This incoming Pensacola restaurant is fusing Korean barbecue with Asian hot pot
Has your interest been piqued by Pensacola’s newest all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurant coming soon to the Cordova Mall area? Ours too. Here’s everything we know about HQ Korean BBQ & Hot Pot so far and what you can expect.
Where is HQ Korean BBQ & Hot Pot located?
HQ Korean BBQ & Hot Pot is located at 4958 Bayou Blvd. where The Juicy Crab, a New Orleans style seafood boil restaurant, was previously located. The restaurant is merging the flavors of Korean barbecue and the style of traditional Shabu Shabu, or Japanese hot pot dish, per the restaurant’s website.
Are there any other locations or is this the first one?
This is not the restaurant’s first location, as there is one in Norfolk, Virginia, and another in Duluth, Georgia. The restaurants other two locations have received largely positive reviews, collectively averaging a 4.6 rating on Google reviews.
When will HQ Korean BBQ & Hot Pot open?
The restaurant teased on social media to “stay tuned for the official opening date,” and owners have not responded to the News Journal’s request for more information. However, business hours are listed for the Pensacola location once it does open to the public and are listed as 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, noon to midnight on Friday and Saturday and noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday.
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What will the restaurant be like?
The HQ Korean BBQ restaurant is meant to bring a sense of community through feasting over good food, per the restaurant’s website. The food is hands-on, all-you-can-eat dining that merges traditional Japanese Shabu Shabu with Korean BBQ flavors. The restaurant will have a full bar and night-life atmosphere. According to customer reviews at the restaurant’s other locations, iPads are placed on the table for customers to order ingredients to the table to mix in with the pot, including garlic pork belly, spicy beef bulgogi, sliced ribeye, shrimp, zucchini and sliced pumpkins. The restaurant’s Facebook page notes that customers can expect a stylishly designed space with aromas of sizzling meats and fragrant broths filling the air. Other locations have featured a variety of broths to choose from, including a Korean kimchi.
What is Korean barbecue?
Korean barbecue is the act of grilling marinated meat over a hot, tableside grill, along with sauces and side dishes. The Korean barbecue concept is not new to Pensacola, which has welcomed a variety of Korean barbecue restaurants into the area over the years. Typical meats include pork belly, prime rib, brisket and short rib, alongside side dishes, called banchan, and rice and sauces. One popular sauce being ssamjang, made with soybean paste and red pepper paste.
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What is Shabu Shabu?
Shabu Shabu is a Japanese hotpot dish prepared by cooking thinly sliced meat in a hot pot piece by piece, in a piping hot broth. The name itself is an onomatopoeia, mimicking the swishing sound of the meat in the broth. The literal translation of the word is “swish swish.” Various meats can be used, but thinly sliced beef is the most common. Sauces are served in accompaniment for cooking the meat and vegetables. Some of the most common sauces in Japan include ponzu and sesame sauce.
How do I follow along with the restaurant?
HQ can be reached through HQ Korean BBQ & Hot Pot - Pensacola, FL on Facebook, (850) 466-2154 by phone and [email protected] by email.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: HQ Korean BBQ & Hot Pot brings new foodie experience to Pensacola
