Hot Pot's Open Secret: A Culinary Delight Unveiled

Hot pot is open! And it's not just a dish, it's an experience. This interactive and customisable meal involves cooking thinly sliced meats, vegetables, noodles, tofu, seafood and dumplings in a pot of hot flavoured broth. It's a social meal, often shared communally, and is commonly enjoyed in East Asian households during holidays.

There are many hot pot restaurants across the US, particularly in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Colorado.

Hot pot restaurants in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a hub of hot pot restaurants, with a variety of options to choose from. Here is a list of some of the best hot pot restaurants in LA:

Haidilao Hot Pot

Haidilao Hot Pot is an upscale Sichuan chain with locations in Century City and Arcadia. It offers a unique dining experience with built-in hot pot tables that can hold up to four kinds of broth. The electronic tablet ordering system allows patrons to customise their meal from a range of nine base broths and various meat, seafood, and vegetable add-ins. Haidilao is also known for its "Dancing Noodles" add-on, where a graceful noodle-pulling employee will put on a show at your table. However, be prepared for long wait times, especially during peak hours.

Boiling Point

Boiling Point is a popular Taiwanese import with multiple locations across LA, including the San Gabriel Valley, Northridge, and the South Bay. This hot pot destination simplifies the dining experience by offering 10 signature individual entrées with a variety of proteins, veggies, and noodles. They offer delicious fusion broths, such as Thai tom yum, Japanese miso, and Korean soybean paste, delivered in their patented hot pot setups.

Shabuya

Shabuya is an all-you-can-eat hot pot destination with locations in Koreatown and Alhambra. It offers a wide selection of meats, veggies, seafood, noodles, and sauces to customise your hot pot. With its large space, open kitchen, central buffet, and surrounding sea of blue cushioned banquettes, Shabuya provides a premium dining experience. However, be prepared for potential waits during peak hours.

Hot Pot, Hot Pot!

Hot Pot, Hot Pot! is a popular spot in Monterey Park that specialises in a fiery, reddish-brown Chinese broth seasoned with Sichuan peppercorns and dried chillies. For those who prefer a milder option, they also offer an ultra-mild House Original variety. Vegetarians can also enjoy their hot pot experience here, with a veggie-based broth and tofu, mushroom, and veggie platters. Don't forget to try their scallion crispy pancakes or seasoned jellyfish appetisers!

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot, located in Pasadena, is a specialist in Mongolian-style hot pot. Their signature broth is a dark, earthy blend enhanced with spices like cumin, soy beans, Sichuan peppercorn, cloves, and MSG. You can order ingredients à la carte, and they recommend pairing their broth with New Zealand lamb, sliced paper-thin. Their reasonably priced lunch specials and do-it-yourself sauce bar have made them a favourite among locals.

KaGaYa

KaGaYa, located in Little Tokyo, is a high-end Japanese-style hot pot restaurant known for its focus on meat quality. Their hot pot menu options start at $45, and if you're looking to splurge, they offer Wagyu beef imported from Miyazaki, Japan, for $128 per person.

Mizu 212

Mizu 212 is a popular shabu-shabu bar in Sawtelle Japantown. This airy space offers a unique dining experience with a serpentine green bar, bold artwork, and a steaming induction burner pot at each stool. Their menu features organic ingredients from the sea, land, and ground, including premium options like Prime buffalo ribeye and Kobe-style Wagyu beef. You can also find more affordable options, such as ocean trout, Berkshire pork Kurobuta, and natural lamb.

Joon Shabu Shabu

Joon Shabu Shabu in Glendale offers individual hot pots at reasonable prices, ranging from $25 to $33 for dinner. They provide a variety of options, including seafood, chicken, and vegetarian hot pots, in addition to the traditional beef selection.

Hot pot restaurants in San Francisco

San Francisco is a haven for hot pot lovers, with a plethora of options to choose from. Here are some of the top hot pot restaurants in the city:

The Pots

The Pots offers an authentic Asian hot pot experience with one of the most diverse menus in San Francisco. Their signature Mala Spicy broth, an assortment of noodle soups, and dishes like Kobe beef and Shanghai Pork Dumplings will tantalize your taste buds. They also have all-you-can-eat options and a vibrant social atmosphere.

Dragon Beaux

Dragon Beaux is a modern hotspot that seamlessly blends tradition with innovation. With premium-quality Kobe beef sourced from Australia, their hot pot offerings are unparalleled. From the Five Guys Xiao Long Bao to the Steamed Egg York Lava Bao, it's a culinary adventure.

Happy Lamb Hot Pot

Happy Lamb Hot Pot is a tiny restaurant that packs a big punch. With a superb hot pot, a great atmosphere, and friendly service, this spot has become a favourite for many. It can be a little hard to find, but it's worth the effort.

Grand Hot Pot Lounge

For a taste of Szechuan cuisine, the Grand Hot Pot Lounge offers a sensory journey through rich flavours and elegant interiors. Their carefully curated menu features dishes that are true masterpieces. Private rooms are available for special occasions, and they also offer all-you-can-eat options.

Boiling Hot Pot

Boiling Hot Pot is a cozy spot perfect for family gatherings. They offer a trio of soup bases, including miso soup, and an array of sides like pickled cabbage and kimchi. With customizable spice levels and a variety of ingredients, you can create your own unique hot pot experience.

Mumu Hot Pot

Mumu Hot Pot delivers an exceptional dining experience, seamlessly blending tradition and innovation. While I couldn't find many details about this restaurant, it's definitely worth checking out based on its name alone!

The history of hot pot

The hot pot is believed to have originated in Mongolia, where it was a simple meal of meat, including mutton and horse, cooked in a non-spicy broth. The dish then spread throughout China, where it was influenced by the dining practices of Mongolian horsemen riding into northern China. According to legend, these horsemen would use their helmets as cooking vessels and their shields as frying pans.

Over time, hot pot moved further south into China, and regional variations began to emerge, with each region adapting the dish to their local ingredients and tastes. The most famous variation is the Chongqing or Sichuan hot pot, which is known for its spicy, numbing broth made with Sichuan peppercorns and chilli peppers. Other notable variations include the Cantonese hot pot, which features more seafood options, and the Beijing hot pot, characterised by its simplicity and use of ginger and scallions.

Hot pot has since spread beyond China, with variations now found throughout Asia, including Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. It has also gained worldwide recognition, with hot pot restaurants now found in major cities across the globe.

Hot pot ingredients

Hot pot is a fun and interactive dining experience where a pot of broth is placed at the centre of the table, surrounded by various uncooked ingredients that each person can add to the broth and cook as they eat. The four main categories of ingredients are broth, protein, carbs, and veggies, but the options are endless. Here are some ideas for hot pot ingredients:

Broth

• Chicken broth
• Beef or pork bone broth
• Spicy mala broth
• Sour broth
• Sweet broth
• Thai tom yum broth
• Japanese dashi broth
• Plain water

Protein

• Thinly sliced beef (e.g. ribeye, brisket, short ribs)
• Thinly sliced lamb
• Presliced fatty beef (brisket or chuck)
• Leg of lamb
• Presliced pork belly
• Seafood (shrimp, Manila clams, salmon sashimi)
• Meatballs (beef, fish)
• Tofu (fresh, fried, frozen)
• Eggs (boiled, egg dumplings)

Carbohydrates

• Instant ramen
• Rice
• Glass noodles
• Vermicelli noodles
• Udon noodles
• Dumplings
• Wontons

Vegetables and Mushrooms

• Napa cabbage
• Bok choy
• Watercress
• Chrysanthemum greens
• Yu choy
• Mountain yam
• Taro
• Lotus root
• Celtuce
• Kabocha squash
• Potato
• Enoki mushrooms
• Beech mushrooms
• Shiitake mushrooms
• King oyster mushrooms
• Daikon radish
• Green onions
• Ginger

Hot pot restaurants in Colorado

Hot pot is a popular dish in Colorado, with several restaurants offering this interactive dining experience. One notable spot is Yummy Hot Pot in Denver, known for its all-you-can-eat hot pot option. With a variety of broths, meats, seafood, vegetables, noodles, and sauces to choose from, diners can create their own unique combinations. Yummy Hot Pot is open for dinner throughout the week and offers extended hours during the weekend, making it a convenient choice for those looking to indulge.

Another popular choice for hot pot in Denver is The Bronze Empire, praised for its authentic Chinese hot pot. The restaurant has received positive reviews for both its food and customer service. The Bronze Empire also has a second location next to H Mart, which has been recommended by some diners.

For those willing to venture outside of Denver, Aki Asian Hot Pot and Seoul BBQ in Aurora offer all-you-can-eat options that are worth the trip. Aki provides a wide selection of meats, seafood, vegetables, and noodles at a more affordable price point, while Seoul offers a greater variety of options at a slightly higher cost.

Other notable mentions include Old Town Hot Pot, which has been praised for its reasonable prices and spacious dining area, and Chubby Cattle on South Broadway, which offers an AYCE hot pot and sushi combination. For those seeking a more traditional experience, Seole Korean BBQ and Hot Pot have been recommended for their authentic food, ingredients, flavours, and atmosphere.

With a variety of options to choose from, hot pot enthusiasts in Colorado can explore different restaurants and find their favourite spots to enjoy this interactive and customizable dining experience.

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