I had a mixed experience coming here. Let's talk about the good first. Very spacious restaurant, which makes it perfect for group gatherings. Varied options to choose from for your malatang. Service is also very friendly and helpful as well. The things that need improvement though. Since all of the ingredients for your malatang are by weight, you can to choose the ingredients yourself from the open buffet. When I went, unfortunately, several containers from the buffet had moldy ingredients and discolored meat. This is rather concerning since this is a health hazard, meaning that the ingredients aren't being kept at the right temperature. Thankfully, when I told the server, they quickly threw out the bad ingredients and cleaned the containers. But I really hope more attention is paid to the state of the ingredients and sauce bar. The guobaorou, while ok in flavor, was too heavy on the batter. The meat slices were so thin compared to the thick coating of batter, which made some pieces a little unpleasant to eat. Overall, a mixed bag experience for me. I truly hope they can succeed. If they bring consistency to their dishes and make sure ingredients are closely monitored and kept fresh, they will be good to go. I hope the next time I come, the experience is even better :) read more

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Tampa Bay New Korean style mala 麻辣 Mala (Xiang Guo) 麻辣香鍋 dry pot stir-fry started trending in the US around 2009, starting at the New World Mall Food Court in Flushing, Queens. Since then this Chinese classic dish, has become popular in Korea, and adapted more to Korean tastes. I visit this chain restaurant's Atlanta Koreatown location often, but Tampa is quickly forming their own beloved Koreatown near the Lotte Plaza area. Love it! The pay by weight, customized, buffet style selections, have some great noodle, ttoek, protein, and vegetable options. I always put too much in my bowl! Each individual serving in placed on a personal flame burner to keep warm. I've written entire articles on Korean style mala, so feel free to ask me any questions in the comments. This chain hails from Korea. What makes Korean style mala different than the original chinese mala? Firstly, ma 麻 = numbing + la 辣 =spicy. Unfortunately, the term "mala" is used when food is often just spicy and not numbing. Here, the mala is sweeter, but still thankfully has both spicy and numbing flavor. The sauces are smooth here; not containing entire pieces of chili pepper, peppercorn, garlic, ginger that is typically in mala. This makes for an easier eating experience. There are also spice grades, and cream (rose) versions. Featured items: 1 麻辣香鍋 마라샹궈 Mala Xiang Guo - Mala dry pot, customized. 2 鍋包肉 돈등심 꿔바로우 Pork Guobarou - Thin sliced pork, deep fried crispy in rice flour batter. Covered in sweet sour sauce. Highly addictive and the crispy texture is perfect for dipping in the mala sauce. Can't wait to visit again and try the 麻辣燙 마라탕 mala soup & 짜장샹궈 jajang black bean sauce version. read more

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3.5 stars, & hopefully can be back to try more. I saw Sorrimmara on IG and I had no idea about it so I had to check it out. You can request a 50% off coupon on IG and it is for the guabaoruo. I never heard of this word at all. It is defined on the menu as thinly sliced fried chicken or pork, or you can choose shrimp. It's batter to me reminds me of tempura or chicharron. The sauce tastes like a sweet and sour sauce. Their main items that are their speciality are the hot pots and stir fries which are called Malatang and Xiang guo. Those are on the top of the menu. They let me know that the rose and tomato would be the mildest bc my concern was spice level. You can order mild to their highest spice level and they have a sign on the register for their spice levels. The price for these hot pots and stir fries are based per pound. And also you must have a minimum of 1 pound of food which is pretty easy to get to. Therefore $14.99 per pound to 19.99 per pound is the cost based on the menu. Initially I did not realize the coupon was for the chicken that I ordered. So I put together a bowl and tried to be very careful with the weight and ended up at almost 2 pounds so it would def add up. That's my concern here is that the price is per pound. You can always check the weight as you go at the register. I may try it in the future. In terms of the restaurant, it's very spacious and clean and they have k-pop music playing. I got help from a male and a female and they were super friendly. If you are interested in Korean food, mala hot pots, and stir fries, fried rice, & more, check this place out! I definitely wanted to try something new and different. They are open evenings 5-10 pm not lunch time. I wish they would be open earlier. read more

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I'm excited that we finally have a self-service Malatang-style spot in this area! You get to pick whatever ingredients you like and customize your soup or stir-fry exactly the way you want it. The flavors are absolutely on point! The mala xiang guo has just the right amount of spice and numbing kick--so satisfying. I also tried the rose tteokbokki, and it was very creamy and cheesy. The pork guobaorou was crispy and had a delicious balance of sweet and tangy flavors. On top of the amazing food, the staff here are super nice and helpful, making the whole experience even better. If you love bold flavors and a fun, interactive dining experience, this place is a must-try! read more

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My first experience trying this type of hotpot cuisine - mala style. The spice level even at 2 is a bit strong for my taste and the mildly numbing effect can be an interesting effect. The menu does have other cooked options as well. We came early on a Friday evening and was seated right away. The staff member went over the menu and how we go about collecting our ingredients and picking a flavor which can come in a traditional hotpot or a stir fried approach. I opted for the hotpot style and gathered my ingredients. They weigh your bowl and charge you based on weight and the flavor chosen. I choose the traditional Malatang flavor. They basically cook all the ingredients for you and bring out a cooked pot to your table. There is a stand with a small flame to keep the food hot, it burns out in about 10-15 minutes. Being my first experience, I liked it and the taste is overall a little intense for those not familiar with it. It's a strong taste and a little spicy. If you're not a big spicy food person I would start on their lowest level and work your way up. I will say some ingredients work really well, dried tofu skin is really good when it's cooked through and absorbed the flavor, same with tofu, sliced beef and quail eggs. Spam, hotdog and some other normally seasoned "meats" did not turn out that well in my opinion, they tend to lose their flavor and become mushy and a little gross. Overall a good experience and next time we may not get individual pots and share one while trying some other dishes they have here... read more

They were understaffed tonight but understandable since they just opened and are likely looking for more staff. I also think they need a sign right inside the door to advise people of whether they should seat themselves or wait to be seated - it's unclear, so we just sat ourselves and went to start getting ingredients. I went with my wife on Valentine's Day and it was moderately busy by the time we sat and were waiting for the food. You get your ingredients yourself and put them in a bowl - vegetables, various meats, noodles galore, etc. the bowl with ingredients must weigh at least 1 pound - my wife and I shared one and it came out to 2.3 lbs. The wait was fairly short and the food was well prepared and exquisite as usual. We got the chicken guobaoruo to start, it was STUPENDOUS with the medal sauce mixture. By the way, they have 6 sauces at the sauce bar and there is a sign with instructions on how to make them. Medal sauce was good - we added soy sauce to make it more saucy and it was too good. We also got the Rose Mala Xiang Guo with various ingredients, all the ingredients were fresh and like I said, it was well-prepared. They serve it in a cast iron skillet with a base that they light so the food stays hot for the duration of your meal. The ice water is served in a metal cup so it stays COLD and I love cold water so you know I'm feeling this, truly and fervently. This was our third visit (one visit was me ordering shrimp guobaoruo to go with the 50% coupon I got through their promotion on instagram [follow me at @chizlonies]). That was great - we got the large size (usually a little steep at $29.99, I would not order it if I did not have the coupon) and it was very good as well, though be aware that the tails are on the shrimp if that's something you don't like. I would highly recommend Sorimmara, I hope they stay open and survive this area, as several business/restaurants go out of business in this area of New Tampa - but I will continue to be a patron. On a scale of 10, I'd give it a score of 9.2/5 stars. On a scale of 5, I'd give it 5/5 stars. read more

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A welcome new addition to new Tampa area. Meaning not another crappy chain. Food was great and no, you're not gonna know what you're doing when you first make it and order it. But it comes out quite tasty. You pick your ingredients and they make it in the back. Careful it's a 1 pound minimum and it adds up quick and it's a lot of food. Staff and the owners are incredibly friendly. I hope this place survives because it's quite unique for the new Tampa area. read more

Sorimmara - Korean Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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First things first, this was an incredible new experience for me. The aroma of the food flowing through the restaurant had me drooling and ready to feast. Service was on point and super helpful with guiding us and making everything easy. Now to get started on the food. First you get your bowl and then you get to choose whatever fillings like noodles, veggies or protein. I went crazy on my bowl. After choosing your fillings, you choose which style you'd like it prepared. I chose number 2. (Mala Xiang gud) Highly recommend. I can't stop raving about this spot to my friends and family. I hope you guys enjoy it the same way I did. read more

First mala restaurant in New Tampa. Deliciously spicy! You start with a giant bowl, pick your meats and veggies and pay by the pound, currently around 15 bucks. A pound is a ton of food. They cook it for you and serve it in a hot bowl over a low flame. We ordered level 3 since level, which is hot enough to make your head sweat but flavorful enough to delight your tongue. It hasn't got a tremendous amount of atmosphere, but the chow and service are great. The server was very helpful in pointing us in the right direction. We will be back soon! read more

Awful. The wait time at lunch time for a takeout order was abismal. I waited for over 30 minutes. The food was extremely greasy. I ordered the 16 pieces of GUOBAOROU pork. What came out this ball of 16 pieces of pork clumped together by the glutinous oil-sapped mixture. Oil was literally dripping from it. The Mala Fried Rice was good in flavor, but also full of oil. My daughter ordered a TTEOKBOKKI dish. She has had this dish many times in K-town Los Angeles, so he knows it well. She said it tasted good, not excellent, but good. However she said that the sauce was just too greasy for her taste. Now I wonder what type of oil they use because I consumed too much of it (I should have not eaten what I ate, but I was hungry). If grain seed oil of some type, it most likely will lodgr in my liver for months. Never again. read more

pretty good but a bit overpriced and limited options. i kind of sympathize with them because it looked like there were only three people on staff and it got a bit busy. you have to grab a bowl and fill it with whatever you want and then they'll weigh it and cook it in the back. when they came out with it, they'll give you like a portable stover and set your dish on top. it's a bit tall and awkward to eat from. i got level 3 which is quite spicy. i think their organization could be a bit better. they need a napkin dispenser for those who enjoy spicy, i felt bad just asking for napkins. and maybe even a water dispenser. but it's a work in progress and i value their service. read more

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Friendly staff, food is always wonderful, and the price is just right. Definitely recommend

Wonderful Chinese Korean fusion! They have a bunch of standard menu items and then a pick your own ingredients bar where they will cook it all up into a malatang (soup) or a stir fry and they charge by the pound. Best mala sauce in the New Tampa / USF area! Can't wait to go back! read more

The food was good, but the place needs to be improved. There was lint on everything I had. Also, the entry is so awkward. They have a sign saying you should wait to be seated on top of this chest high divider, but the cash register is all the way in. The waiting chairs are actually on the other side of the divider. So where should I be waiting? In front of the divider or behind it? The final bit that won't have me coming back is the audacity to have outrageous tipping rates at their checkout. It starts at 18 percent and goes up from there. The decor and service needs to be upscaled if you want to do that. read more

The food, service and experience were wonderful! It was my first time and the staff did a great job of walking me through it. The food was fresh and flavorful. The ambiance was fun and laid back. I can't wait to go back. read more

Went here over the weekend and it was an interesting experience. The food was good! I just got a little too excited and put too much on my bowl and didn't realize that the price was per lb. I think that's where they get you. Hubby and I spent over $100 and this was not a high-end place. I think they need to adjust the price or not do the food per lb. Great concept though, and it was cool trying new food. read more