Walking into a hot pot date is nothing short of a challenge. With little experience; scratch that — no experience — it is quite a daunting task. And that is exactly where Yama Hot Pot & Grill comes in; pioneering the very concept of hot pot in Bangladesh.

Why not paint the canvas of our first hot pot with the restaurant who audaciously cemented their name as the first hot pot restaurant of the country?

The warm lights and the wooden floor contribute to establishing a very moody environment. It allows you to settle down and ease in from the get go. The well-orchestrated frames hung on walls give you an idea of the background of this unique dining concept, along with a peek into Chinese culture.

Vibrant Chinese lamps and symbols add a punch of excitement to the moody décor, along with a hint of the cuisine's roots. The dark sofas are spacious and spread around a large area to give you privacy, and to ensure the enjoyment of the hot pot in peace and ease.

The tables are roomy, with plenty of space to fill in with 45 plus ingredients. The built-in electric stove is massive, to make sure that the stock pot is at eye level and you do not have to stretch your neck too hard, or leave your seat to tower over the pot and add the ingredients. Each of the tables have a cone shaped exhaust, camouflaging with the black ceiling, ensuring a well-ventilated and smoke free space.

Yama Hot Pot & Grill has a very generous buffet offer for its customers. Customers get to choose two broths from amongst three, Sichuan Traditional Spicy, Clear and Tomato that are prepared from beef and mutton stock. It is always advisable to opt for their Sichuan Traditional Spicy and Clear broth. However, if hot pot is your cup of tea, then you can always switch any of the two broths with their tomato version.

The idea of a hot pot is to take your sweet time, and slowly cook and savour every bite of the meal. It can be messy, so keep your aprons handy. A lot of preparation goes into having a hotpot from the customer's end. Preparing the dipping sauce can be intimidating, but rest assured for there's no right rule when it comes to preparing it. The sauce counter can be tempting and you might want to mix in all the ingredients, however, bear in mind to taste the sauce from time to time to make sure that it is not too tangy or salty.

The staff of Yama Hot Pot & Grill will be your guardian angels as they guide you from time to time, ensuring that you are heating your broth at the right temperature; even refilling your broth when needed. Their menu is elaborate and well thought, as they tell you how long each ingredient needs to be cooked.

Once you have picked all of your favourite items, it is important to remember to cook each of the ingredients depending on their type.

Begin with the vegetables, followed by little bits of chicken or beef, according to your preference. You can enjoy the clear broth as a soup, along with some chicken or shrimp, acting as the perfect appetiser for your meal. Move on to the chicken next and then the beef, concluding your feast with sea food.

Some of the highlights from Yama Hot Pot & Grill's buffet were their dumplings, sliced beef, Pa-Beef, beef roll with seasonal vegetables, chicken gizzard, chicken stick, sliced lamb role, fresh shrimp, cuttlefish, crab stick, tofu skin, sliced pumpkin, corn, all types of mushrooms, and of course, quail egg.

The chicken dumplings melt in your mouth upon the first bite, as the tangy sauce blends in with the doughy shell and delicate chicken. The sliced beef has egg yolk resting on its surface, which is meant to be mixed with it, allowing the beef to be cooked well.

The tender cuttlefish screams freshness, while the chicken wings are juicy and spicy. Tofu skin is slightly chewy, and when cooked in the spicy broth, can add a punch of spice and flavour. The mushrooms are juicy and soft, which must be eaten warm. Leaving it to cool down can take away from its taste and make it pungent. End the hot pot experience with a light burst of sugar in the form of fruits or a scoop of ice-cream.

It is easy to get carried away with the scrumptious meal you are concocting and forgetting the ingredient you last added, but that's part of the experience; leaving the broth as a Mystery Box.

Yama Hot Pot & Grill is a well-orchestrated restaurant, which has established a unique dining experience for the country. Hot pot is more than just a fun experience, and more of a therapy, allowing you to unwind and relax. What started more than 1,000 years ago during the time of the Jin Dynasty has finally made its way to Bangladesh, pioneering a new concept in cuisine.

Photo courtesy: Yama Hotpot and Grill

Buffet Pricing:

Buffet for 1 person: BDT 1800+

Buffet for 2 people: BDT 3500+

Buffet for 4 people: BDT 6800+

Buffet for 6 people: BDT 10000+

Address: House-55, Gausul Azam Avenue, Sector-14, Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Working Hours: 10AM — 10PM

For more information, call 01711402228, or visit https://www.facebook.com/Yamahotpot/