I’ve been dreaming of hot pot for years. The Chinese style of cooking—in which diners dunk huge varieties of meats, seafood, vegetables, noodles and more into flavorful broths—has become common in bigger American cities and pervasive on social media but remained absent in the Sarasota area. At least until last year, when Hong BBQ & Hot Pot opened in Bradenton.
The origin of hot pot dates to the Zhou dynasty, circa 200-280 C.E. In modern China, hungry diners gather around a large pot of broth flavored with fragrant spices, which vary based on the region. Participants are encouraged to add proteins, vegetables, dumplings and rice noodles (to name just a few possible ingredients) to a constantly simmering pot and then eat the results slowly, over time, enjoying little surprises with each bite.
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Condiments adorn the walls at Hong.
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Here in the U.S., at most restaurants, each guest can select a preferred broth, which is kept warm on burners installed in the tables. Hong, which has a location in Tampa in addition to the Bradenton restaurant, follows this model, with induction burners that remain cool to the touch but can heat your broth in a jiffy. When dining with a crowd, I suggest sampling several different types of broths to share. Hong offers eight to choose from, including pork, mushroom and tomato. The Szechuan broth, derived from China’s southern regions, is perfumed with peppercorns and chilies and has a gentle heat, despite the server’s warning that it’s quite spicy.
There is also a seemingly infinite list of foods to dip in your broth. Examples include sliced brisket and pork, shrimp, clams, dumplings, mushrooms, lotus root and rice noodles. Chances are that if you can dream of an ingredient, Hong has it, and can recommend how long you should cook it. For $30.99 per person, you can try as many items as you like, although the server will advise you that food waste is discouraged—a gesture I applaud.
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Kimchi and chicken feet on the appetizer buffet.
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In the center of the restaurant, you’ll find a large buffet with approximately 20 different dipping sauces and aromatics like ginger, chili oil and soy sauce that add flavor to your cooked items. Also included on the buffet are kimchi, fresh fruit and several types of prepared appetizers, like steamed chicken feet, that aren’t intended to be dunked in your broth.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, the servers will help explain the process before you make your choices. Just let them know you’re a newbie, like I was. They’ll also provide recommendations to help you get started, and as they gauge your level of adventurousness, they’ll guide you toward items you may not have tried before. Not ready to order the duck blood yet? There’s no judgment here. But it pays to try at least a few things you might not be familiar with.
In addition to hot pot, Hong also offers all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue, and each table is outfitted with a grill in the center. You can add the barbecue option for an additional $5 per person or have it on its own, also for $30.99.
Dessert offerings include ice cream in single-serve containers, which are found at the end of the buffet. Or you might try snow ice ($8.95) in flavors like taro and coconut, jeweled with jellies, red bean paste and cookies. Boba and fruit tea ($6.95) are also available to help satisfy your sweet tooth.
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A robot assists servers in bussing tables.
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But just talking about the food at Hong does the restaurant a disservice. Everything about dining here is an experience, and it feels like a party. Although the restaurant is in a small shopping plaza on Cortez Road, once you pull into the parking lot, you’ll hear loud pop music and rap pumping, a sign of the fun taking place inside. When you walk in, you’re greeted with an alluring bright red décor, Chinese lanterns and booths detailed with meticulous wooden accents. There are even robots that follow the servers from table to table, carrying silverware, chopsticks and bus tubs. A bit kitschy, perhaps, but everyone seems to be having a fabulous time. It’s a trip.
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The restaurant’s taro snow ice.
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I doubt I’m alone in loving the opportunity to intimately interact with my food and try new ingredients that are otherwise difficult to find in our area. In a culinary scene that’s hitting its stride when it comes to new, diverse offerings, Hong is a perfect fit for those who are eager to try something new, as well as for those who have been lucky enough to enjoy it elsewhere.
Hong BBQ & Hot Pot
445 Cortez Road, Bradenton, (941) 213-1972, honghotpot.com