Hi Bowl - A Different Kind of Hot Pot Experience!…read more
Hi Bowl is a hot pot restaurant with a slightly different concept from what I have experienced in America so far. It gets a lot of things right, but there are also a few quirks worth knowing about.
Here is how it works.
When you enter, you head to a large ingredient display that resembles the fresh food section of a supermarket. You grab a big bowl and choose from a wide variety of fish, meat, vegetables, noodles, and other ingredients. There should be something for almost every taste.
I decided to take small portions of several ingredients so I could try as many as possible. One thing I missed was fresh eggs, but more on that later.
Once your bowl is filled, you take it to the scale and pay by weight. The bowl itself is excluded, of course. Then you choose your soup base. I went with tomato broth.
And here comes the major difference: Unlike traditional hot pot, you do not get a steaming pot at your table to cook your ingredients yourself. Instead, everything is prepared in the kitchen, and your finished soup is brought to you.
Convenient? Absolutely! But this approach has a few disadvantages.
Anyone familiar with hot pot knows that some ingredients cook in seconds while others take considerably longer. Since the kitchen handles everything, you have no control over how individual ingredients are cooked.
For me, the potatoes were a good example. I prefer them really soft, but mine still had a noticeable bite. With traditional hot pot, I would simply leave them cooking a few minutes longer. Here, that is impossible because there is no heated pot at the table.
Fortunately, I had only taken a small portion.
This probably also explains the absence of fresh eggs. Whether you like them runny, soft, or firm, you cannot control the cooking process yourself.
Another disadvantage is that you need to plan your portions carefully.
At traditional hot pot, you can try something, discover that you love it, and simply order more to throw into the bubbling broth.
At Hi Bowl, you would have to return to the display, assemble another bowl, weigh it, and wait for another complete preparation.
My suggestion: On your first visit, take small portions of many different ingredients. Consider it a tasting session. Once you know your favorites, you can return and build your perfect bowl.
For me, hot pot is also about spending time with friends, talking, experimenting with ingredients, and enjoying a constantly steaming pot together.
That experience is somewhat lost here. Your soup arrives ready to eat, and the broth gradually cools down. If you take your time, it may become lukewarm before you finish.
It feels more like a customized soup than a traditional communal hot pot experience.
Now, please do not misunderstand me. I have mentioned several disadvantages, but I genuinely enjoyed my meal!
The tomato broth was excellent: slightly sweet, rich in tomato flavor, and wonderfully hot when served. I enjoyed it so much that I finished every last drop.
The ingredients looked fresh, and the wide selection makes experimenting with different combinations fun.
The restaurant was packed at lunchtime, and I was lucky to find a seat for one. During my approximately two-hour visit, I noticed that a large majority of the guests appeared to be of Asian descent. While that is certainly no guarantee of authenticity or quality, I took the restaurant's popularity with this crowd as an encouraging sign.
There was even a small complimentary soft-serve ice cream for dessert. A nice little surprise!
My entire meal, including a drink and dessert, came to less than $20. The bowl was generously filled and easily satisfied me for lunch.
Admittedly, I was cautious with my portions because I wanted to understand the concept first. But I suspect even a substantial dinner could comfortably stay below $30.
I will definitely be back!
Hi Bowl is not traditional hot pot, and understanding that beforehand makes all the difference. You sacrifice some control over cooking times, the flexibility of ordering additional ingredients, and part of the social experience.
In exchange, you get a convenient, quick, reasonably priced meal with plenty of fresh ingredients and a delicious result.
I like the concept, I love the tomato broth, and next time I will know exactly what belongs in my bowl.
What more could you want?