The Soup Alone Is Worth the Visit to This Space-Themed Hot Pot Resto in San Juan

Lan Hot Pot
8 Missouri Center, San Juan City
Contact: 0945-695-7776
Instagram: instagram.com/lanhotpotofficial/
Open from 10 a.m. to 12 m.n., Monday to Sunday

(SPOT.ph) Whether it be a scorching hot day or a week-long torrential pour, there's something about slurping away the day's woes that has Filipinos constantly looking for a steaming hot bowl of soup. Sure, restaurants left and right offer their take on the dish but nothing beats a cook-it-yourself style a.k.a. hot pot after a long day. Though mix-ins and toppings always make any hot pot meal special, we'd argue that the real star of any hot pot is its broth. If you're craving good soup that's slurp-worthy even on its own, we say hit up Lan Hot Pot (formerly called Nan Hot Pot) in San Juan.

Also read: 10 Hot Pot + Grill Restaurants to Hit Two Cravings in One Go

Here's what you need to know about Lan Hot Pot in Greenhills, San Juan City:

Most popular (and unlimited!) hot pot haunts can be found near the business districts with some hidden gems tucked away in Quezon City as well, but what about those folk smack dab in the middle of North and South? Lan Hot Pot's got your back. Tucked away on the second floor of 8 Missouri Center, the restaurant doesn't appear big from the outside—but upon entering, boy, did we realize we were mistaken.

You're greeted by an IG-worthy space that resembles a theme park ride instead of your usual hotpot restaurant. The space-themed joint spans an entire half of the building's second floor and can roughly sit 60 to 80 diners at a time, perhaps more, if you're the type that loves to squeeze into a booth with your friends. 

Now for the good part. Lan Hot Pot employs an ala-carte system when it comes to making the perfect hot pot. You can easily order from your table using the staff's tablet, but where's the fun in that? Instead, patrons are encouraged to roam around the Self-Selection Area to take their pick from the freshest ingredients readily available.

It can be said that anyone's attempt at a successful meal is highly dependent on the broth being used. If you're a first-timer and unfamiliar with the Lan Hot Pot setup, you best pay attention as their soup bases can get pretty confusing.

First and foremost, solo servings are available if you just want a specific flavor like their Signature Chicken Soup (P559) which is ultra-comforting after a long day out; the Mushroom and Chicken (P559) broth that's fondly reminiscent of Chinese herbal brews and earthy flavors; their fiery-AF Mala Spicy (P559) that isn't for the faint of heart; the Sour Kimchi (P459) base that's inspired by sinigang but more similar to Korean jjigae in flavor; and the Tomato (P459) base just in case you want something different.

Each soup base is refillable to your heart's content and if you're with a group, we highly suggest you split your soup base and go for either a Double Combo (P559) or Triple Combo (P659) which allows you to try more flavors.

It may seem overwhelming at first but picking your fixins at the Self-Selection Area is pretty straightforward. Carbohydrates in the form of noodles and other soup suckers like Korean fish cakes and dough sticks come in Blue Plates (P88/plate) while Green Plates (P128/plate) give you your usual hot pot fare like tofu, corn, sweet potatoes, enoki and other types of mushrooms, and even sotanghon. Premium balls—mushroom, lobster, squid, you know the works—are classified by way of the Yellow Plates (P228/plate) while meats such as ox tongue, char siu, satay beef, as well as other seafood can be identified by the "Mandarin" or Red Plates (P328/each).

Of course, you mustn't forget the sauce! For an additional cost of P49 per person, you can mix and match your own Dip Sauce or place your trust in the restaurant's staff and leave it to them to deliver you a mouthwatering concoction.

Once everything's ready to go, it's time to head back to your table and start cooking your hot pot and pretend you're in a Potions class at Hogwarts (the steam from the hot mixture tends to do that to us, not gonna lie). Since we're in the Philippines, it would be a crime not to order some type of rice—so go ahead and order a plate or two of the Egg Fried Rice (P129) which surprisingly makes for a good palate cleanser in between sips of the hearty broth.

Just like the traditional Chinese restaurant with dimsum carts going around the establishment, the experience is also available in Lan Hot Pot thanks to their Dumplings that are made fresh right at your table. The dumplings—which consist of eight plump dumplings—are classified as a Yellow-slash-Orange Plate, meaning it falls under the P228-per-serving category.

Make no mistake, a meal at Lan Hot Pot may not be classified as  unlimited but by the end of it all, you're pretty much feeling it as you try to button close your bottoms. Still, seeing as it is an ala-carte affair, leftovers are welcomed. In fact, you get to take them home in heavy duty plastic bowls where you have the option to infuse all uncooked ingredients into your existing broth or keep them separate—you know, for a longer shelf life. Consider this your sign to call the gang and make your way to their out-of-this-world location soon.

Hey, Spotters! Check us out on Viber to join our Community and subscribe to our Chatbot.