Tasty Pot (De Anza) — Restaurant in San Jose

This is a tricky one. There is definitely potential in a Taiwanese-style personalized hot-pot. And such a hot pot is really different from mainland China or Japanese shabu shabu. So I get all that. But at the end of the day, you want a great experience. And that's where things are a bit tricky. Perhaps it may be my disfamiliarity with Taiwanese spices (although I highly doubt this is the case). But the food overall was "off" by a bit and I couldn't put a pulse on what was up.

Let's take the example of the Thai Tomkha Hot Pot. So clearly, they tried to emulate the essence of the tomkha and you can tell that's what they are trying. But it literally tastes just like all the other flavors - so I guess they are using the same base broth - but mixes in with the supposed essence of tomkha. Unfortunately, it comes across like a caricature of the taste of tomkha. It has the shapes of it, but misses the inner critical points. The essence of Thai soup is coconut milk. But no where can I sense this in this tomkha hot pot. Something is just way off. On the other hand, the ingredients seem decently fresh and the hot pot is jammed in with a lot of seafood, so I give them that. But again, it almost is a tease, and this isn't your Thai hot pot.

The sizzler beef and udon also was good, but came out a bit weird. They don't cook the udon, but just put dry cold udon on a hot sizzler. I understand that as it sizzles, the udon might soften up thanks to the hot steam. But this is leaving too much to chances that I would continue mixing and tossing the noodles. The sausce was good and went along well with the beef and noodles once it was all tossed well. But by then, the dish was lukewarm. Again, I understand the concept it was going for. I just don't think it was executed well.

I leave it with 4 stars as the price was extremely reasonable and affordable. For a good beef udon sizzler, it came out to $15 and change. It is very seldom you get to find a dish of that caliber sub-$20 anywhere in the Bay Area.

You'll have a good meal. But you sure would also raise your eyebrows a couple times. I'd give Tasty Pot another chance. But not with the high expectations I had with it being a Japanese tapas/shabu shabu...

I was super excited to have the opportunity to try this place. I had never tried Taiwanese food or a hot pot so I was very curious to what the flavors would be like.

We arrived and had to check in via an iPad outside to join a waitlist. Although a few people were ahead of us we didn't have to wait long to get our table. We sat and scanned a QR code to order through a menu in our phones. We ordered a sizzler, a hot pot, a side dish and a couple of drinks.

The hot pot arrived steaming and I was surprised to see how loaded it was, with fresh veggies, tender meats, and seafood. I especially enjoyed the giant prawns. It was like a flavor explosion with every bite, especially when paired with their range of side seasonings. I was also so surprised at how big the portion was and struggled to finish it. Definately think the soup is shareable.

Then there was the beef sizzler - sizzling right to our table, the thin tender meat and perfectly seasoned veggies. It was a feast for the senses, with flavors that just made us go "wow" with every bite.

We tried a couple of drinks here too, I had Thai iced coffee and it was great to be able to customize it to how I wanted it, light ice or little or no sugar.

The only reason why this place is not getting 5 stars is that the staff were not the friendliest. Felt like they didn't want to really be there, didn't great us or explain how to order. We just used our initiative with the QR code in the table. Apart from that I really enjoyed the food here and will return and recommend it to my friends. There's lots on the menu I...

If you’re a fan of flavorful hot pots and exceptional service, Tastypot is a must-visit! 🍲 Located in San Jose, this cozy spot serves authentic Taiwanese hot pots for both lunch and dinner, and it didn’t disappoint.

We tried the Seafood Lobster Hot Soup and the Kimchi Dumpling Hot Soup, both of which were packed with bold flavors and fresh ingredients. The bubbling pots featured delicious add-ins like lotus root, roe fishball, chicken wings, and vermicelli, creating a perfectly balanced and hearty meal.

For drinks, we ended with Mango Green Tea and Taro Milk Tea, both of which were absolutely refreshing and the perfect way to cool down after the hot pots. I particularly loved both drinks—they added a sweet touch to our savory experience.

As someone who avoids pork, I was thrilled that the staff took the time to suggest alternative broth options for me while accommodating my partner’s preferences. Their attention to detail and willingness to cater to dietary needs really stood out.

Pro Tips: • Visit during lunch hours to enjoy a free green tea with your meal! • Don’t hesitate to ask for free broth refills to keep the flavors going—it’s a great way to make the most of your hot...