Teddy Bear Hot Pot: A Unique Dining Experience In Taipei

Teddy bear hot pot is available at Kumachan Onsen, a restaurant in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. The restaurant serves a unique hot pot dish, where diners are presented with a teddy bear-shaped broth that melts into a hot spring-style bath. The teddy bear broth comes in various flavours, including miso, soy milk, chicken, and tuna. The dish gained popularity on TikTok for its playful presentation and is part of Japan's kawaii or cute culture. While the dish originated in Hokkaido, Kumachan Onsen opened its first restaurant in Sapporo in 2021 before expanding to Tokyo.

Kumachan Onsen in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan

Kumachan Onsen, a unique hot pot restaurant in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, Japan, offers a one-of-a-kind dining experience. The name "Kumachan" means little bear, and "onsen" refers to hot springs in Japanese, perfectly capturing the essence of this eatery.

At Kumachan Onsen, guests are in for a delightful surprise as they are presented with teddy bear-shaped collagen jelly instead of the traditional bowl of hot broth. These adorable teddies come in seven mouth-watering flavours: katsuo (skipjack) tuna, soy milk, chicken, Sichuan-style spicy dandan, miso, Korean gochujang, and a seasonal flavour that rotates. As hot water is added, the teddy slowly melts into a savoury broth, creating a captivating and playful presentation.

The fun doesn't stop there! After choosing your teddy bear broth, you get to select your preferred meat. The options include beef, pork, lamb, chicken, beef tongue, or a combination of these delights. Once your bear is comfortably submerged, it's time to start cooking! Dip your chosen meat into the flavourful broth and pair it with the included vegetables, dipping sauce, and your choice of boiled dumplings, ramen, or tteokbokki rice cakes.

The restaurant's attention to detail extends beyond the food. The interior decor is warm and inviting, featuring wooden tones reminiscent of traditional Japanese onsens. Each table is provided with cute teddy bear hairbands, perfect for snapping memorable photos. You might even spot a giant teddy bear dining companion! To protect your clothes from any splatters, the restaurant also provides diners with specially designed bibs.

The teddy bear theme is carried throughout the restaurant, with a giant teddy in a hammock hanging from the ceiling, rainbow teddies lining the cashier counter, and even a teddy manning a faux drinks counter. The staircase features giant paw prints, adding to the whimsical atmosphere.

For those with a sweet tooth, the ground floor is home to Oyasumi-dokoro, a dessert haven with teddy-themed treats. Indulge in the signature shaved ice dessert shaped like a teddy bear, complete with fruit and rice flour dumplings. Teddy soft serves, teddy cream sodas, and other delightful creations await your discovery.

Conveniently located just a six-minute walk from Shibuya station, Kumachan Onsen is easily accessible and well worth the visit. Reservations are highly recommended to avoid disappointment and ensure you get to experience this extraordinary dining adventure.

Xiang Hot Pot in New York

If you're looking for a quirky dining experience, Xiang Hot Pot in New York offers a unique take on the traditional hot pot. Here's everything you need to know about this intriguing restaurant:

The Concept

Xiang Hot Pot has been perfecting the hot pot experience since 2003, with a focus on quality, customers, and health. The restaurant offers a wide range of spices and sauces, ensuring that even the most adventurous diners can find something to their taste. One of their most popular dishes is the teddy bear hot pot, a cute and Instagram-worthy creation made with mala soup stock and butter. This dish is only available for a limited time, so patrons are encouraged to try it while they can.

The Dining Experience

When you visit Xiang Hot Pot, you'll find a beautifully decorated restaurant with strung lights and traditional Chinese decor. The hot pot options cater to a range of preferences, from mild and soothing broths to bold and spicy varieties. The signature spicy broth is particularly noteworthy, with its well-balanced flavours that are enhanced by the ingredients added to the pot. The bear-shaped broth is not only adorable but also delicious, and it adds a fun element to the dining experience.

The Food

Xiang Hot Pot offers a variety of fresh and high-quality ingredients to accompany your broth. The meat selection is impressive, with options such as bacon enoki mushroom roll, sliced snow beef short ribs, and black pepper short rib. They also offer a range of proteins, including wagyu meatballs, tofu spring rolls, and a combination of fresh-cut beef and sheep. In addition to the savoury options, Xiang Hot Pot provides a complimentary dessert to finish off your meal.

Customer Reviews

Patrons of Xiang Hot Pot have praised the restaurant for its friendly service and delicious food. The unique teddy bear hot pot has been a hit, with diners commenting on the cuteness of the bear and the tasty broth it creates. The meat quality and variety of protein options have also received positive feedback. The complimentary dessert has been described as a "high-quality finale" to the meal.

If you're looking for a fun and flavourful dining experience in New York, Xiang Hot Pot is definitely worth considering. With its creative dishes, fresh ingredients, and attention to customer satisfaction, it offers a memorable and enjoyable dining experience that is perfect for foodies and Instagram enthusiasts alike.

The popularity of teddy bear hot pot on TikTok

The teddy bear hot pot has become a popular trend on TikTok, with people flocking to restaurants to try out this unique dining experience. The dish, which originated in Japan, has captured the attention of social media users and food enthusiasts alike. So, what exactly is teddy bear hot pot, and why has it become so popular on TikTok?

Teddy bear hot pot is a fun and creative take on the traditional Asian hot pot. At restaurants like Kumachan Onsen in Japan, diners are presented with a teddy bear-shaped collagen jelly instead of a typical bowl of hot broth. As hot water is added, the bear slowly melts away, transforming into a delicious broth for cooking meat and vegetables. The dish comes in various flavours, including miso, soy milk, chicken, and tuna, offering a range of tastes to suit different palates.

The concept of a teddy bear-shaped broth is intriguing and playful, sparking curiosity among TikTok users. The visual appeal of a cute teddy bear dissolving into a hot spring-like bath has captured the attention of many, with videos of the dish racking up millions of views. The teddy bear hot pot provides diners with a unique and entertaining dining experience, making it a popular choice for those seeking something different and exciting.

Additionally, the teddy bear hot pot aligns with the growing trend of "kawaii" culture in Japan, which celebrates all things cute and adorable. The dish's adorable presentation resonates with those who embrace this culture, further contributing to its popularity on TikTok. The demand for teddy bear hot pot has led to its expansion beyond Japan, with restaurants in New York and other cities offering their own versions of this trendy dish.

The teddy bear hot pot trend showcases the power of social media platforms like TikTok in shaping dining trends and influencing culinary experiences. As the trend continues to gain momentum, it will be interesting to see how restaurants and chefs further innovate and build upon this unique dining concept.

The history of hot pot

Hot pot, or huǒguō in Chinese, is a dish that involves cooking various raw ingredients in a pot of flavoured broth. The dish is typically served in a large metal pot, with the broth brought to a boil and left to simmer for the duration of the meal. Raw ingredients such as meat and vegetables are then placed into the broth to cook. The cooked pieces are then dipped into sauces for added flavour.

The origins of hot pot are believed to date back more than 1,000 years, with some sources claiming it goes back as far as 1,700 years. The earliest prototypes of the hot pot are thought to be the tripods of the Zhou Dynasty, where diners among the nobility had personal bronze pots called ran lu, consisting of a small stove with a pot above burning charcoal. The emergence of copper pots during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD) is also recognised as a significant step towards the creation of the hot pot. During this period, hot pot was mainly used as a cooking mechanism, especially in the north where cold winters necessitated warmth and hot meals.

Over time, hot pot spread throughout China, with each region adapting it to their local ingredients and tastes. The most famous variation is the Chongqing or Sichuan hot pot, known for its spicy broth and numbing Sichuan peppercorns. Other variations include the Cantonese hot pot with its seafood options, the Jiangsu hot pot with its chrysanthemum flavours, and the Beijing hot pot with its focus on simplicity and ginger and scallion flavours.

Hot pot has also gained popularity beyond China, with variations found in Japan (shabu-shabu and sukiyaki), Cambodia (yao hon), Thailand (Thai suki), Vietnam (lẩu), and Korea (jeongol or jjigae).

In modern times, hot pot has become a globally recognised dish, with Chinese immigration to the United States in the 1990s playing a significant role in its spread. Today, hot pot restaurants can be found in major cities around the world, offering a variety of broth flavours and ingredients to suit different tastes and dietary preferences.

Other unusual hot pot experiences

The teddy bear hot pot is a famous dish served at Kumachan Onsen, a restaurant in Shibuya, Tokyo. The meal is prepared by submerging a teddy bear-shaped collagen jelly into hot water, turning it into a flavoured broth. The dish went viral on TikTok for its playful presentation.

Ganglamedo

Ganglamedo is a vegetarian restaurant located in a cosy shophouse on Craig Road. It offers Tibetan-inspired fare and is ideal for vegetarians who crave a hot pot experience. The soup base options include mushroom, white pea, mala, and tomato. The highlight of the menu is the cordyceps dishes, including the double-boiled Naqu cordyceps soup, which is said to have immense health benefits.

Goro Goro

Goro Goro is a restaurant that combines Korean cuisine with the hot pot style. Located in Orchard Gateway, it offers six soup bases: Tom Yum, Beauty Collagen, Ginseng Chicken, Mala, and vegetarian bases. The ingredients for the steamboat are free-flow during the buffet, and the restaurant also offers Korean dishes such as chapche (Korean glass noodle) and tteobokki (Korean rice cake).

Beauty in The Pot

Beauty in The Pot serves up collagen-rich steamboat soup, inspired by the healthy eating culture. The restaurant has three outlets and offers six types of collagen-based soup bases, including Beauty Collagen Broth, Pork Bone Soup, and Cooling Coconut Broth. The beef and pork slices are thinly sliced and well-marbled, ensuring a superb steamboat experience.

Spice World

Spice World is a Chinese hot pot chain that stands out for its lavish presentation. The Singapore outlet, located in Clarke Quay, offers unique dishes such as strips of tender Australian wagyu draped over a Barbie doll and a fiery orange-red mala-flavoured butter shaped like a teddy bear or Hello Kitty. The sculpture melts into the Sichuan mala broth, delivering a tongue-numbing sensation.

Captain K Seafood Tower

Captain K Seafood Tower offers a visually exciting steamboat style that originated in Korea. The seafood is cooked layer by layer from top to bottom, providing a surprise element as diners unveil each dish by unstacking the tower. The tower has a minimum of three tiers and a maximum of nine, with each tier containing a selection of fresh seafood, including Hokkaido scallops, prawns, and Chilean King Crab.

Frequently asked questions