Hotspot Fondue: A Chain Of Deliciousness?

Hotspot Fondue is a fondue restaurant in Somerville, NJ. It is not a chain restaurant and does not appear to be part of OpenTable's reservation network. Hotspot Fondue offers a variety of fondue options, including cheese and chocolate fondues, as well as a range of meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes for dipping. The restaurant provides a communal dining experience, with guests gathering around a table filled with raw ingredients and a hot pot of steaming broth in the centre. While it is no longer open, Hotspot Fondue was once a popular spot for special occasions and group dining.

Hotspot Fondue Somerville, NJ

Hotspot Fondue in Somerville, NJ, was a fondue restaurant located at 190 W Main St. The restaurant served a variety of fondue options, including the signature Hot Stone Skewers with housemade marinades available at the Sauce Bar. The menu also featured organic chicken breast, Colorado Spring lamb, and various vegetarian options. The restaurant offered banquet facilities, BYO liquor and wine, delivery, gluten-free options, a non-smoking section, an outdoor smoking area, a private room, and wheelchair access.

Unfortunately, as of December 28, 2018, Hotspot Fondue permanently closed its business. The restaurant received an overall rating of 2.9 stars based on 16 OpenTable diner reviews.

Hotpot vs fondue

Hotpot and fondue are both communal dining experiences that involve cooking food in a shared pot of liquid. However, there are several differences between the two, from their respective cultural origins to the specific methods of preparation and the types of ingredients used.

Origins

Hotpot, a popular Asian dish, traces its roots back to Mongolia. Over 1,000 years ago, it was widely known as a meal for both nomadic tribes and Chinese emperors. Fondue, on the other hand, originated in the Alpine region of Switzerland in the 18th century. It became popular as a winter meal for Swiss villagers who needed a way to use up their hardened cheese and stale bread.

Preparation and Ingredients

Hotpot typically involves a heated pot of broth placed in the centre of the table, with diners cooking an assortment of thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, and noodles to their liking. The cooked ingredients are then dipped into various sauces to add extra flavour.

Fondue, meanwhile, usually involves a communal pot of melted cheese or hot oil. Bread, meat, seafood, or vegetables are skewered and cooked in the cheese or oil, and then dipped into various sauces or accompaniments. For a sweeter option, chocolate fondue is made by melting chocolate and dipping fruit, cakes, or marshmallows into the mixture.

Cultural Significance

Hotpot dining fosters a sense of togetherness, with everyone cooking and eating from the same pot. It encourages participation and customisation, as diners can choose their preferred ingredients and sauces. In hotpot culture, it is considered good manners to use separate utensils for handling raw and cooked food.

Fondue gatherings are also social and relaxed, emphasising conversation and camaraderie. It is considered polite to avoid double-dipping and to use a clean skewer for each bite.

Hotpot ingredients

Hot pot is a highly customizable meal, with a variety of ingredients that can be used to cater to different tastes and preferences. Here are some common ingredients used in hot pot:

Meats

• Thinly sliced beef, preferably fatty cuts like ribeye
• Lamb
• Pork belly
• Chicken
• Fish fillets (marinated for best results)
• Pre-cooked beef, pork, fish, or mixed seafood balls

Seafood

• Shrimp
• Squid
• Scallops
• Clams
• Fish tofu

Vegetables

• Napa cabbage
• Bok choy
• Leafy greens (chrysanthemum greens, spinach, watercress, etc.)
• Root vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, daikon radish, etc.)
• Squash (pumpkin, kabocha)
• Tomatoes
• Corn
• Mushrooms (enoki, shiitake, oyster, king oyster, etc.)

Starches

• Vermicelli noodles
• Rice noodles
• Thin fresh white noodles
• Spinach noodles
• Shirataki noodles
• Rice cakes
• Frozen dumplings

Soy Products

• Bean threads (dried bean curd sticks)
• Soy puffs
• Tofu (frozen, firm, dried bean curd rolls, fresh tofu sheets/skin)

Dipping Sauce Ingredients

• Sesame paste or sauce
• Peanut butter or peanut sauce
• Soy sauce
• Chinese BBQ sauce (Sha Cha)
• Sichuan peppercorn oil
• Chili garlic sauce
• Chinese black vinegar/rice vinegar
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Fried shallots or garlic

Hotpot equipment

Hotpot is a dish that involves cooking raw ingredients in a simmering broth. The equipment you will need for a hotpot meal depends on the number of people and the type of hotpot you are making. Here is a list of essential equipment you will need for a hotpot meal:

• Heat source: A portable heat source is required to keep the broth simmering throughout the meal. Two popular options are a butane stove or a portable induction cooktop. Butane stoves are cordless and work with any flat-bottomed pot, but you will need to procure butane canisters. Induction cooktops, on the other hand, are more efficient and safer but require magnetic pots with flat bottoms and access to a power outlet.
• Cooking vessel: A wide variety of pots can be used for hotpot, including Dutch ovens, braisers, woks, and bouillabaisse pots. For larger groups, a pot with a volume of 3 to 6 quarts is recommended. Specialised hotpot pots such as split pots or donabe earthenware pots are also available.
• Utensils: You will need utensils for cooking and serving the food. This includes ladles, chopsticks, strainers, slotted spoons, and skimmers. It is recommended to have a pair of chopsticks for handling raw meat and seafood and another pair for collecting cooked food.
• Platters and bowls: You will need platters to serve the raw ingredients and bowls for each diner to place their cooked food. It is also helpful to have a large bowl to catch cooked food that diners are not yet ready to claim.
• Dipping sauces: Hotpot is commonly served with a variety of dipping sauces, which can be store-bought or homemade. Popular options include shacha, sesame, and soy-sauce-based sauces.

Other optional equipment includes a fondue dipping basket for cooking rice and thin vegetables, a mandoline for slicing vegetables, and a kettle of hot water or warm broth to top off the pot as needed.

Hotpot dipping sauces

Hotpot is a dish where a heat source is placed on the dining table to keep a pot of soup stock simmering. An array of raw ingredients, such as meat and vegetables, are then placed into the broth to cook. The cooked pieces are then dipped into various sauces for additional flavour.

Light Sesame Soy

A simple recipe that combines sesame oil, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, minced garlic, and chopped spring onion. To add a crunchy texture, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

Chilli Oil Vinegar Dip

Chilli oil is the main ingredient in this recipe, adding a kick of flavour. Other ingredients include minced garlic, black vinegar, light soy sauce, and chopped spring onion.

Creamy Dashi Garlic

A creamy and delicious sauce made with peanut butter, minced garlic, and chopped coriander.

Honey Miso Dip

A perfect balance of sweet, salty, and savoury, this dip is made with chopped spring onion, chopped coriander, and honey miso dip sauce.

Spicy Peanut Dip

This dip is made with peanut butter, spicy bean paste, and chopped spring onion. It has a creamy texture and a nutty flavour.

Classic Spicy and Sweet Chilli

A combination of chilli paste, sweet chilli sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and chilli flakes or dried chilli.

Hot and Sour Garlic

This sauce is made with McDonald's garlic chilli sauce, black or rice vinegar, and light soy sauce.

Creamy Garlic Sesame Paste

A blend of sesame paste, dashi powder, black vinegar, minced garlic, and green onion.

Spicy Garlic Hot Sauce

A spicy and flavourful sauce made with minced garlic, red chilli, green onion, Korean red chilli flakes, ground Sichuan pepper, sesame seeds, black vinegar, and oyster sauce.

Taiwanese Shacha Dipping Sauce

A unique sauce with minced garlic, chopped red chilli, green onion, Taiwanese Shacha sauce, and black vinegar.

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