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Hot Pot King
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
2 reviews for Hot Pot King
2 reviews in English
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Review from Archimedes T.
Toronto, ON
3/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had a fantastic time with my friends here from 7pm to 11:15pm. Yes that's a long time (though there aren't many people there... so just an FYI for those worried about the 2h limit they put on AYCEs, it is just to allow them to let more customers in if the line is getting long and your party is acting like a douche and just staying there)
Personally I would only get the $12.99 and avoid the seafood altogether. However, that's just me being cheap.
For those who don't know, hot pot restaurants are generally AYCE, but you cook your own food with the ingredients provided. It is generally only available at night time or weekends since that is when you'd have the most time to enjoy it rather than a weekday lunch affair. Normally you'd be here for 2 hours max, but if no one is rushing you like my last event, then just enjoy the relaxing atmosphere.
Hot Pot King uses a more communal bowl unlike iCook Buffet or Rolling Pot so be sure to hang out with people who have the similar tastes than you, although each pot is split into two.
They start out with a base broth (not sure what's inside, but it's not pure water). Then you have to make your soup base and dipping sauce. Now that I write this I feel so stupid that I forgot to let my friends know they can try out the soup bases that other people have created to see which one does a better job.
The restaurant does have some instructions on how to do the sauces, but they are vague and if you don't know what you're doing you may put the wrong portions since they don't specify quantity.
Here's what I do, but feel free to experiment. The worst that could happen is you cannot eat from your pot so just use someone else.
Soup base:
* Chicken broth mix (it's a powder), add a generous heap of it, this adds a salty flavor to your meats otherwise it may taste too bland without it.
* Parsley
* Green onion
* Miso paste
Dipping sauce
* Fried Garlic (1-2 spoonful)
* Fried Onion (1-2 spoonful)
* Parsley (1-2 spoonful)
* Kikoman Sauce (use this to fill up the rest of the bowl, this is the base of the sauce, but do it after the smaller ingredients, I learned this at Vancouver)
* Thai Spicy Oil (a little bit for a sweet kick)
* Raw Egg (to make the sauce stick to the ingredients, use your discretion, I know some people don't like the idea and it's fine, the sauce just won't stick as much)
They have free ice cream as well.
They have a few faults though:
#1 their web site still cites the old expensive price, it's cheaper now $12.99 per person (drinks are not included and no free refills)
#2 bathroom for the gents is bad. However, you can go to the one used by the bowling alley, it's MUCH cleaner now
#3 Though they are okay service wise, they tend to lose orders, just follow up with them more often if you don't see the stuff you want (in my case the rib eye beef) -
Review from Katrina L.
Richmond Hill, ON
10/26/2009
This place is upstairs, connected to the bowling alley called Club 300 Bowl. You may get lost trying to find this place because there are 2 ways in. There is an entrance straight from the parking lot that takes you into the bowling alley, and you just walk down the length and arrive at the restaurant or you go into the plaza and up the stairs or elevator. It is just easier to go from the parking lot but it is an unmarked entrance.
When I first came here, it was bubbling with pots everywhere and there were lots of people. Business has died down a bit but I still think that they're food is pretty good. I mean, how can you actually mess up raw food that patrons cook themselves?
Their sauce bar has a wide selection of different sauces as well as other add ons like seaweed, century eggs, raw eggs, different herbs etc. and it is here that you choose what you want in your soup base, whether it be miso or spicy etc.
There is an upgrade for seafood, it's an extra $4 (I think) for one plate of oysters, salmon, shrimp, scallops and various other things. But you only get this one platter, meaning this portion is not all you can eat.
I'm not a picky hot pot person, if you serve udon noodles with beef, I'm pretty much good to go. The udon that they serve here is really good. I think that's why I like coming back here. They do offer the bbq side grill, it's sort of like korean bbq but you also get hot pot at the same time. I rarely ever see anyone take advantage of this option.
They used to have a special with the bowling alley, if you eat at Hot Pot King, and take your receipt, you will get one free soft ice cream cone per person. This used to be the draw and allure of coming here but they have since gotten rid of this option. In its place, they now serve a dessert on the premises. Usually it's a Chinese papaya dessert soup, couldn't tell you the name if my life depended on it but it's pretty good, but not as good as ice cream.
