old ginger giving it a red color and a spicy taste.

For those who cannot eat spicy food, there are mushroom or pork broths.

The joy of eating hotpot comes from its do-it-yourself character.

The simmering pot is used to cook meat, seafood and vegetables. Lotus root is among the restaurant's current favorites.