As new Hot Pot restaurants are appearing out of nowhere, I decided to try the place that is suspiciously straight to the point with their very creative name : "Hot Pot".
To start off my journey, I took the drive down to Wallingford and pulled into a very depressing plaza. It looks old, abandoned, complete with a large empty parking lot. However, it actually has an Asian market, Big Lots and even an old movie theatre that I have never heard of. So yes I would consider this restaurant to be a hole in the wall in between three (3) large but rather empty businesses. Maybe it was just an off day.
As you walk into Hot Pot, you'll realize that this restaurant is quite small and you'll hope to God the ventilation is decent with all these steaming "Hot Pots" in a small space. Luckily, the ventilation was fine and they utilize the space to the best of their ability while cramming as many tables in here as possible. There are also these curtains that provide privacy in between each booth complete with a button that you press to call your server. Yes you get a button to call your server so that you may be left in peace to eat until your broth runs dry or you need more water as your broth is too spicy for you.
Curtains and a server summoner (the button)? Sounds very similar to how they do so in East Asian countries whenever I watch a video of "Authentic Ramen Restaurant in Japan" on YouTube. If I had no idea where I was and simply woke up in the booth I was in, I would think I was on some expensive trip to downtown Tokyo or somewhere in Taiwan. It was a nice refreshing out of the country but yet still in the country experience. Very authentic, or just different from everyone else, for me at least.
Now to compare with the place that is literally taking over this state by storm The Hungry Pot, that's the difference. Hungry Pot has a more Americanized and trendier theme to it as it looks like a familiar restaurant but with a unique concept to it. It's great in its own way because Hot Pot itself is new to many people in this area and they make it easy for you, but here at Hot Pot in Wallingford, any prior experience would help you with the tight spaces, limited sauce bar and complex menu items. Also, the sauce bar didn't really have any instructions or suggested recipes. You were just expected to know what to do because you've done this before. Limited options but they had most of the essentials.
The Hungry Pot restaurants that I have been to or heard of all appear to be much more casual, busier, louder and the servers were trained to treat everyone like first timers because well, while I was there apparently it was everyone else's first time. It was a great beginner experience. Here at Hot Pot in Wallingford it is much quieter and intimate. The servers here didn't instruct until asked to do so. They are very kind! But they appear to be used to a more intermediate level of Hot Poters. I guess ill use that term. Hot Poter: a person that enjoys eating Hot Pot.
The food itself at any Hot Pot place is hard to elaborate on because if it's not good, it could easily be user error since you do all the work. A few things you can easily compare is the quality, variety and complexity of menu options. Here at Hot Pot, they have a rather large menu with an All You Can Eat option, Combos and Dim Sum.
Initial broth quality is also a huge deal because it can determine your entire meal! I have never had a bad broth from anywhere but just keep in mind Hot Pot had a broth for everyone. Sweet, creamy, spicy, salty, purposely bland, whatever you want. It can always be altered by your choice of meats, vegetables and sauces from the sauce bar.
In conclusion, I had absolutely zero quality issues with anything that I ordered. I am also pleased that they serve Dim Sum options so late in the day and even though it's not as good as Dim Sum would be from a Dim Sum specialty restaurant, it was very good and the fact that they serve it late, say less.
Anyways before I get even further off track, I just want to say that I LOVED this place. And ALWAYS get the all you can eat option, unless you know what you want. I won't tell you what to do. It's just my reccomendation. Enjoy your intermediate level Hot Pot experience here at Hot Pot in Wallingford, if you're ready. read more