RESTAURANT
MISTER HOTPOT
To Be or not To Be...
A Hotpot Connoisseur
H
ot pot has long been a traditional favorite among Asian
cuisines, and dates as far back as Medieval China. After so
many years, hotpot has evolved into many forms and tastes
according to their geographical origin, and the Fujianese
hotpot remains one of the most popular from Southern
China, which is probably why Mister Hotpot, our very own
Fujianese hotpot joint in New York has garnered so much
love from its patrons.
However, like the concept of barbeque, hotpot is meant
to be a highly communal meal, with a lot of sharing and
talking while you cook and eat. Therefore, whether you are
making your first visit to Mister Hotpot, or perhaps you already pride yourself as a hotpot connoisseur, you might still
find the following tips helpful to make the dining experience
an enjoyable one for you and your friends.
1) If it’s not roiling, it’s not boiling!
Let your hot pot come to a boil before dunking stuff into it.
So, wait, wait, and then wait some more. If you find the wait
improbable to bear, talk, chat, drink beer! Hotpot is meant
to be a meal that encourages socializing after all. Once your
Mister Hotpot Signature Soup Base has come to a boil, you
can start cooking your food.
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2) Well done or medium rare?
Make sure your food is cooked through. The vegetables are not so worrisome. If they are food like the
Fish Tofu, Pork Ball, or Wonton, those need to float
before you start eating them. If it’s raw meat, wait
until the meat has fully changed color before you eat
it. If in doubt, wait 15 more seconds!
3) Hotpot etiquette!
Find out beforehand what the rules for doubledipping are, because not everyone is comfortable
with it. it’s always safest to use the ladles provided
for cooking. Also useful is to find out whether people
have any food allergies or strong aversions to certain
types of food. Don’t order such items, or you can
cook these items after the person has finished with
the hotpot.
4) Mix and matching taste
Some foods are less neutral-tasting than others,
and have the power to change the taste of the entire
hotpot, so beware! Food such as the seafood balls,
dumplings and all types of tofus tend to be more
neutral-tasting, as do most white fish meat. Shellfish
can impart a yummy umami sea-flavor. Meats are the
most controversial, I often find. Chicken and pork
have less controversial flavors, but mutton can impart
a different taste to the soup base.