Hot Pot City opens in Troy

Hot Pot City has opened in Troy, and although it is owner Sonny Nguyen’s first venture as a restauranteur, the restaurant business has always been in his blood. In Vietnam, his family owned two restaurants. In fact, he says he’s been cooking since age seven. “Hot pot” is a communal eating experience in which patrons order different ingredients to boil inside a large simmering pot of broth. “Traditional hot pots can be Thai, Japanese, Chinese or Korean. Ours are Asian Fusion – which a little bit of everything,” says Nguyen. Guest can choose their own ingredients or order suggested combinations from the menu. The Saigon Seafood hot pot includes bok choy, shrimp, sliced pork, enoki mushrooms, iced tofu, baby octopus, clams, fish filet, vermicelli, egg and green onion. Nguyen points out that at Hot Pot City, the meats come to the table pre-cooked. An extensive list of non-alcoholic bubble drinks such as the strawberry yakult or the mango sensation slush are also available. The restaurant’s signature drink is the Vietnamese coffee, which Nguyen describes as strong coffee brewed using a Vietnamese phin filter – a coffee brewing tool common and popular in Vietnam. Hot Pot City, located at 2008 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, accepts reservations and is also available for carry-out. hotpotcitymi.com