The family and I have been coming to this hot pot place for years. Everyone loves hot pot,…read moreespecially during cold weather, and my kids in particular have a huge appetite for it.
We usually come here when the cravings hit or to celebrate family occasions. The prices are very reasonable and generally under $30 per person. We were last here about a week ago and it was $28 per adult, while kids were $14 (half-priced). I did notice prices increased by about $1 over the past year, but that's expected.
Another thing I really appreciate is how easy it is to dine here. We've come on a Saturday night for dinner without a reservation and were able to walk right in. Most of the time, walk-ins aren't an issue, which is really nice.
A while back, they used to have you mark hotpot ingredients on a paper menu and staff would bring them to your table. Over the past couple of years, they've switched to an ingredient bar at the back of the restaurant where you can grab your own noodles, vegetables, seafood, and sauces. There are empty plates, bowls, and saucers available, making it easy to customize your spread. The only items you still need to order verbally are the hot pot meats, which makes the overall experience much more efficient and you can get to cooking quickly!
Here's my favorite way to make a dipping sauce for hotpot: garlic + basic soy sauce / house sauce, a pinch of spice sauce + top with a lot of green onions cuttings. And there you have it!
The ingredient selection is decent including several types of noodles like udon, glass noodles, and ramen. They have my favorite vegetables like watercress and bok choy as well as some of my favorites proteins: shrimp, mussels, quail eggs, fish cakes, cubes and balls. There is a peanut sauce available at the sauce bar, but I wouldn't recommend this place for anyone with food allergies or strict dietary restrictions, as cross-contamination could easily happen with the shared setup.
One of our favorite appetizer items -- which is free with the AYCE and not at the ingredient bar -- is the fried buns with condensed milk. They're listed on the menu and are absolutely delicious. We usually order multiple rounds as our kids love them, and so do I.
When it comes to drinks, everything is ordered à la carte. They offer soft drinks, alcohol, and smoothies. I ordered a mango and pineapple smoothie for $7, which was quite sizable and very refreshing. You can also order a single-fruit smoothie for $6.
For broth options, there are only two choices: a bone broth or a spicy broth. If you have kids, I recommend the non-spicy option. The broth can get a little fatty after cooking all the ingredients in it and is enough for flavor.
We came as a family of 6 and opted not to squeeze into one booth. We asked to sit at 2 adjacent hybrid booth tables and requested an additional hot pot for the 2nd table, and they were very accommodating. One of the servers also speaks Cantonese, which was very helpful for our family.
One small piece of feedback for the owners: for places like this, it would be great to have disposable gloves available at the ingredient bar. I always appreciate seeing that extra level of consideration for cleanliness.
Lastly, just a heads-up that gratuity is automatically added to the check for parties of two or more. Make sure to review your bill before adding an extra tip -- unless, of course, you want to tip more.
Overall, this is one of our family's favorite places for hot pot when we want a no-fuss, no-cleanup meal. It's a solid experience that doesn't break the bank, especially for large families. The fact that they focus solely on hot pot -- without additional barbecue meats or grills -- helps keep it surprisingly affordable.
The restaurant is also connected to a Mexican bar so your receipt is gonna ring out with that place as a vendor and this restaurant is next to "Noodle Delight" (likely same owners?) if you're looking for authentic Chinese food in a more traditional setting. We've been to that place as well and it was great, but that would be another separate review :)
