U and Me Revolving Hot Pot: A Brave New Dining Experience
The future of dining is here, and it features a short, purple, and white robot named Peanut!
At U and Me Revolving Hot Pot, a restaurant that’s recently opened outside of the entrance to Disney World, robots are the main source of attraction and service.
Here, robots not only show you to your table, but they also deliver your meal! The first restaurant in the area to employ robots on staff, U and Me offers a first-hand look at what dining could look like in the not-so-distant future.
Of course, the robots aren’t the only reason to check out U and Me Revolving Hot Pot. This Orlando restaurant also serves up some pretty delicious, authentic Chinese cuisine. Specializing in hot pot, a traditional sizzling soup featuring a variety of toppings, U and Me provides guests with the opportunity to make their own culinary creations. You can mix and match ingredients as you see fit, cooking up the perfect soup right from the comfort of your own table. (That’s right – you get to cook and call the shots!)
With robots, traditional cuisine, and personalized cooking methods, U and Me offers a unique experience that promises to leave you craving more.
Robotic Buddies at U and Me Revolving Hot Pot
U and Me Revolving Hot Pot provides the perfect opportunity to indulge your love for soulful robots like the Iron Giant or WALL-E. . .or just a chance to spice up your next evening out!
By combining futuristic components (the robots!) with traditional cuisine, this unique restaurant is a tasty collision of past and future. With this new type of dining also comes a new set of norms and expectations for guests and employees alike.
Instead of be seated by a server, you’ll now be guided to your table by the adorable Peanut, a friendly talking robot. As you follow him through the restaurant, be careful not to get in his way, as he does tend to get flustered when his path is blocked! (Same, though.)
You’ll also notice delivery robots. These hollow robots with blinking, kitten-like faces contain multiple shelves to carry and deliver everything – including menus, food, and drinks! There’s even a conveyor belt for deliveries to your table, although, this is electronic rather than robotic. (But still futuristic!)
It might take a few moments to adjust when you first arrive, but we promise these robotic additions will definitely add some charm and excitement to your dining experience. You might just find yourself humming “Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto. . .”
The History of Hot Pot
While U and Me may provide a new approach to hot pot dining, the dish itself has been around for centuries. Thought to have originated in China more than 1,000 years ago, the roots of hot pot are generally traced back to the nomadic Mongolian horsemen who used to travel through China at that time.
As they were always on the road, they had limited supplies to cook with, so it’s widely believed they would use their helmets as pots. They would gather whatever ingredients they could find, mix it with water in their helmets, and cook it as a group over open flames. Eventually, this cooking method was picked up by local communities in China and spread throughout the country and into the rest of Asia, where it was adapted and modified to fit local cuisine preferences.
While we obviously don’t cook hot pot in helmets anymore, the idea behind hot pot remains the same – we come together to create a soup-based meal for all to enjoy. Despite its futuristic take on things, this is still the same mentality embraced by U and Me. With built-in stovetops at each table, guests at the restaurant have the opportunity to cook and eat with their family, friends, and of course, the robots!
At U and Me, it isn’t just about the food. It’s also about the social experience of cooking together and spending time with one another.
A Mouth-Watering Menu:
All You Can Eat Hot Pot
Most hot pot restaurants offer unlimited all-you-can-eat options, and thankfully, U and Me is no different! For a flat fee, you can indulge in all the food that you like for a maximum of two hours, meaning that you can ask for seconds (or maybe even thirds) guilt-free!
Your order begins with selecting your broth, and there are currently seven to choose from. If you’re looking for the traditional hot pot experience, we’d recommend ordering the Original Broth – featuring a mix of herbs and spices. This broth is the most authentic option on the list! But if you prefer a little extra spice, consider choosing the Spicy Broth, which is known to pack quite a punch! Another fan favorite is the Pork Bone Broth, which, as you may have guessed, is made using pork bones and adds more of a meaty flavor to the soup.
Once you’ve selected your broth, you can move on to the proteins. On the far side of the restaurant, you’ll see them all laid out, buffet-style. With over twenty options to choose from, there’s something for everybody! Shaved meats are a popular choice, especially the shaved beef brisket and chicken breast. However, if you prefer seafood, there’s a wide variety of options to consider, including shrimp, squid, fish fillet, mussels, crab, crawfish, and even fish balls. For our vegetarians out there, we’re happy to report U and Me also offers tofu in various forms, including fresh, frozen, and fried!
Once you’ve grabbed all the protein you can fit on your plate, head back to your table and wait for the rest of the toppings to arrive on the conveyer belt. These conveyor belts wrap around each table, continuously delivering individual servings of the noodle and vegetable toppings. You can grab as many or as little as you like – the choice is yours!
With over twenty toppings to choose from, it can be hard to decide which ones to pick up. Our recommendation is to grab a noodle for each broth. They have several to pick from, including instant noodles (think Ramen), udon noodles, and Shanghai noodles.
It would also be a good idea to grab some veggies. (Apparently, they’re “healthy” or something, LOL.) Some fan favorites are broccoli, bean sprouts, corn, and potato. You can’t go wrong tossing any of these into your hot pot!
Additionally, U and Me also has appetizers that come around the conveyor every now and then – we highly recommend the dumplings!
Once you have all of your ingredients, you can begin mixing and cooking! Each table is provided with a little cheat sheet showing how long each item should be cooked. (Phew, no more worrying about overcooking or undercooking something!) You can eat as you cook or wait until everything is done before digging in – our recommendation is to eat as you go. Otherwise, your food may get cold!
Lunch Combo Specials
If you go during lunchtime, between 11:30 am to 3:00 pm, you’ll have the option to choose a hot pot lunch combo. These specials come pre-prepared with all of your protein and toppings ready to go, so they’re a perfect option if you happen to be short on time. There are six combo specials to choose from, including vegetables, seafood, beef, lamb, pork, or chicken. Our recommendation would be to give their seafood combo a try. It comes with almost everything you could ever ask for, including crab sticks, saltwater clams, shrimp, squid, fish fillet, mussels, tofu, Shanghai noodles, taro, corn, spinach, and more. You definitely won’t come away hungry!
Boba Milk Tea
For the ultimate hot pot experience, be sure to order a boba tea to drink on the side! Also known as bubble tea, boba tea is a Taiwanese drink that consists of milk tea blended with fruit, coffee, and/or ice, all mixed with tapioca pearls. At U and Me, they offer seven different flavors of this delicious concoction for you to choose from – and trust us when we say they are all delicious!
For a taste of the original, make sure to order the Classic Milk Tea. Made with black tea, sugar, milk, ice cubes, and tapioca pearls, you really can’t go wrong with this timeless favorite! Warning- you might want one everyone day once you’ve tried it! (Yes, we are speaking from experience.)
If you prefer something on the fruity side, consider trying the Strawberry or Mango Milk Teas. For something extra sweet, give the Tiger Milk Tea a try. It uses the same ingredients as the Classic Milk Tea but also drizzles a brown sugar syrup around the cup’s edges. Not only does this add an extra note of sweetness, it also gives the drink tiger-like stripes, hence the name!
With any of the drinks, you can choose to add in extra boba (aka tapioca pearls) or special toppings. This includes “popping boba,” which isn’t actually made from tapioca. Instead, these sweet balls are made of seaweed extract and filled with fruit juice. They’re called popping boba because they pop open with a burst of flavor when you bite into them! You can also give the cheese mousse a try – made from milk, cream cheese, and whipping cream, this foamy topping pairs perfectly with the Matcha Milk Tea!
Whether you’ve come for the bubble tea, the robots, the traditional cuisine, or the opportunity to cook as a group, you’re sure to have a one-of-a-kind experience and U and Me. After all, it’s not every day that you get to cook your own Chinese hot pot with the assistance of a robot. Just be sure to tip Peanut before you head out, or he may not seat you on your next visit!
Have you been to U and Me Revolving Hot Pot? If so, what ingredients did you include in your hot pot? Tell us in the comments below!
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