On a chilly Sunday evening, I stepped into the modern interior of Gyu Hakata with my friend, looking for a warm meal. Vibrant red dragons and bamboo stalks decorated the front table, where a waiter greeted us. Located near a line of grocery markets and clothing stores in Valley Fair, the restaurant is a great option after a day of shopping.
An Asian fusion restaurant, Gyu Hakata’s menu offers a variety of items from sushi to fried rice, but we were especially interested in their hot pot selection. Hot pot is a traditional Chinese dish where diners share their meal in one boiling pot of broth situated in the middle of their table. Customers choose the soup flavor and ingredients, then cook the food in the steaming stew with chopsticks or tongs.
Since there are limited places to enjoy hot pot outside of metropolitan cities, we decided to order bone and spicy pepper broth in a two soup pot. The next step was picking our meats and vegetables, which included beef, pork, bok choy, corn and mushrooms. While waiting for the cart to arrive with our order, we visited the side dish table, which offered sauces, spices and extra toppings. In a bowl, I gathered some of my favorite additions such as garlic, green onions and oyster sauce, and mixed the ultimate flavoring to dip my food in.
When the waiter returned with our dishes, we were excited to begin our meal. Starting with the beef slices and mushrooms, we held the food in the boiling broth for a few minutes before bringing it out to our plates. The beef cuts were tender and flavorful, especially when I soaked the pieces in my sauce. Out of all the meats, my favorite was definitely the pork luncheon meat. It was soft and retained a lot of the hot broth from the soup.
After finishing most of the meats and vegetables, we moved on to the starches. We added the potatoes, daikon and ramen to cook with the remaining lettuce. The noodles were springy and delicious, although we weren’t able to finish them. Since hot pot restaurants often charge extra for excess leftover food, we were careful to only order what we could eat.
To complete the meal, the waiter brought us a plate of juicy watermelon slices and breath mints to cleanse our palettes. The watermelon was sweet and refreshing, and the individually wrapped candies were a nice touch.
Unlike other hot pot restaurants that charge a flat fee, Gyu Hakata prices each individual item, leading to a total of $58.56. Considering the quality of the meal and customer service, I was pleased with the price. In addition, the quiet ambiance of the spacious booth and relaxing music made for enjoyable conversation. If you’re looking for a unique dining experience with Asian flair, Gyu Hakata is a fantastic option for you.
Mary Wolters can be reached at [email protected].
