Naomi Espinoza
Customers are served hot pot in Tasty Pot's modern, spacious interior. According to Manager Suang, the efficiency in their kitchen makes it good choice for people who come in and have a limited time to eat. “Some people are at school, or at work, and they come over during lunchtime; they only have a limited time, and we can make it very fast for them," Suang said.
Featuring steaming soup, spicy kimchi and fried tempura, Tasty Pot, a new Taiwanese restaurant, brings specialty hot pot to downtown Palo Alto, just off University Ave.
The shop opened in late May this year with a menu that features highly customizable soups.
When we visited on Sunday at noon, classical music and a smiling hostess welcomed us into the restaurant at 443 Emerson St. The interior felt clean and inviting, with a green plant-covered accent wall, patterned wallpaper featuring a mix of San Francisco and Asian landmarks, and orange vinyl lining seats and booths.
Beyond the atmosphere, the dining style sets Tasty Pot apart. Unlike traditional hot pot, where everyone shares the soup and toppings, Tasty Pot serves individual portions.
Manager Suki Suang said this personalized approach makes Tasty Pot unique.
“Each person has their own pot and you don’t have to do any of the cooking yourself; we will do it for you,” Suang said. “It is much more efficient and we have many different variations of hot pot that you can choose from, [there are] up to 10 to 20 variants and they are all different.”
We sat ourselves at a table set with chopsticks, soup spoons and a variety of sauces. The waiter brought plastic cups and a jug of iced jasmine tea, which was sweet and refreshing.
The QR code laminated to the table was a convenient way to order, as our waiter spoke minimal English. Each hot pot could be customized for spice level and add-ons, including a variety of meats and vegetables. However, the online ordering system omitted valuable allergen information. This could pose an issue for customers with allergies, especially to peanuts, which we later learned were an ingredient in many of the signature soups.
We ordered a variety of appetizers along with a specialty hot pot.
Fried Calamari – $9.50 – (7/10)
The fried calamari arrived in a wire-mesh basket, portioned generously for sharing, which gave the dish a playful touch and kept the calamari from becoming soggy during the duration of the meal. The calamari had a crisp, golden coating that offered a satisfying crunch. The inside and outside layers were well balanced with a tender rather than chewy texture on the inside.
Takoyaki – $8.95 – (7.5/10)
Next, we tried the takoyaki: spherical Japanese dumplings consisting of chopped octopus enveloped in dough. Tasty Pot’s take was deep-fried and dark golden brown, garnished with the classic drizzle of Kewpie mayo, sweet takoyaki sauce and fish flakes. The salty and creamy flavor was well-balanced by the sweet sauces.
Spicy Fermented Tofu – $7.45 – (3/10)
The spicy fermented tofu brought a strong and pungent odor to the table. Visually, the dish was vibrant and colorful, and had the most striking presentation of the appetizers. The slices were coated in sweet and spicy chili sauce and garnished with cilantro. The tofu’s smell lingered unpleasantly as we ate, and its texture was unappealing; this seemed like an acquired taste that we didn’t have. This tofu may not have been for us, but we recommend it for anyone who enjoys intense fermented flavors and doesn’t mind a very soft texture.
Kimchi Hot Soup – $20.75 – (7/10)
As the signature dish of Tasty Pot, we had high hopes for this entree. The dish was dramatically presented on an ornate platform, which held the bowl over a small burner and kept the soup simmering throughout the meal. The soup included beef, crab, clams, dumplings, zucchini, fish cakes, sausage and plenty of kimchi. It came topped with a raw egg yolk and green onions. The highlight of this dish was the thinly sliced beef, which was tender and savory with a kick of spice, though the plating and toppings felt excessive.
Potstickers – $6.99 – (5.5/10)
These fried potstickers are a solid choice for pork lovers, filled almost exclusively with ground pork. The fried skin was thick and doughy, which took away from the balance of textures and made them feel heavy.
Sweet Potato Balls with Taro – $6.25 – (8/10)
The sweet potato balls with taro were perfectly round and deep-fried. This dish was pleasant and reminiscent of sweet potato fries, and the balls surprisingly maintained their delicate flavors despite their oiliness. The crunchy outside of the balls contrasted with the sweet purple taro filling, leaving a satisfying bite. It was a delightful treat, though perhaps more suited as a dessert than an appetizer, since the sweetness of the root combined with the sweet potato overshadowed any savory flavors.
The option to customize each hot pot was a unique and fun aspect of Tasty Pot’s menu, and we appreciated that we could adjust the soup to our taste. However, we were disappointed by the lack of vegetable appetizers available, which could have helped to balance the variety of fried options. Overall, Tasty Pot is a great fit for anyone looking for a new spot for a fried snack or a personalized bowl of steaming soup.