Fung’s Kitchen
This Houston staple is known for its dim sum, not its hot pot, but that’s due for a change. And in keeping with the chandelier-bedecked dining room, it’s fancy stuff: thinly sliced Berkshire pork served on a bed of cellophane noodles and twisty carrots. After the rich broth has seen its last piece of pork, finish off your meal by boiling up a pile of tender baby bok choy.
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ
We all know Korean barbecue, but this chain trades in the almost-as-covetable Japanese equivalent. The best time to visit is during during the day. Among the appealing lunch sets, we like the Samurai, whose marinated meats include miso hanger steak, sweet soy beef ribs and spicy pork belly, along with salad, soup and rice. Finish the experience with a $3 order of make-your-own s’mores.
The breadth of options at Flower Piggy
Image: Alice Levitt
Ka Sushi
A few of the city’s Japanese restaurants offer steak ready to cook on forbiddingly hot, flat volcanic rocks. We like the version here for its variety, which includes not only different grades of wagyu, but also humbler beef tongue, escolar and assorted mushrooms. For seafood fans, there are Hokkaido scallops, which, like the other proteins, are cooked in butter and enlivened by a pair of tangy dipping sauces.
Korea House
If you’re really hungry, tackle the all-you-can-eat barbecue at this Koreatown favorite—the main attraction here—but be warned: Customers are charged $5 per unfinished plate. Luckily, the offerings are good enough that you’ll likely conquer a sizable segment of the 28 meats, not to mention the banchan, kimchi pancakes, dumplings, soup and spicy rice cakes also included for $35.95.
Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot
This Chinese-owned chain purports to serve “traditional Inner Mongolian hot pot cuisine” at locations all over the world. Diners can split their pot between mild bone broth dotted with goji berries and cardamom, and a fiery soup that burns with Szechuan peppercorns and chile oil. Mix-ins lean on lamb—including meatballs and wontons—and exotic veggies.
Saigon Pagolac
Bo 7 mon translates to “beef seven ways.” That means not only a treat for meat lovers, but that amateur chefs have a host of ways to flex their culinary muscles. The most fun of all the methods is “Vietnamese fajitas,” in which diners cook their beef in vinegar, fondue-style, for a tangy treat, then roll it in rice paper with a choice of fillings including bean sprouts, carrots and herbs.
Thai Spice Express
Hot pot can be a bit one-note, but not here. Among the three broths, tom yum is the sweet-and-sour stand-out. Diners also choose proteins, whether a meat-lovers’ featuring beef, pork and chicken, or one of the seafood-starring mixes crammed with shrimp and crab. Our favorite inclusion: raw eggs ready to be poached in your soup.
Filed under
Thai Food, Korean Food, Korean Barbecue, Chinese Food, Hot Pot, Japanese Food, Ka Sushi, Vietnamese Food
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