When the temperature dips below 60 degrees, Angelenos practically start to panic. Thankfully, there’s always a solution at the bottom of a bowl, especially in the San Gabriel Valley. For instance, Hot Pot Hot Pot occupies a Monterey Park home thanks to proprietors Barry Hin Chiang and Chi San Chiang. The owners are from Hong Kong, but when I asked the manager if the food was from a particular region of China, say, Beijing, she said, “Beijing? No! Bullshit!” She added that hot pot’s popular throughout China, the broth just changes. Regardless, I remain convinced that this restaurant has a handle on the concept.
The stand-alone space is fairly modern, with wall-mounted photos of ingredients like chiles and jujubes. A fish tank rests near the hostess stand, offering safe haven to the only creatures (other than people) that won’t end up in a tabletop cauldron.
The menu touts “36 different types of herbs,” adding, “Not only is the food delicious and savory, but our herbs actually enhance your respiratory and digestive functions, as well as your blood circulation.”
Vegetables and Tofu counterbalance the offal richness. Nappa ($2.25) cabbage was nice and crisp. Baby Bok Choy ($2.25)’s leafy greens became slick with chile oil. At first, Buddha’s Hand Melon ($2.25) looked like avocado, but it was actually fibrous chayote squash. Hot Pot Hot Pot also stocks a variety of mushrooms, including firm flaps of abalone.
Rosy Flounder Fillet ($3.95) requires spice to reach its full potential.
Hand Made Noodle ($2.75) are firm, fettuccine like, and stained green with spinach juice. They also cook quickly, so add incrementally, and not at once, or they’ll turn to mush.
At least the key ingredients were fresh, and the broth flavorful.
The resulting cart full of ingredients yielded a fun, interactive night out in the SGV.
Blog Comments
Ellen company
February 10, 2017 at 5:32 AM
Super…….excited…..