Do you know how to hot pot? This steamy DIY-style feast is a fave among those who know it, but may be a confusing experience for those who don’t, so let us fill you in on how and where to tuck into hot pot in Perth.
Hot pot, or huǒ guō (火锅), hails from China and literally translates to 'fire pot'. It's often considered more of a social experience than your regular ol’ dish, with different regions and households all having their own spin.
Similar to going out for Korean BBQ, it often involves cooking at your table, except instead of barbecuing you’re cooking thinly sliced meats, seafood, veggies and fresh noodles in a boiling pot of hot broth, then dipping them in your condiments of choice before stuffing them swiftly into your gob.
Depending on the style of hot pot, there’s a whole raft of other optional steps, from choosing your hot pot soup base to mixing up your own dipping sauce from a sauce bar, so we recommend taking a hot pot-familiar friend for your first foray.
And to send you on your way, here are our favourite spots for hot pot in Perth.
David's Master Pot
East Victoria Park
One of Melbourne's all-time fave hot pot operators has just landed in Perth, with a new restaurant in the heart of hot pot country, East Victoria Park. David's Master Pot specialises in authentic malatang, with a selection of hot broths to choose from and multiple fridges full of meat, veg and noodles to stuff into your bowl.
Zhangliang Malatang Spicy Hot Pot
Cannington and Northbridge
If you know your hot pot, Zhangliang Malatang Spicy Hot Pot is bound to sound familiar. It's one of China's most popular hot pot brands, with over 4,000 locations worldwide. Grab a bowl, chuck in your ingredients of choice and select your soup base from flavours like the signature malatang to restoring bone broth. The Zhanglang team will cook it all up for you while you create your own dipping sauce.
Wu Ming Hot Pot
Cannington
Wu Ming Hot Pot in Cannington is another of our all-time faves. Its spicy hot pot broth is one of the best and the extravagant decor makes for a seriously special dining experience. We're also big fans of their trademark meat dolls (picture: barbie dolls draped in thinly sliced beef), the endless complimentary snacks and the create-you-own sauce bar.
Dragon Hot Pot
Northbridge and East Victoria Park
Get set to slurp your way through thick fragrant soups and juicy noodles at Dragon Hot Pot. We love that you get to fill your own pot from a supermarket style wall overflowing with meat, veg, noodles, tofu and everything in between. Once you’ve filled your pot, take it up to the counter to choose your soup broth and heat level, then they’ll cook it and bring it out for you to enjoy.
King Hot Pot
Morley and East Victoria Park
The hot pot experience at King Hot Pot is unlike anything else in Perth. It's basically like a sushi train, but for hot pot. Take a seat and fire up your tabletop stove as you gradually fill your pot with fresh ingredients from the conveyor belt.
Double down on brothy goodness with Perth's best ramen.
Image credit: David's Master Pot