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MELBOURNE | I was #invited to visit Panda Hot Pot when they opened late last year and was keen to visit but circumstances, then COVID-19, conspired against me. When they got in contact with during that little break that Melbourne had between lock down 1.0 and lock down 2.0 and asked if I still wanted to take them up on the offer, I figured it’d be rude not to.
Panda’s occupies the space that formerly housed themed theatre/restaurant Dracula’s. I never went to the Melbourne Dracula’s, but I did visit the Gold Coast outpost as part of my 21st birthday/NYE celebrations back in 2004. Fun week, seems like a lifetime ago, but I digress!
Panda’s first restaurant opened in Chengdu, China, in 2015 and has since expanded across Japan, Malaysia, and the USA. The Carlton restaurant is their first in Australia. The interior is impressive. There’s a 16 metre long, 1.5 tonne steel dragon that hangs from the ceiling, and a rooftop LCD panel that replicates the sky. Live performances used to happen hourly, but it’s only one per night since COVID-19.
To eat, you’ve got a selection of broths, ~60 items to cook in the broth, and ~20 condiments. You’re certainly not lacking for choice.
My friends and I opted for a half half broth – the “crazy” heat level of the signature Sichuan broth and mild pork bone broth. The crazy is certainly spice fiend only hot, but not the hottest I’ve had in Melbourne (the accolade goes to Xiao Jun Gan).
The broths are delicious, and the ingredients are all quality. We opted for the signature combination box, which gets you a good combo of offal and more “approachable” meats, along with beef tripe (my pick of the night), pigs brain, duck blood, spicy pork ribs, prawn mash, and more. It all combined for a top meal.
Panda is closed for dine in once more, due to stage four restrictions, but is open for pick up and delivery.
Panda Hot Pot
100 Victoria Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9888 9899
E-mail: n/a
Website
Open
Mon – Sun: 11:30am to 2:00pm; 5:00pm to 11:00pm