Jenna T.
Yelp
Came here on a Thursday night, and it was pretty chill until about 6:30-7pm, when it turned into a "let's make sure we're seated before the rush" situation. Good thing we got there early! The staff were friendly and *very* prompt -- they even took the time to walk us through the menu and tell us what all the veggies were when we asked (thank you for not making us guess between taro and mystery white blob #1).
Since it was our first time, we went with the *Meat Lovers Combo for 2* ($75). We got 3 meats (prime black angus, wagyu toro, and prime flat iron) and one veggie platter. After doing the math, this seemed like a much better deal than ordering individual meals which only came with one choice of meat, which were around $30 each. Who knew math could save you from bankruptcy?!
Now, the *sauce bar* -- oh, the sauce bar. This is where you get to unleash your inner mad scientist. There were so many sauce options, I almost felt like I was customizing a pot of soup for an entire army. (Note: They also have cute little plates for your sauce creations, so don't worry, your sauces won't end up all over the table like some kind of chaotic art project.)
As for the meats, let's talk about the *wagyu toro* for a second. The black angus and flat iron were both solid, but the toro just had that "I'm fancy and you should appreciate me" vibe. My friend got the miso broth, and I went for the tom yum (hello, spice!). The tom yum was perfectly spicy, and I could feel my soul waking up with every slurp.
The veggie platter was legit -- spinach, bokchoy, taro, rice cakes, tofu... all the classics. The taro especially was a nice surprise; when it boiled in the broth, it was like a little flavor explosion. 10/10, would taro again.
The individual hot pots are genius. You get to try different broths without worrying about accidentally drinking someone else's broth (we've all been there). One thing I would've liked though -- extra bowls for soup! And maybe some tools to skim the fat off the broth, because I'm not here for a greasy hot pot experience.
Lastly, shout-out to the broth refill options: hot water or chicken broth. That's a nice little twist I wasn't expecting.
It's on the pricier side, but the quality is top-notch, and you're not paying for endless refills of mediocre broth like at those AYCE places. Worth every penny if you're a hot pot enthusiast or just someone who likes to eat things that are delicious and fancy. Would definitely come back!
P.S. Don't skip the sauce bar. It's your time to shine.