Sizzle ‘n’ Dip Dual Yum: BBQ + Hotpot in Frankfurt

A new Chinese/Korean hotpot & barbecue restaurant has recently opened in the centre of Frankfurt, beckoning from the main station or Willy-Brandt Platz. The fusion of hotpot (a Chinese fondue, but with broths instead) and BBQ totally seduced me. So, within months of its debut, I marched into Mizu, which awaited discovery.

The first thing I noticed on entering was the tantalizing aroma emanating from the barbecue and hotpot broths. The menu offers a wide variety of ingredients from mushrooms, tofu, vegetables to lamb chops, rib-eye steak, marinated tenderloin, frog legs, chicken, pork, prawns, mussels, squid, you name it. A DIY paradise for get-togethers with family and friends. Pick your ingredients, cook them your way on the communal grill or boiling broth table for an interactive feast.

We kicked off with rib-eye steak, lamp rolls, spicy beef, BBQ platter, frog legs, veggies, and mushrooms—perfect for grill and hotpot. The restaurant offers a set 3-slot sauce combo for BBQ. If you’re a sauce lover like me, you should create your own Hotpot sauce at the “Saucy Fusion Hub”, a small table in the side bar with over 10 different ingredients available. Spicy, garlicky, sesamy, peanutty, mild or hot, it’s time to get creative! My top pick is the creamy sesame paste with garlic, coriander, spring onion, crushed and roasted peanuts and homemade chili oil. Try oyster sauce, shasha sauce, fragmented tofu sauce (similar to “stinky tofu” with a bold, distinctive strong flavor) for a saucy adventure. No extra charge for the extra sauces.

The BBQ platter comes with 4 different types of meat (chicken, pork, lamb, beef) and lots of onion slices. A BBQ tip: Season the grill platter with onions before you start. They create a non-stick coating, disinfect, and add a pungent, savory aroma that enhances the overall taste of the food that follows. The real fun starts when the colorful mix of fresh ingredients starts to sizzle on the griddle and bubble in the simmering stock. You have total control over how you want your food cooked.

The steak definitely goes on the metal plate. The meat pieces come with a little bit of fat on the edge, so I didn’t oil the grill, but let the lean steak hit the plate directly, grilling in its own fat. Cooked to medium, my favorite level of doneness, with a brownish crust on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside, it is then dressed with the 3-slot sauce combo – homemade BBQ sauce (a hint of spice), sesame oil, and a secret spice blend (cumin, sesame, star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel seeds etc.). Multi-layered, pungent, savory – paired with juicy earthy meat, it’s a taste cascade in your mouth!

There’s something very satisfying about watching different cuts of meat sizzle on the barbecue – the distinct earthiness of the lamb, the savouriness of the beef, the slight sweetness of the pork all adds to the aroma. As they’re all unmarinated, feel free to season them as you grill, the heat will enhance their flavour and texture.

The chicken legs and wings may take longer to cook because they’re served with bones. But thanks to the marinade, the longer cooking time doesn’t make the meat dry. Instead, you get a crispy skin wrapped around the juicy and tender chicken – an irresistible contrast.
This contrast is even stronger with the spicy hand-cut beef. Served in thin slices, it’s quick to cook on the barbecue or in the broth. The marinade, massaged into the meat by hand, penetrates the tender texture and locks in its natural juiciness. No need to worry about overcooking at all.

It’s your call whether grill or boil. We chose to boil the lamp rolls and frog legs, along with a veggie-mushroom mix (mushroom over grill is also not a bad idea). Begin with the lamb in the pot, as is common Chinese hot pot rituals, to unleash its distinctive robust flavor for a rich aromatic broth that will enhance the mouthfeel of all subsequent ingredients. Remember only quick boiling for lamb rolls and frog legs, as the meat is thin and delicate, to avoid toughening.

The menu has 3 broths: split pot (plain & mala spicy), mushroom herbal, and tomato. We picked the first for its contrasting elements to go with different ingredients. If you have low spice tolerance, try to void spicy broth with veggies, especially greens, as they soak up heat quickly.

If you need relief from spice – the sesame paste sauce from the Saucy Fusion Hub is your go-to: creamy, nutty, and mildly sweet—perfect with hotpot, my must-have every time! Fresh ingredients drizzled in chilli oil from the pot, coated in rich nutty sesame paste – a delightful collision in your mouth.
Iit’s really hands-on fun — rinse, grill, dip, repeat until extremely full. Set at a chill default heat, slow down your eating pace, share stories over a shared broth, unwind and savor the good food and great times.