Claypot Hot Pot Restaurant - Richmond

Welcome back!  So glad you could join me on my first dining adventure!

It was a cold wintry evening, so my partner, my mother and I opted to indulge in some serious feasting at Claypot Hot Pot Restaurant, located at #105-8291 Alexandra Road, Richmond, BC

(604) 284-5181.  There is nothing like steaming hot pot to warm the cockles of your heart! 

 

For those unfamiliar with the incredible Hot Pot phenomenon, it is the opportunity to

leisurely cook prepared thinly cut meat, leafy and root vegetables, noodles, dumplings and all assortments of seafood at your own table - in a boiling pot of tasty broth! A tradition from over a thousand years ago, the Chinese Hot Pot itself has numerous variations from region to region. Over time, Hot Pot seeped into most Asian cultures who adapted it to their own liking - varying in dipping sauces, soup bases, the prepared food for cooking and spice levels.

Claypot Hotpot Restaurant offers ALL YOU CAN EAT Hot Pot for dinner and a discounted late seating option after 9pm, seven days a week. As with most Hot Pot restaurants, there is an additional charge for the soup base. However, Claypot Hotpot has a larger selection of flavours and meat-bases than most - ranging from the simple clear broth, to Free Range Chicken, to the sweet and sour Thai style, to the epitome of spiciness, the Szechuan base. 

Here is a glance of the general menu: 

We opted for the extremes of Clear Broth and Spicy Szechuan soup bases.

Next, we selected a vast assortment of meat and vegetables, not forgetting the delicious
mushroom platter nor the melt-in-your-mouth taro root wedges...
and some vermicelli and Japanese noodles to boot!

We opted to keep our dipping sauces simple and used only the Satay and Soy combination 

at no extra cost - although I do at times enjoy mixing in a raw egg, some garlic chili and green onions. (For those who prefer a more complicated dipping combo, there are many choices for a small fee each.)

Our first round of food filled our table and we found ourselves in hot pot heaven!  The meat and veggies were all extremely fresh, the array of mushrooms very satisfying and even the noodles slippery and delectable.  We took our time cooking and eating, even having room for a small second order and a trial taste of the lychee jello and red-bean desserts.  In the end, we had overeaten and craved a post-eating nap (aka "food coma") but were very happy with our first Richmond dining exploit! 

 *Hot Pot Cooking Tip:  Be aware of the optimal cooking time for each item - some meats are particularly best when only slightly cooked, whereas some things, such as the taro wedges and Sui Choy, are most scrumptious when softened to melt-in-your-mouth goodness!*

As with all AYCE feasts, it is best to pace oneself and practice a little bit of self-awareness too!  I usually arrive all too hungry and order too much then worry about not being able to finish when I see how much food has arrived!  Generally, "doggy bags" are not allowed with AYCE restaurants and there is often a "food wastage fee", not to mention the simple rule that one should never waste food.  It is truly a practiced foodie master that knows how much to order and remembers that one can order multiple times - during the allotted seating time, of course!  *There are a few dishes that require some prep time, so peruse the menu carefully when ordering!*

 I would definitely return, armed with more foodie mates so we can expand the number of dishes to sample and recommend it to anyone willing to do a little work for a gourmet foodie experience.  It is not only a FUN but FILLING adventure!

Thanks so much for checking in and I truly hope you have enjoyed 

sharing in the first issue of my foodie journey ! 

 Please feel free to post any comments and ask any questions!

 BON APPETIT!

TO VEG OR NOT TO VEG

As with most hot pot venues, there is a wondrous selection of tofu, vegetables and 

carbohydrates in rice and diverse noodle form to satisfy any vegetarian foodie's desires!

  Also, with two separate soup bases being available at a sitting,

 one can maintain a true meatless integrity!

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RANDOM FOOD TIP OF THE DAY:  I learned from a young age that 

one should NEVER dine at an Asian restaurant that is not jam-packed with other Asians

 - this tidbit has served me well throughout my life!

Get lost easily?  Here is Google Map link: Claypot Hot Pot Restaurant Directions

~ Come back soon for the next gastronomic adventure! ~