The Bronze Empire

Those lamenting the dearth of real Chinese food in Denver — as well as anyone who's curious about what real Chinese food actually tastes like — should hurry to the Bronze Empire, the restaurant that Tian Xia and Jing Wang, a pair of University of Denver students who moved to Denver from Beijing, opened in 2016 on South Colorado Boulevard. Hot pot is what Xia missed most about his homeland, and now he's graciously sharing a taste of it with his adopted home town. Once seated in the modern, inviting dining room, the first thing you'll do when ordering is pick a soup, selecting a flavor profile and a broth — ranging from vegetable-based mushroom or tomato broths to the spicy soup made with beef broth. Then order meats and veggies that come on the side so you can add them as the broth starts bubbling in front of you. We recommend lamb and ribeye, tofu skin, mushrooms and plenty of greens.