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| - I didn't have high expectations for this place, but I didn't know where else to get hot pot. The place is very easy to miss since the sign is a super generic red and yellow Chinese restaurant sign in a small plaza next to Copps. Don't let this scare you off; it's a genuinely great place!
Before arriving, I read that they had free WiFi, so I brought my laptop to watch anime on assuming that I would take a long time to eat (since hot pot is a very relaxed, not rushed kind of meal). Instead of your typical rude Chinese restaurant staff, I was greeted by a friendly man and a friendly woman which instantly gave a ma and pa feel from the get go. They seated me right away.
I ordered a beef and vegetable combo with szechuan broth. The combo said that it would come with vegetables and your choice of meat, so I was expecting this to not be such a great deal for $14.95. I was so wrong!
They gave me a big plate of frozen beef slices that what stacked high enough to have trouble not causing a beef avalanche as I grabbed for some. The vegetable plate was actually kind of modest in terms of vegetable selection: corn on the cob, spinach, enyoki mushrooms, and nappa cabbage. However, the "vegetables" also included clams, imitation crab, thai fish cake, fish balls, beef balls, spam, sausage, rice cake, firm tofu, fried fish cake tofu, and probably some more stuff that I don't remember. As an added bonus, they had unlimited noodles (and three different kinds), unlimited raw eggs, and unlimited small oranges to eat after dinner. They also had 16 different sauces and toppings. I added minced garlic, cilantro, and green onion to my broth then used barbecue sauce, sesame sauce, and fermented tofu for dipping.
I took my sweet time; I slowly cooked my hot pot ingredients and watched three episodes of anime while I doing it. I think I just found my new favorite alone time activity!
I found the flavor of the broth to be a little too salty (nothing water can't fix) but also very savory. The szechuan peppercorns didn't leave a sour numb taste in my mouth, and I'm grateful for that because it usually bothers me.
In case you were wondering, they do not have an all you can eat deal. However, I found the beef combo to be plenty of food even for me, and I'm a 240 lb powerlifter with a big appetite who came here immediately after a lift.
Even though I'm giving Mini Hot Pot five stars, I did wish that there were some things different about the place. First of all, you can't order other foods during dinner time; all they serve is hot pot! Before I knew how huge my hot pot was going to be, I was hoping I could order some sort of appetizer like crab rangoon or dumplings. Secondly, I wish the combo included watercress and more mushrooms. Finally, I wish they had whole cilantro available. I like to add cilantro as a vegetable to my hot pot. If they have it chopped as a free topping, surely they can provide it without be chopped too.
However, all those pieces of criticism are minor. Mini Hot Pot has a really special experience to offer. I've had lots of hot pot and shabu shabu in Chicago and San Francisco, but I'd rather go to Mini Hot Pot over all of those places because I've never had a more customizable and inviting hot pot experience. With such a big focus on restaurants near the capitol or on Willy Street, it's easy to miss this gem. I encourage all Madison foodies to visit Mini Hot Pot, especially if you have never tried hot pot before!
Hope you enjoyed my brain dump!
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