potwhale hotpot

Was a great experience where you actually get to cook your own food in the broth at your table. Don’t underestimate the spice level of the spicy broth.TONS of options for meat, veggies, seafood and carbs. Had a little sauce bar to make your own combination for dippings. We spent $110 for 4 people, ate everything and were completely stuffed by the end.

Authentic Chinese style hot pot. It is unlike eHotpot where each person gets their own pot. Have to order each items separately so the price can add up quickly. 1 star off for the price and I think the beef could be frozen? However, they were still very soft and the portion was big. 1 star off for charging extra for the sauce. The portion size for each non-meat item can also be bigger. It is still a good place for dinner out or to satisfy cravings for Chinese hot pot!

This was my first time dining at a hot pot restaurant, and I have to say it was a memorable experience! Me and two others arrived on a Tuesday, late at night. There was only one other group there. Don’t dine alone if you stop by; one pot is enough to serve three to four people.

When we squeezed through the narrow door, we were quickly greeted by both maneki-neko and the host. The restaurant itself is sparsely decorated, without a lot of personality. We were quickly seated, as we had our choice of spots being late on a weekday, on long wooden benches facing a cafeteria style table. On the table was a convection oven that proved to be very much up to the task in keeping our food boiling hot.

We ordered a half “mild spicy”, half chicken broth pot. Let me tell you, the mild spicy was too hot for me and one friend, and the other person who enjoys spicy food said it tasted bitter. The chicken broth side was very good though, so next time we will be sure to do the chicken broth, and maybe the tomato one.

For the ingredients, we ordered the following: prime lamb, quail eggs, raw egg yolk, crab sticks, lobster meat ball, mushroom combo, potato, seaweed, broccoli, glass noodles, handmade noodles, hot pot dumplings. Everything ordered for the hot pot was substantially proportioned. The prime lamb was sliced very thin for a shorter cook time, and did not taste too gamey. I loved the tiny quail eggs, seaweed, and handmade noodles especially. We also ordered a side of fried steamed buns, which we all agreed were hot and delicately sweet.

They had quite a few options for sauces, including a build your own station. It was late at night, so they were running a little low, but I enjoyed my mix of green onions, cilantro, oyster sauce, garlic, and chives. Don’t knock it till you try it! Be warned though, if you have a peanut allergy, stay away from the sesame based sauces, as there is potential for cross contamination.

When I used the bathroom, it was very clean and well stocked, though they had added water to the soap, nearly rendering it useless. There were handicap accessible bars for the toilet, and it was roomy enough for a large wheelchair and more. I was pleased. Unfortunately, the front door is not handicap accessible, so keep that in mind!

My takeaway is that this is a great way to experience food. We all agreed it is best suited for winter, or a rainy day. The food was fresh and delicious, in good sized proportions. The restaurant itself is clean. We didn’t really get to interact and get to know our servers, but they were very polite and quick with everything. Check this place off of your to do list soon!

My friends and I came here for a birthday dinner and it did not disappoint. We had seven people total and did four people to one pot and three people to the other. For the three of us, we got the two flavor base and a bunch of add ins. We all paid for the self serve sauce making station. If you have never done hotpot before, I highly recommend reading the review on Tucson Foodie posted by Jackie Tran. It outlines what you should expect, how to order, and what to get. We will definitely be coming back, though probably only for a special occasion because of the cost per person.