Actually, it is just the Japanese name for hotpot, a dish where meat, vegetables, and a variety of other ingredients are combined in broth to create a flavorful soup. The phrase is actually slang, an onomatopoeia for the sound which the contents of the soup make as they swirl through the stock: the equivalent of “swish swish.” While the dish originated in Japan and was traditionally served in a communal way with one big pot of soup created for the table, the restaurant I went to was Taiwanese.

Minni’s was a fascinating experience for me. Upon entry, I noticed the incredibly beautiful décor. It was obvious that the entire interior had been redone recently.

This was only the second time I ever had hotpot, and I taught myself the correct way to prepare my food on the fly. You first order the meat and/or vegetables you want to go inside of your hotpot. The menu also contains “side orders,” like noodles, to add to the mayhem within your bowl of boiling broth.  Pre-cooked Taiwanese fare was also available, and I shared an order of gyoza dumplings with friends, which were fantastic. The service could’ve been better, but there was a large group of us, and it was a busy Friday evening.

My soup was a diverse cauldron of different fixings.

I ordered beef and shrimp as the meat for my hotpot, and when the broth got boiling at a high enough temperature, they were cooked within seconds. In addition to rice noodles, I put in the vegetables the restaurant provides each patron with when they walk in, such as cabbage, bean sprouts, and other Asian vegetables. I shared an order of udon noodles with a friend as well, which I threw right in; it cooked very well in my broth. I went a bit  overboard with the provided sauces, such as Sichuan sauce, but still had a very enjoyable meal.

I highly recommend Minni’s to anyone who loves soup, Asian food, or just new experiences.

Address:

136-17 38 Avenue

Flushing, New York 11354

Food: A

Décor: A+

Service: B+

Overall: A