Elaine Y.

I struggle with this review as the food was amazing however the service was confusing and lacking as well as my initial experience feeling as an outsider because I do not speak hardly speak any Chinese. When i first arrived into the restaurant there was one couple in front of me - I looked to the right and there were two screens. One small one that asked for my passcode and another big one for take out orders. I asked the couple where is the waitlist and they said you have to talk to the guy behind the register. First I couldn't get ANY HELP whatsoever - they totally ignored me and just whizzed about. I FINALLY asked where do I sign up for the waitlist (and mind you more people came in at this time) and he pointed to the screens. I tried to tell him I need a passcode but he ignored me and left. I then caught another guy and he pointed me to the big screen and I said - I want to eat here - but he nodded and pointed to the BIG screen which is to order take out. Meanwhile a pushy RUDE lady who was also a mother of a young child was listening and immediately started to try to get onto the system. At that point I'm poking around the system and there's NO WHERE to do a waitlist. I FINALLY get one of the guys and said how do I do it - so he FINALLY comes to the LITTLE monitor and points and I poke at it telling him it doesn't work!! He FINALLY LOOKS at it and realizes he needs to put in his passcode. he does that and starts to walk away but it's on a strange screen - not the Chowbus waitlist. So I guess it's UP TO THE CUSTOMER TO FIGURE OUT YOUR TABLET AND FIND THE SCREEN? I yell at him to come back as it's not working and he FINALLY LOOKS at the screen and realizes OH - need to pull up the right window. Meanwhile pushy RUDE lady starts to enter in her information BEFORE ME even though she came AFTER ME! I'm not having it at this time - it's been super frustrating and starting to leave a bad feeling so I tell her I was here before you so she backs away but stands in front with her rude pushy daughter in front of her so I have to enter my information AROUND them. I finally get a text saying my table is ready - but meanwhile the worker lady yells something out in Chinese and walks away. I finally catch the attention of one of the guys and show him my phone and he generally points to the back. By this time - the HUSBAND of rude lady and child took our table! He's speaking Chinese to the lady and ignoring me waving his arm around because he wanted to either open or close the window shade? Maybe close the shade so the sun would burn him and his evil family up! Luckily another table was cleared and hubby called for me to go to that table. And then the worker lady comes to check if we actually were supposed to sit there. Had to show her my phone confirmation given she believed the guy over me! Sorry had to get that off my chest. Now on to ordering and the food. You order on your phone via QR Code - the one dish that we really wanted which is why we came - the braised intestine - wasn't on the menu. It pops up as the MAIN picture for XPP Claypot - what's going on but not on the menu? Finally tracked down one of the guys and he went to check and they don't have it. BUT I also wanted to try the Crab Roe Tofu Pudding so not all is lost. Hubby wanted to try the Clear Soup Radish Beef Brisket Clay Pot and middle wanted the Cold Noodles in Sesame Sauce with Shredded Chicken and Crispy Bean Sprouts. We also decided to get the Bean sprouts with sliced tripe appetizer as there wasn't a hot pepper next to it. First off the appetizer. The heat hits you AFTER you eat! OMG my head was sweating and tongue got numb. Hubby and middle enjoyed it and finished that but beware - not having a hot pepper next to it doesn't mean it's not spicy!! And actually all the other dishes were DELICIOUS! Like I said - their food is actually REALLY good! The Crab Roe Tofu Pudding - MY OH MY - silky tasty goodness. And the Clear Soup with Radish and Beef Brisket - such great deep flavor and the beef briskets weren't tough or dry. Felt rather healthy.... And surprisingly the Cold Noodles in Sesame Sauce with Shredded Chicken and Crispy Bean Sprouts was refreshing and delicious - had a bit of heat that you control as we took out some of the spices before tossing together. The flavor is a bit sweet with some heat. It's a bit addictive. So food was excellent - I'd rate it a 5, but the experience with the waitlist and staff soured the overall eating adventure as well as the fact that the staff ignores you if you don't speak to them in Chinese. It's truly a "Chinese" experience with the rudeness - something we were used to in China - don't experience it much here in the US. They definitely have a distinct clientele and a pretty loyal one so I do hope they continue to do well. Now that I know how the system works it'll probably be a better experience but beware if you don't speak you may be ignored or overlooked.

Sin-Yaw W.

This was a surprised delight. The name hinted a famous cook specialized in claypot, happened to be a very popular category, usually spicy. That sent out the signal of a well-marketed cookie-cutting eatery with nothing special than heavy spiciness. Then someone told me it's quite good, so I got curious. After all. this location has seen many restaurants and this one had managed to survive a while. I was pleasantly surprised. We avoided spicy dishes and found every dish deliciously well-made. We then promised to come back, probably some spicy foods next time. The services were minimalistic. Order through the QR code, the server brings you the dish, then go to the counter to pay.

Lisa Z.

Came on a Sunday afternoon and it was super packed. You put your name down on the waitlist. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and main dishes. Highly recommend if you're in the area but prepare to wait! There's a small parking lot but it gets full during peak times.

Mabel H.

How has this place not popped off yet?? My friends and I loved the dishes we ordered here, and we'll be back with our parents who will love them even more. More traditional flavors I would say (pork intestine isn't a common favorite body part lol) and they have a lot of spicy dishes as a Szechuan restaurant. Delicious though! They have good deals going on like signing up for their free membership for discounts on dishes as well as an additional discount for paying in cash. Add all the deals to your cart (their menu is a barcode scan) to apply them to your total! Taro & Pork Rib Clay Pot ($21.99): I love me some soft taro soaked up in yummy pork broth with fall off the bone pork bits :) Celtuce & Braised Pork Intestine ($22.99): An acquired taste, but it is a taste I acquired. Celtuce is a veggie similar to cucumber/asparagus. The intestine was super tender and chewy. Wasn't too spicy; the spice flavor is like the numbing mala peppercorn taste. Shredded Green Beans Crispy Pork Lard ($17.99): Perfect for your veggie dish! Interesting I've never had shredded green beans though it sounds so simple. Loved it! Crab Roe Tofu Pudding ($17.99): Our server (who was so nice and was the only person waiting on the entire restaurant Wednesday night) recommended we order a bowl of rice ($1.99) to enjoy with this. So glad we listened to her because it was perfect to soak up the sauces! Can't go wrong with a tofu clay pot. Spicy Pork Knuckle ($28.99): Omg this thing was ginormous. A lot of meat and fatty skin hiding on it with the bokchoi. The sauce reminded me of a spicy fish I often get! Well lit and nicely designed inside; a water pitcher with lemons was already waiting for us when we were seated. It's a far drive for me but I look forward to trying more menu items!

Zihao W.

The service was remarkably prompt and attentive, every dish was fresh and flavorful, and the entire dining area was impeccably clean and welcoming.

Patty O.

A lot of authentic Chinese dishes that you wouldn't find elsewhere. The ordering is using a QR code which I don't really like, not as easy to browse the expansive menu. They have high chairs for little ones. The prices were reasonable and the food was great. I really liked the pickled fish soup dish that we got. The soup was tasty and sour with the pickled veggies. The pork with taro clay pot had a thick and rich soup. It was delicious as well but the pickled fish was my favorite

Serena L.

Friendly dedicated staff!! Food looked super yummy however I was a little bit disappointed. One of my soup lacked flavor and in fact they admit that the chef forgot to add salt and they did offer to make a fresh new one which I declined. Still I would go back to try again just because I could tell everyone super nice and wanting to do the right thing.

Eunice T.

Wow, the food here hit the spot. I was pleasantly surprised, but I might be biased because the dishes here are just what I normally prefer. It's hard to not give this place a 5 stars when all the dishes you try have your favorite ingredients done right. The intestine with celtuce = perfectly seasoned. Intestines were soft. Celtuce helps balance out the greasiness. It had the perfect hint of slight spice. My fiance really wanted to try the spicy jelly noodle, so we did. The sauce was pretty good - very vinegary, but surprisingly my fiance was okay with that (he usually doesn't like vinegar taste). The cold noodle in sesame sauce was pretty good. They premix it for you so you don't need to worry too much about spreading the sauce around. The sesame paste was a bit subtle, I personally would prefer more sesame paste, but I just scooped more of the sauce from the bottom of the dish and that helped satisfied some of that craving. Private parking lot, but it was surprisingly full considering that it's a new restaurant. (Or I'm just used to the empty Mr Sun parking lot)

Hubert L.

I came to the restaraunt that replaced one of my favorite bobas in cupertino. This area is very competitive and already has other claypot restaraunts so I hold any new place to a very high standard. Since it took over a boba store, I expected it to not have a lot of space, but it was decently spacious. There are lots of tables but the tables are a bit small. We could barely fit our claypots on the tables. You order with QR and service takes a while due to claypot nature of the restaraunt. we ordered 3 things: lava tofu, beef pickle claypot, and intestines claypot. Literally all 3 items were amazing. - celtuce is very soft and melts in your mouth. - meat is tender, and broth is very flavorful - tofu flavor was amazing. Not sure I could pinpoint it. Maybe some kind of egg? The portions were gigantic. We had to take it home, but it ended up lasting 3 meals. by far this was the best claypot we've had in the area. Hands down coming back again.

Pauline R.

The wait can be long so it's ideal to go at off peak hours. First time here and was very satisfied with the selection of dishes we ordered! There's something unique with every dish so they complimented and balanced each other really well. The vermicelli noodles had a lighter flavor, and the shrimp tasted fresh and had a nice soft but chewy texture. This can get burnt if left on the hot plate too long without stirring, so stir! The potato slices is probably one of my favorites. The sauce is very delicate yet complex, it has some spice, umami, sweetness, and it just ties together incredibly well with the texture and taste of the potatoes! Highly recommend. Drench that potato in the sauce, you won't regret it, but be careful it has a slight amount of heat. The fried pork seems basic, but once you take a bite you'll notice that the meat is marinated with some Sichuan peppercorn and salt. It's subtle but definitely differentiates it from basic fried pork. The chili powder is salty with a slight white pepper flavor , and has some heat, perfect pairing! The tender beef and tofu is probably another favorite of mine. It's unlike something I've had before, it has a clean, light, and homey flavor. Simple but flavorful, with the beef being very tender and pairing nicely with the silken tofu. Roasted green chilis give the broth a rich and roasted flavor, with a great contrast with the fresh green pepper. Such a great comfort food or dish when sick or cold outside. Lastly, the spiciest of all (be careful), the Rustic Chili Minced Sirloin Beef. It's a little zesty with a roasted pepper flavor as well that carries through the beef. The dessert was just what we needed after the spice - warm, crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and a slight peanut-y and sugary sweetness from the sauce. Portions are generous, perfect for sharing with 3+ people if you order more than two dishes. The potato slices is a smaller serving, like an appetizer, and after a huge meal, you'll struggle eating more than two of the rice cakes :)

Edward X.

Amazing clay pot AND great dishes. Some standouts include the Street-Style Potato Slices, and Mapo Tofu. One of the best Mapo Tofu I've had. Tastes fresher than most and has great spice level. Service was quick too even with a full house.

Cherylynn N.

"Let's go to that place with the spicy fish and intestines..." "Shang Cafe?" "Yea, but I can't eat spicy tonight." *Face palm* Dining with peeps who can't eat spicy or think black pepper is "spicy"? XPP Claypot got 'em! Opening last month, XPP Claypot has been a hit with the local Cupertino community. It seems we were the only non-Mandarin speaking customers so you know this place is legit. Expect a wait during peak hours. We signed in at the kiosk and the wait was about 20 minutes on a Saturday evening around 6 pm. You'll receive a text when your table is ready. M E N U Sichuan-style claypot dishes with an extensive selection of non-spicy dishes. For some dishes, you can customize the salt level. Place your order via QR code. F O O D * Crispy Pork & Hand-Beaten Meatball Soup 酥肉手工丸子双拼 ($17.99): https://tinyurl.com/2tfwbe78 What makes this soup special is the texture contrast of the crispy pork and soft, bouncy meatballs. BUT, the crispy pork was mixed into the soup, rendering them unpleasantly soggy. Loved the meatballs tho...it had strong ginger essence. * Braised Pork Intestine w/ green peas 豌豆肥肠 ($19.99): https://tinyurl.com/bdyecxru Rich, meltingly soft and gelatinous pork intestines in a savory gravy. More aesthetics than anything but the peas were brownish green from overcooking. * Taro & Pork Bone Claypot 原味香芋排骨煲 ($21.99): https://tinyurl.com/238vavj3 Comforting homestyle dish with tender pork ribs with fluffy soft, nutty taro. The latter breaking down slightly creating a delicious, creamy broth. * Whole Tomato Braised Beef Brisket 一颗番茄牛腩 ($21.99): https://tinyurl.com/4n9ut547 Another homestyle dish, popular among many regions in China, this was my first time having it claypot form. While the beef brisket (rough flank) was tender, it tasted like it was braised separately and dumped into the tangy tomato broth. It was lacking a rich, slow-cooked flavor. * Crab Roe Tofu Pudding 金沙蟹黄豆花 ($17.99): https://tinyurl.com/4ka82tmk The final dish was THE standout that I wished I reserved more stomach space for. Soft, silky tofu cubes swimming in an incredibly savory, umami-rich crab roe and crab fat sauce. UGH, it was soooo good over steamed rice. GET THIS! S E R V I C E Friendly and prompt. Despite being packed, we received our entire order in about 20 minutes. A M B I A N C E Formerly Mr. Sun Tea, the remodeled space is sophisticated yet casual with 18-20 tables and warm earth tones. Hope they consider turning it down a notch or two as the lighting felt like you're spread eagle at your gyno's. Chinese rap playlist. When the weather is warmer, it will be nice to see tables placed in the front patio for outdoor dining. Overall, we enjoyed the comforting, homestyle claypot dishes and thought the value was there (plenty of leftovers). I had order envy with the burn your booty hole dishes on other tables - I'll be back for you, spicy duck claypot!

Ice Y.

Fresh fish with pickle vegetables is a must-try. You will love it and want more. Will come back for more for sure.