My first trip to Hot Pot 608 is also my first trip to any hot pot style restaurant. Before entering, I had been briefed on how the restaurant works. Some meats need to be ordered ahead of time as they are frozen, and others are available in the fridges lining the side of the restaurant. The all you can eat experience here is different than a buffet, as you cook everything in delicious broths of your choosing. Everything you need is lining the left side of the restaurant, and it’s up to you to choose your own culinary adventure.
This being my first time trying hot pot style eating, we went with a soup base of tomato marrow on one side and miso marrow on the other side. Both broths were tasty and flavorful. Savory options like mushroom, fish maw chicken, original marrow and bone broth are available as well as spicy marrow and extra spicy broth for the more adventurous diner.
The adventure begins when you start collecting your soup items. Ingredients are stored in the refrigerators in small single serving dishes. I recommend you not grab too much at once, and give yourself time to savor each ingredient. However, throwing many things in the pot at once wasn’t a terrible way to go! Desserts, condiments and other necessities are stored in this area as well.
Listing all the ingredients available would take up far too much space, but I can say the options for meats, seafood, carbs and vegetables was extensive. Specializing in a lot of tasty Asian food staples, we had our fair share of a huge variety of mushrooms and delicious additions like baby bok choy. The vegetarian at the table never ran out of delicious options with the wide array of textured tastes like tofu and rolled bean curd sheets alongside exotic fare like lotus root and taro. The carnivores feasted on pork belly, fatty beef and chicken breast. With so many dumpling and noodle options, this hearty soup is incredibly filling and delicious. The option to pick one large broth or two broths on one pot with a divider allows diners with restrictions an option to eat with friends and family without being concerned of cross contamination.
Appetizers are also available if you choose to order them, so we tried taro buns and crab Rangoon and were not disappointed. The Rangoon was stuffed well and crispy. The taro buns were a new experience for me and were mildly sweet and delicious.
The price for dinner was fair in my assessment, as you can eat a lot of food. Light picky eaters might not find this a great deal, but anyone who loves trying a lot of new things in small quantities would find this an incredible deal.
There are two 608 Hot Pot locations in Madison, the one at 506 State Street that we went to and one at 2835 University Avenue. Be sure to try it out if you’re feeling adventurous and craving yourself a delicious soup and noodle experience!