A Vietnamese hot pot restaurant has opened in Spokane Valley.

Hot Pot & Pho, located at 11110 E. Sprague, is owned by Thuy Pham, who also owns Mongolian BBQ, at 15416 E. Sprague, in the Valley. The new restaurant opened its doors on Dec. 23.

The roughly 5,000-square-foot restaurant currently has 10 full-time employees, not including general manager Brian Naccarato, Pham, and a few family members who help out.

The new eatery currently has 10 hot pot tables available, some of which have cook tops for one large pot, while others have cook tops for four smaller pots, in case groups don’t want the same ingredients. The large pots can be divided down the middle, also.

Hot pot is an Asian soup made with raw ingredients that are cooked in large pots of boiling broth at a guest's table. Hot pot cuisine is typically intended to be a shared, communal experience among family and friends as they create and cook the meal together, says Naccarato.

Hot Pot & Pho is the fourth restaurant Pham has owned since moving to the U.S. in 2001 from Vietnam. Her story since arriving in the U.S. is “inspiringly incredible,” says Naccarato, who has known Pham for 18 years and serves as the chief operating officer for her two current restaurants, which both operate under the entity South East Asia Inc.

“When Thuy came to America in 2001, she came here with $690 in her pocket,” Naccarato says. “She didn’t know a lick of English.”

Pham worked a manufacturing job after arriving, and then began working part-time at Mongolian BBQ in 2002. She saved up her money and eventually opened a small “hole-in-the-wall” restaurant on East Sprague, Naccarato says.

In 2005, Pham was presented with an opportunity to buy Mongolian BBQ, so she sold her first restaurant and did just that. About six years ago, she opened a second Mongolian BBQ location in Airway Heights, but she no longer owns or is involved with that restaurant.

“Her dream to have an authentic Vietnamese restaurant has been in her mind for many years,” Naccarato says.

 Hot Pot & Pho's walls are lined with photos of her family in Vietnam.

The hot pot tables were all designed with safety in mind, Naccarato says, particularly so kids don’t burn themselves.

The pots are heated on induction surfaces, which are only hot when the pots are touching them. The cook tops are embedded beneath the surface of the tables, so the pots are placed inside of the tables, rather than on top.

“The tables are all designed with intercooler systems with a water base so it’ll pull the steam back down into the table and just filter through water,” Naccarato says. “There’s no smoke, no steam.”

Each table has a control panel on the side for customers to use as they cook their meals. Broth can be brought to a boil in about 30 seconds to cook the ingredients selected by diners and then turned down to a simmer while they eat, Naccarato says.

Customers pick between three different types of broth—clear, spicy, and hot and sour—and choose between beef, lamb, chicken, and a seafood mix. Hot pot meals are served with a variety of vegetables and either ramen or rice noodles.

Hot pot tables typically require a reservation, Naccarato says.

“The hot pot tables are very popular,” he says.

The pots of broth and ingredients are delivered to each table via a robot that is programmed to wheel its way throughout the restaurant. Equipped with sensors so it won’t run into people or objects, the robot has several trays built into it, which reduces the number of trips the waitstaff has to make, especially with how large the pots of broth are.

“That’s a major assistance for my servers,” Naccarato says. “It helps them keep their legs so they’re not exhausted at the end of the night.”

The robot, which Naccarato says is a huge hit with the kids, parks by each table and the waitstaff distributes the food. It also helps to take away dirty dishes.

Naccarato plans to add more hot pot tables eventually, but Hot Pot & Pho serves more than just hot pot meals. It offers pho and other soups, as well as a variety of appetizers. The restaurant also has a full bar.

The establishment is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It's closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Small Bites

Inlander Restaurant Week will take place from Feb. 22 to March 2. The annual 10-day event will feature over 100 area restaurants offering three-course meals priced at $25, $35, and $45. Among the newcomer restaurants this year are Chowderhead, Lorèn, Lumberbeard Brewing, and Skewers.

Hangry’s has opened a third location at the former Lost Boys’ Garage Bar & Grill site on the North Side, at 6325 N. Wall. Hangry’s other diners are located at 11923 E. Trent, in Spokane Valley, and 6902 W. Seltice Way, in Post Falls.