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MELBOURNE | The number of Chinese hot pot venues in Melbourne has increased significantly in the past two years, and Dragon Hot Pot is one of the city’s favourites. They opened their first store in 2017, and now have five locations, with more on the way. We were recently invited to visited the Russell Street branch and were keen to see what’s made it so popular.
Walk inside Dragon Hot Pot and you find yourself in a space that looks like many other Chinese restaurants in this part of town. A small space with simple seats and tables, some Chinese art work and trinkets, and vibrant atmosphere. Walk towards the back of the room though, and things are quite different. Along with the counter where you place your order, there are two tiered fridges filled with over 100 ingredients, and a selection of pots and bowls.
The ordering process is simple. Grab a bowl or pot depending on how much food you want to order, and put as many ingredients in as you want using the supplied tongs. It’s a flat rate of $3.20 per 100g, with a minimum 400g requirement. There’s assortment of noodles, meat, seafood, offal, vegetables and more. From pork belly to bok choy, quail eggs to enoki mushrooms, and tofu to pig’s kidneys, there’s something to suit everyone.
Once you’ve selected your ingredients, walk up to the counter and choose from one of five broths. For first timers, the signature Ma La Tang broth, cooked with more than 24 wild herbs from Mount Emei in China’s Sichuan province, is a must. It’s thick and flavoursome and highly recommended. Finally, select from one of four spice levels – mild to ‘dragon hot’. Your pot is weighed, you pay, take a seat, and a short while later a steaming hot pot of goodness is delivered to your table.
It’s easy to see why hot pot has become so popular in Melbourne. The food is delicious, fast, and affordable, and the choice of ingredients available make it accessible to everyone. Even better, the Russell Street store is open 24/7. Yet another feather in the cap of Melbourne’s late night dining scene. Plans are afoot to expand these opening hours to all CBD locations by the end of 2019.
Dragon Hot Pot (Russell Street)
213 Russell Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9662 1833
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Sun – Sat: 24 hours