The opening follows the success of Fiery Flavors in Surrey Quays, which launched in 2024 and specialises in the cuisine of the nearby Hunan province.
With just 20 covers, Chi Pot Pot is a considerably smaller operation.
The menu includes regional street snacks such as Daokou braised chicken, Henan-style tofu sheets and crispy egg-filled pancakes.
Other dishes include Xiaoyao-style hulatang, a hot pepper soup with beef; clay pot hand-pulled braised noodles with beef sauce in mala soup or lamb soup; and clay pot rice noodles with chicken leg and mixed mushrooms.
There are also biang biang noodles with braised beef, stir-fried tomato and eggs, and vegetables, alongside egg-filled pancake wraps with a choice of fillings.
Set menus are priced at under £20 per person, with an a la carte meal for two costing around £55 to £75.
Chi Pot Pot opens daily from 11.30am to 10pm and takes bookings.
Xu’s background includes roles at Pizza Express and Burger King, where he spent nine years and became an area manager.
He subsequently helped bring Haidilao to the UK, opening its first restaurant in Holborn in 2019, before joining Soho Sichuan restaurant Bar Shu as managing director.
Speaking to Restaurant earlier this year, Xu said his next project would be simpler than Fiery Flavors, with a lower cost base and less reliance on skilled chefs.
“I want to find a different way of presenting authentic Chinese food,” he said.