Hi Pot - Bethlehem — Restaurant in Bethlehem

We ordered: Seafood Ramen, Tonkotsu Ramen, Spicy Stinky Tofu appetizer (yes, that is how it is described), and hot green tea.

The short review:

Mediocre ramen, really nothing stand out about it, and its highlight being the classic soft-boiled marinated egg halves. As far as the tofu - by “stinky” they mean manure (think Farm show). Drinks are served in plastic or disposable cups, which is disappointing. Funky atmosphere and clean bathroom.

Overall: 3.5 / 5

The long review:

Having tried ramen at a multitude of places in the US on both coasts as well as in Europe, I was curious about this location because this place was so highly rated - an impressive 4.8/5 at the time of visiting with several hundred reviews. I cannot state how confused I am at this rating. While the ramen is certainly edible, the overall tastes are a bit bland, the broth unremarkable and a bit on the thin side, and the pork belly tough and tasteless rather than tender and delicious as it should be. To be fair, the noodles were at least of a good texture and the serving sizes are what one should expect for a main dish.

As for the Spicy “stinky” tofu, well, it certainly is an experience. I think somewhere in the menu it says that the flavor is what makes it special despite its off-putting smell. But the flavor isn’t anything special - kind of spicy umami pork gravy. Unfortunately, the consistency of the tofu is tough and hard on the outside while being that typical unenjoyable old decaying sponge kind of texture on the inside. I don’t like wasting food, so between the two of us we stomached through it, but unless you’re in for something kind of novel in its bizarreness, I can’t really recommend it.

The green tea was fine, it had some strong floral notes in it which isn’t what I expected, but they helped to freshen up the lingering taste of the tofu.

Otherwise, the service was nice and prompt and the location clean. The decor is a mix of colors and themes, with fun space lamps in the ceiling. If ever in the area again I don’t think I’d go back if I’m being honest, because neither of us enjoyed it enough to do so. Also -1 point for using plastic cups for water and disposable cups for tea. We were dining in and this just seemed kind of like cheap (and wasteful) presentation next to the nicer non-disposable bowls...

Came here with my girlfriend for an impromptu date night, around seven pm. We were really excited from the pictures online, but let me tell you; pictures don't do justice for how amazing this food is. We started out with some appetizers, the Japanese dumplings and the garlic pork belly. Both were perfect size and absolutely delicious, the garlic pork belly was so simple and flavorful, perfect mix of garlic and chili. For our main meal, we shared the Japanese miso hot pot, medium spicy. Honestly, I couldn't imagine someone eating this alone, cause the two of us devoured all we could and still had some left over. It's a beautiful sight having a bubbling pot in front of you, filled with all sorts of delicious surprises and textures. From the marinated egg, the udon noodles, the pork belly and whole shrimp all swimming in a delicious steaming broth; we were in heaven! At the end, we shared a mango sago. The fresh mango flavor with smooth milk texture was a perfect end to honestly, one of the best meals we've had in awhile. Don't wait too long to visit this place, right in the middle of Southside Bethlehem. A very welcome addition!! P. S: shout out to the servers, service was amazing and...

Dined in on a Saturday night around 8pm. Ordered stinky tofu, Taiwanese hot pot, and kimchi ramen. Service was fast and friendly.

It was my first time having stinky tofu, and I really enjoyed it. It's funky and strong smelling, but so good on the tastebuds. Similar effect as strong bleu cheese. The Taiwanese person I was dining with said it wasn't "stinky enough" and that she would have preferred the traditional serving accompaniment of garlic sauce to the bean sauce they served it with. Still, she said it satisfied her craving for it and she was happy to know we can get it near NYC.

The personal Taiwan hot pot was full of traditional goodies- bean curd skin, clams, ennoki, sliced beef, tendon, bamboo shoot, and so on. We both loved it along with the kimchi ramen. The waitress was concerned I would think the kimchi ramen was too spicy (I guess bc I'm American?) but I ended up needing to make it spicier with the chili oil to suit my tastes.

Would return. Recommended for Taiwanese food lovers looking for dishes and dining styles that you'd...