First look: One Pot Hot Pot & BBQ, opening on Coventry on May 15 | Cleveland

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Douglas Trattner

One Pot Hot Pot and BBQ opens May 15 in Coventry.

Fans of Korean food owe Hang Zheng a debt of gratitude for building one of the region’s most popular barbecue and hot pot spots. On their first visit to One Pot (1825 Coventry Rd., 216-673-3888), guests will be struck by the sleek, futuristic atmosphere and attention to detail.

Last summer, Zheng closed Taco Roosters to make room for something better. Working with designers, the team generated detailed renderings of the future restaurant, which were sent to a manufacturer in China. The resulting parts and pieces are then shipped halfway around the world and assembled on site. The space has come a long way since its old Hyde Park Grille days.

One Pot seats 100 guests, who are seated at tables with built-in grill grates and hot pot burners. Diners can choose to order barbecue, hot pot, or both. There is a large central grill station and individual hot spots for each diner. The table can also choose to swap out the main grill for a hot pot if the entire table chooses to go that route.

If you’ve dined at a Korean barbecue that smells like backyard barbecue, relax in the high-tech systems installed here. Each grill and hot pot station uses a suction system that removes smoke, grease and odors, Zheng says.

One Pot is all-you-can-eat, with different prices for lunch, dinner and kids. Those going the BBQ route can choose from 20 different meats, such as bulgogi, spicy pork belly, garlic chicken and tongue. Seafood options like jumbo shrimp and salmon join vegetables like mushrooms, sweet potatoes, onions, and zucchini.

Hot pot fans have eight different broths to choose from, including spicy Szechuan, kimchi, tomato and Thai tom yum. Meats range from thin slices of pork belly and ribs to beef brisket. In the seafood department there are squid, baby octopus, shrimp, crawfish and fish fillets. But that’s just the beginning: there are several varieties of tofu, crab sticks, fish balls, beef tripe, spam and more. Another two dozen vegetable options and seven different rice and noodle options round out the choices.

Restaurants can order through servers and/or use their phones to call for additional ingredients as desired. A buffet area will be set up with dozens of sauces, side dishes and condiments.

One Pot has a full liquor license, so diners can expect a list of colorful cocktails, beer, sake, soju and soju bombs.

Zheng is peaking at this trend, he believes. But instead of being a short-lived fad, KBBQ and hot can continue to attract new fans who might have been intimidated by the concept a few years ago.

“Now with TikTok and Instagram, people are more adventurous – they look at videos from different parts of the world and say, Oh, I want to try this. And if you’re familiar with barbecue and hot pot places, they can come here to show their friends,” he says.

One Pot opens on May 15.

Soon, a patio will offer the same hot pot and outdoor grilling experience.

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