Some people call it by the gaming business Next Level Cafe and some will refer to it as Thai Cafe which is the restaurant that operates inside the building. Regardless of the name used, you have to go order one dish there: Hot Pot.
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3802 E Harry
Wichita, KS 67218
316-992-9326
Kitchen Open Daily: 11am – 8pm
Cash/Card Accepted
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First, what is hot pot? It’s a communal eating experience in which patrons order different ingredients to boil inside of a large simmering pot of broth, which is placed in the center of their table.
Next Level Cafe offers it for $45. The bowl comes with your choice of meats like chicken and steak or you can get the seafood selection which includes mussels, shrimp, and calamari. At $45, it’s an awesome meal to share with 4 people, maybe even 5-6 if you’re stretching it with others like kids.
It’s important to note that if you’re wanting to order it, Next Level Cafe asks for a days notice. I gave them a call earlier in the week and made a reservation for the weekend with family.
When we arrived, they placed the portable gas stove on our table and brought out a big bowl of broth with a divider in it.
They gave instructions on how to turn it on which we then waited for it to start boiling.
Not long after, they brought us all of our meats, seafood, veggies, and rice.
The guys over at Next Level Cafe explained to us the whole process. They were super helpful and cool walking us through it all.
We placed the meats and seafood on each side of the divider and let it cook for a few minutes. Then we threw in the vegetables into the bowl.
Once everything was ready, we put rice in our bowl and poured some broth over the rice. Then we pulled out the cooked meats and boom we were done.
This was one of the best meals I’ve had in a while. Everyone at the table really loved it. Hot Pot was a new experience for them and they all enjoyed the communal family dining style of it.
The broth was incredibly flavorful. There was a slight curry-like aftertaste to it that was wonderful. Between all the proteins, I was a huge fan of the seafood and would probably order just that on my next visit (which there will be a next time hopefully soon).
Everything was easy. The kids had a great time putting the food in and the food being awesome rounded out the experience.
The $45 Hot Pot was more than enough food for the three adults plus two kids. I think if we had two other adults, there still would have been leftovers.
And a quick side note: we ordered some fried rice beforehand and it too was excellent. There was a grilled flavor with a minor bit of heat that was addictive.
Hot Pot is pretty unique to Wichita. It’s hard to find in Wichita so I’m glad to see Next Level Cafe offer it.
In regard to the service, they did a great job all evening. They were helpful, engaging, accommodating and made our experience much better. Bring your family, bring your friends, and go enjoy this awesome dining experience.
Happy Dining,
Eddy
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