![]() Think of it as fondue without the innate douchiness that comes with fondue. So what the hell is Hot Pot? Like I said earlier, it’s a communal dish that’s centered around broth and meat/veggies. In China, Hot Pot is called huoguo with the loose translation meaning fire pot, and if you’ve ever had Hot Pot you’d understand that the description is spot on. Put those factors together and people will get real crafty, real fast. Any way you spin it, the dish was created by folks who were A)Cold AF, B)Probably short on supplies, and C)Hungry. The dish itself was bred from Chinese Muslims who were poor, cold, and most importantly hungry (or Mongolian warriors depending on who you talk to). But at its core, New Generation Hot Pot is a family business, a manifestation of the American dream, serving good, honest food and hoping you’ll give them a chance.Hot Pot is a traditional Chinese dish that is centered around a “hot pot” of broth and an assortment of ingredients that you dip in it. No huge dining space with private rooms to boot. There’s no tablet to order your next plate of meat. There is a lack of frills compared to hot pot restaurants in Ellicott City or Rockville. “Favorite meat here, probably the sliced fatty beef.” And he promises another favorite, sliced ribeye, will make it on the menu soon. “My preferred sauce - hoisin sauce, sesame oil, hint of chili oil, parsley, jalapenos and a tap of sugar,” he details with precision. “Come in, have a try, don’t be afraid to ask questions.” He even gives his recommendations. To both veterans who are craving hot pot and first-timers who balk at the idea of having to cook their own food, Ming asks they keep an open mind. All waitress Liah could say is that, “It’s been like this every day and it’s only Thursday,” before she zips back to the kitchen to serve another table. In minutes, all the tables were accounted for. On the last day of the deal, there was a line out the door before dinner service started. And establish a diverse customer base.īut to give a little nudge, New Generation offered half off the all-you-can-eat menu in its first week. There’s a lack of traditional Chinese restaurants in the area and it’s a great intersection of diversity.” He has a clear plan of action. ![]() Ming has a laundry list as to why Towson is the ideal location for this mission: “Of course, the university is of key importance. A Taiwanese American patron endorses the food as “really good, definitely authentic.” He also echoes Ming’s sentiment, remembering how “Thanksgiving was always hot pot.” Spreading this unmatchable comfort is New Generation’s noble cause, and it has all the tools to succeed. Hot pot is about sitting together with close friends and family, sharing food as it cooks in a simmering vat of delicious soup stock, basking in the warm air. We had it every American holiday and I wanted to fill that need of bringing families together.” “I loved hot pot as an immigrant but it’s hard to find in the United States,” he said. ![]() He admits that New Generation was a family idea. They own buffets and take-out joints from Texas to the Sunshine State. After moving to Florida as a teenager, he got experience working at a restaurant run by his family. He’s no stranger to the restaurant business in fact, it’s in his blood. You can tell this place is run by Chinese-Americans.īorn in Fuzhou, China, Ming spent his childhood in New York City’s iconic Manhattan Chinatown and is now setting up shop in Towson, Maryland. Of the two TVs, one plays SportsCenter and the other shows the food adventures of YouTube star Mike Chen. Tucked into the corner is the classic convenience store ice cream freezer and a small but ever-important build-your-own sauce bar. Colorful bowls of vegetables, noodles and other goodies zip down the center of the restaurant on a polished, white conveyor belt. The contemporary interior design, fit with mini cacti hanging from the ceiling, contrasts the traditional Chinese paintings and ornaments that pop beneath the industrial lighting. ![]() From the moment you step inside, it’s clear that Ming Zhang, the owner-manager, is living a kind of American dream. As Baltimore got its first taste of warm weather in mid-March, New Generation Hot Pot opened its doors in Towson. ![]()
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