Hot Pot City

After passing this tiny place for 6 months, I finally went in for lunch, accompanied by fellow food groupie J. and my sweetie. Here's the deal. You can sit at the bar, or at a table -- the bar has spots for individual hot pots, and the tables can also have a hot pot set-up if you like. You choose from 7 different asian broths. There's vegetarian, meat,tom yum, my-la, korean-style, and others.

Okay, with me so far? While they set up your broth on a burner, you go to a mongolian grill style bar and choose from frozen shaved beef, pork, chicken, meatballs, tofu, noodles and a number of types of greens. They have all the ingredients there to also create a dipping sauce.

Now, back at the table/bar: wait for the broth to boil. Throw in ingredients. Instant shabu-shabu. Meat and frozen things take longer -- noodles and veg, much less time. Try a bunch of things out -- you can always go back for more if you like it (yes, all you can eat!). Cook your protein, and try out your dipping sauce. At the end, drink the broth -- it's good, eh? And, for a couple bucks more there are add-ons, like clams and a bunch of different dumplings.

We had a great meal, and cooking out our food was a delight (who knew?). And the prices ($7.50 for lunch, $13.50 for dinner) can't be beat. To my joy, the proprietors are the former owners of Formosa Harbor. Naturally, you can also get some pedestrian chinese dishes, but why?

1975 SW 1st
224-6696
http://www.hotpotpdx.com/

posted by vj @ 11:55 AM