Lately, these cold winter days have left my Californian body weak and frail. Especially with the passing of the Lunar New Year, I’ve found myself craving something to warm myself up. A great, hearty meal at Xiang Hot Pot’s new Brooklyn location definitely fulfilled said craving, and proved to be more fulfilling than any of the posts found on Subtle Asian Traits.
For those of you who haven’t heard of hot pot, it’s a meal where typically a group of people cook meat, vegetables, and noodles in a pot of flavorful broth. While it may seem intimidating to share a communal pot and an extensive array of side dishes, hotpot is actually more inclusive than most people think.
The Broth
Let’s start off with the first thing you smell upon entering the restaurant. It’s warm and welcoming…the broth. We got a half and half pot: one containing their signature spicy broth and the other with their tomato broth, which ended up being my personal favorite. If you can’t handle spicy food like me, you can always ask them to give you a milder version of the spicy broth.
The Vegetables and Noodles
The staff was a great help for the next bit—the vegetables and noodles. They presented a lot of alternative dishes for one of our friends, the vegetarian of the group. These included the vegetable platter, homemade black tofu, and their great selection of mushrooms. Our group vegetarian also found herself surprised by how savory the tofu and vegetables were. Equally tasty were Xiang Hot Pot’s vermicelli and handmade noodles, which are great to enjoy and slurp up at the end with the leftover broth.
The Meat
Now, let’s get into the meat of things. From tender cubes of Wagyu, to beautifully plated scallops, to more exotic cuts like boneless duck feet, Xiang Hot Pot has you covered! This restaurant has pretty much any type of protein imaginable, so the options are endless. Another friend of mine, the group’s resident hot pot first-timer, especially liked being able to try a bunch of different ingredients that he never had before, finding the large variety to be more exciting rather than overwhelming.
My personal favorite is their sliced premium beef, not only because of its artistic presentation via a four foot long wooden board, but also because it was the softest, most tender meat I’ve ever eaten. It was so good that I found myself trying to stuff a few more slices into my mouth even after I felt the food coma hit.
Towards the end of the meal, my vegetarian friend summed up what was perhaps the most important realization of the experience: “even though I wasn’t accustomed to the logistics of eating hotpot, I felt very welcome and happy to learn,” she said.
Hot pot may be a very cultural dish, but that shouldn’t prevent anyone from trying it out. So if you’re looking for a great cultural experience, while also wanting to succumb to the deepest food coma of your life, then Xiang Hot Pot’s new Brooklyn location is a must-visit!
Check out Xiang Hot Pot’s new location at 5816 Fort Hamilton Parkway in Brooklyn!