Mongolian Hot Pot - Jewel

[Hikini]

I see on the dailies that there is a specialty restaurant on deck 7 called Mongolian Hot Pot. Has anyone been there? If so, what was it like?

[jingle5616]

Disappointing, though we tried it on the Pearl not the Jewell. We both enjoy the Asian restaurant visits we've had on all NCL ships, but the Hot Pot just wasn't very flavorful. It could have just been our taste buds, as we haven't ever tried it before or since.

 

Jingle

[HMK8273]

We tried it on the Jewel last December - once and only once for us. Fun to do but wasn't as flavorful as we thought it would be. To each there own. Very filling as you get tons of food with it. I agree with Jingle5616.

[Mooder]

I agree. We did it once on the Pearl. While it was a fun experience, the food had no flavor at all. We had fun, but would not do it again.

[DMH15]

We were going to do it on the Jewel but the nice person at the sign up desk explained it in full and we decided to skip it. I was glad as the folks I met on board who tried it were not so impressed.

[mking8288]

If you've tried the Mongolian Hot Pot on land-based Asian/Chinese restaurants, it's very similar but with far few selections or choices due to what the ship stocked onboard & make available to you - we did it once 2 years ago on the Jewel (it's offered on nearly all of the ships in the fleet, AFAIK) for fun since we had a big group together. Think of it as Chinese fondue - minus the cheese or chocolate, but basically anything goes - just dump it into the pot & let it broil and cook.

 

Taste is subject, but the essence of a good hot pot experience began with a good, rich stock of real chicken broth simmered slowly before it's brought out to cook the freshly prepared ingredients, plus, Hoisin and Hot & Chilly sauce for dipping, and, us - real food junkies - raw eggs (at your own risk, of course) and minced garlic, chopped green onions, and seasame & peanut butter sauce. This is part 1 of the experience.

 

Then, whatever cooked - thinly sliced beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, fish balls, assorted clams, dumplings, rice noodles, vegetables, tofu, mushrooms, and fish cakes, etc. etc. - will be tasty being ULTRA-high in carbo, protein & cholesterol !!! This is part 2 of the overall experience.

 

It seemed that half of the items for part 1 and half of part 2 were missing, as either they don't have or can provide it, or, simply not assembled and packaged well together. To get it done right for our own cooking, we would have to give them a shopping lists of what we wanted, sort of a buffet checklist for what is "proper" to get the most out of it - plus, adding hot water to a simmering mixed pot isn't the same (diluting) as adding more chicken stock. It would be like raiding the whole Asian kitchen for everything they got to make it a truely unique experience - plus I think we will likely need to bring small bottles of all 4 or 5 sauces with us, LOL.

 

But, it was still fun for us to check it out, once at least. :p Would we do it again on another NCL cruise, most likely - answer is NO. :D

[Pokeraddict]

It's really nothing more than an flavorless asian fondue. Been there done it once. Having said that the Asain Restaurant on board the NCLships has always been one of our favorites.

They cook the seafood (shrimp scallops)to perfection.

[sdmike]

This is on the Jewel? I don't see it on any deck plans

[DMH15]

This is on the Jewel? I don't see it on any deck plans

 

Mike, it's a nook in the Asian place. B

[sdmike]

Mike, it's a nook in the Asian place. B

 

Ah. Ok

 

Personally I think ships need a good pho restaurant. This almost sounded like that, but poorly done

[Kaboochi]

I see on the dailies that there is a specialty restaurant on deck 7 called Mongolian Hot Pot. Has anyone been there? If so, what was it like?

 

We did not care for the food because you put the meats into a boiling pot of water to ook them and they lacked flavoring. Just my opinion:)

[DMH15]

Ah. Ok

 

Personally I think ships need a good pho restaurant. This almost sounded like that, but poorly done

 

I'd go for that a big bowl of pho with cilantro and sweet basil. Yum.

[sdmike]

I'd go for that a big bowl of pho with cilantro and sweet basil. Yum.

 

..and rare steak, bean sprouts and a squeeze of lime. Guess what I had for lunch today. lol

[endymion6942]

Save your money and go to LeBistro.

[Hikini]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Sounds like a good place to skip!

[sdmike]

They could do so much better using broth instead of water for this.

Shame

[DMH15]

..and rare steak, bean sprouts and a squeeze of lime. Guess what I had for lunch today. lol

 

Yum, we think alike. Pho is my brother's favorite meal. We enjoy going out for some since his wife is a hamburger/pizza gal. :)

[DMH15]

They could do so much better using broth instead of water for this.

Shame

 

Being a chef, of course nothing beats a good homemade stock. But I buy a stock base that is low sodium that is really good to make soup at the office. Surely NCL could use something like this over water. Yuk! Even to my base I add celery, onion, etc. to make it richer.

[kcfoxy]

Hikini,

 

We were seated in a window banquette in Chin Chin. Directly across from us was a round table and a 60's something couple celebrating their anniversary.

 

They opted for the Mongolian Hot Pot...I thnk they also call this Shabu Shabu someplaces? There was a lot of table side prep and attention from one of the dining room hostesses. She really made that couple feel special and I'm sure they enjoyed that aspect of the meal.

 

Steamed rice and choice of proteins. a big steaming pot and couple of small skimmers. I didn't realize the simmering liquid was only water. I guess you had the side benefits of a facial or sinus treatment (without those SPA prices :D). Maybe not as nice for people whose hair tends to frizz, though.

 

It seemed just okay, in terms of their enjoyment of the food itself, but the pampering was a fine thing to watch.

[elhenry]

Guess I'm not a big time foodie, but it was not at all flavorless, not bland and lots of fun. Mixing up all the different veggies and meats, and cooking it in the hotpot meant that all could have a meal they enjoyed. For me, and me alone, I would skip LeBistro (overpriced and underwhelming) and go to the Hotpot twice.

 

a chacun son gout!

 

el henry