Was in Beijing. Ordered a meal blindly (no idea what it was, just picked it because nobody spoke/understood a word of english). Thirty minutes later I receive a dish large enough for 6 people with a MASSIVE whole fish in the center surrounded by crayfish in this diarrhea-looking brown broth. Along with my dish came a portable burner. The waiter promptly found a plug under my table and bam--my dish starts cooking right in front of me. I sat there in shock--contemplating whether I should just leave money on the table and bolt when they weren't looking, or whether I should spare their feelings and attempt to eat this toilet water spread. As I'm considering my next move the smell starts hitting me. Dis...gus...ting. What the hell is this broth made out of?! Putrid flesh? Oh god. I'm sweating thinking about it now. Honestly, it was like no meal I had seen or smelled before (and I'm not a picky eater--I'll try anything at least once before making up my mind). As I continue considering my options with my eyes tearing up from the stench, that fucking fish moves his eye and looks me square in the eye. Fuck. Me. I knew this fish was dead; these were simply nerves firing or the boiling broth causing its eye to move, but fuuuck. I couldn't even look back at it--every time I glanced at that little head, he was still staring right into my fucking soul. After 10-15 minutes the waiter came back and removed the dish from the burner. I smiled and nodded my head as he slightly bowed and made a "go ahead" gesture with his hands. Thankfully he didn't watch me, but took the burner and left. Once he left I ate two of the crayfish (manageable on their own, but they were soaked in that damn poop-rot broth). I tried cutting into the fish and bringing myself to take a bite. I couldn't do it. Ended up leaving money and walked out. I feel so bad about it to this day, but I had to draw the line at eating a rancid animal with our eyes locked.