SF Peninsula: iPot Plus

I understand that people are entitled to their own preferences, but I honestly cannot understand CL's love for hot pot.  Hot pot just isn't my thing.  (Likely because of my childhood trauma of eating hot pot for weeks on end.)

Anyway, CL and DK wanted to take T to iPot Plus and being a good friend, I didn't kick up a fuss:

Well, not much of one.

The place was pretty packed.  There was a bit of a wait before the four of us squeezed into our own booth:

The tabletop had two hot plates.  One for hot pot and one for grilling.  The predominant reason why I let CL and T talk me into going to a hot pot buffet was the fact that iPot also offers all you can eat barbecue and dim sum.  There's a handy laminated menu that you can mark up every time you want to order more:

For their soup base, CL, T, and DK chose a split pot with Szechuan spicy soup and pickled cabbage with pork soup:

From the veggie section, they got napa cabbage and a choy:

As well as tong ho and fried bean curd:

And enoki and shitake: 

Now prepare yourselves for a series of photos that I call "Sliced Meats: A Variety".  I have no clue what is what anymore.  I apologize.  Anyway, please enjoy:  

Because of lack of space, each table came with its own rolling shelf cart:

This might be the rib eye:

This...I have no clue:

I'm not even going to try to identify this:

T always wants shrimp and mussels:

Even though I don't like hot pot, I enjoyed the shrimp and and fish paste because they came in these nifty holders that let you slide as much as you want into the hot pot:

There were also beef balls and quail eggs:

The biangbiang noodles came on a cute wooden rack:

From the pre-cooked menu, we got the lamb skewers:

There was a limit of one order per table.

We also ordered kalbi:

I wasn't super satisfied with the barbecue, so I had to add an order of pork and veggie dumplings:

And then to round out the meal, we ended with fried buns and condensed milk:

Even though barbecue was an option, it really wasn't.  There were a few meat offerings that were designated for barbecue, but the majority of the meats were meant for hot pot.  This meant that the meats were thinly sliced and no fun when grilled.  

At $33.95 per person, I would rather go to a KBBQ buffet or a sushi buffet.  Sorry, iPot Plus, I probably won't be back.  

Unless CL and T demand it, in which case I will acquiesce.  Because I'm a good friend, dammit.

iPot Plus

121 El Camino Real

Millbrae, CA 94030 

(650) 867-8860