Big Way the right way for first timers~
This was my very first time trying Big Way, the individual hot pot experience that has taken the city by storm with nine locations around metro Vancouver and three more coming including Langley, Lougheed, and UBC.
Today we were at the downtown Vancouver, West End location as part of their BIA’s Lunar New Year food tour, showcasing all the quality Asian restaurants the area has to offer.
Our experience was on a time limit and we had a schedule to keep, so did not get the full experience. However, this taster teaser was enough to have me planning a return soon. So here are a few tips I wish I knew coming into this and will definitely apply on my subsequent visit.
First of all expect a wait, I have actually attempted to stop by other locations in the past, but have always been deterred by a physical line and hearing of the wait time.
The restaurant combines the experience of a buffet where you self serve and scoop what you want, with that of hot pot where it is all boiled up in your chosen broth. There is even a sauce bar that you can collect additional sauces and seasonings to use. However, I found my chosen broth fragrant enough that I did not need this. Although, ideal for takeaway or to have with any leftovers. Sesame oil, vinegar, sirarcha, cilantro, green onion, Thai chilli, garlic, bbq sauce, oyster sauce, sesame peanut sauce, and their own Big Way soy sauce.
You begin by grabbing one of their pots with matching tongs. They are fairly large so don’t feel the need to fill them. A quarter full is plenty for one, with leftovers to boot.
All the ingredients are displays in individual troughs on a fully refridgerated wall. And like a side scrolling adventure game you move forward, with no way to turn around. So get what catches your eye because there is no going back. Although at the same time be warned that you are paying for what you take by weight. So if you focus on more lighter items you can walk away with a meal under $20, which is not often seen and a great value; especially as dessert is free.
Seafood options including fish and meat balls are first. There is whole octopus, cuttlefish, crayfish, and mussels. Expect crab legs, snakehead fish, and squid rings. For something more kid friendly there are tofu puffs, shrimp balls shaped like money bags, and cheese stuffed gluten cakes. Although, these do add greatly to the weight.
Instead, look to the meat available in thin slices and curls, typical of other hot pot places. Lamb, pork, beef, quail eggs, and even luncheon meat. There is even cooked food like tuna, fried eggs, and even deep fried Chinese doughnut balls. Most of it I didn’t expect and stayed away from for my first time, as I focused on what I knew I liked. With this many options there is reason to return and try them all for a whole new experience anyways.
The line ends with vegetables, mushroom, and noodles, and because it is not all you can eat, they serve as the best value and are guaranteed to fill. Lettuce, winter melon, broccoli, sea kelp, lotus root, baby corn, black fungus, enoki, button, and shimeji mushrooms. Not just vermicelli, udon, and instant noodles; but mung bean, shirataki noodles, and fresh spinach noodles. This is a good way to try something new.
I missed it on my run, but later learned that their deep fried crispy egg is a signature item and one of the ones to get. And for the season of love, it is shaped like a heart. Just as well, it would have gotten soggy in my chosen broth and if added into a dry rub it gets chopped up and loses its seasonal shape anyways. More on the both below.
After you have filled you pot it is weighed at the counter and you are asked to pay for your purchase in exchange for a number.
All your raw ingredients are cooked in their back kitchen with your chosen broth. They have ten different options to choose from including Szechuan green peppercorn, collagen bone broth, miso, Tom yum, and a vegan tomato and/or mushroom option. A handful allows you to choose your heat level with an extra spicy “Big Way Hot” option. And a couple allow you to have it as a dry rub with no soup. So depending on your choice, is how your meal will taste.
I was already overwhelmed with choice so went with optuon number one: their best selling Signatrue Ma La Tang. This is a broth that is left to simmer with Szechuan chilli oil. It is meant to be spicy and numbing with a tingling sensation, but I had it mild and as a result it was just a rich and savoury broth. They also gave me the option to add cheese, so I agreed. Apparently this would have been better suited to a spicy broth to help balance and dull some of the chilli.
In my case, my pot was boiled and brought out to me in a more shallow pot for easier eating. Served on a wooden tray with matching golden chopsticks and large soup spoon. It was delicious with a great mix of textures to sort through, accompanied by large sips of the soup. I did reach for the sauce bar mid way to rejuvenate the flavour.
I recommend ordering one of their drinks to help cleanse the palate and refresh your mouth in between mouthfuls. My go to is always winter melon.
And be sure to not scoop too much, as you want to save room for dessert. They are just as popular for their soft serve ice cream as they are their hot pots. Apparently many people come in and order $5 worth of hot pot items, just to get a cone for free. The flavour is always on rotation and for the month of February it is the best ube soft serve in a charcoal cone that I have ever had. So fresh and fragrant in this bold purple hue. A petite serving that is just enough to end your meal on a sweet note.
In closing, I will definitely be back. Now that I have had my first taste, I can see what the buzz is all about and why people love this chain as much as they do. Can recommend.
Big Way Hot Pot (West End)
1479 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C1
(604) 564-8887
bigwayhotpot.com
