As our server brought forth the broths for boiling — spicy for me, original for my dinner bud — I wondered aloud where to begin.

The spread at this new Winter Garden location of Volcano Hot Pot and and BBQ is ample, featuring a vast array of vegetables, herbs, thin-sliced rolled meats in the freezer and, my perennial hot pot favorite: seafood. I’d eyed the buffet selection on the way to our table, so spacious it felt almost regal.

My friend, on the other hand, knew exactly what he wanted.

“I’m going for that ribeye,” he said, and left me sitting there, amused by his eagerness.

Orlando hot pot spots simmer up something special — connection

We’ve done hot pot before, he and I, but this was the first time we’d thrown Korean-style BBQ into the mix. Being a meat-forward sort of guy, he was enthused by the impressive slabs on the buffet and cracking to get started.

“I think that’s one of the things that sets us apart from some of the other hot pot restaurants,” says general manager Ricky Ou, part of the Volcano family since its first venue opened in Kissimmee in 2019.

“Lots of them have similar ingredients and soups but often you have to order a plate and they have to bring it to you…. Here you can get whatever you want. One piece of this, three pieces of that. If you don’t like something, you don’t have to worry and if you’re really hungry you don’t have to order and wait for the food to come back.”

As if to illustrate this very point, my friend was back in less than a minute with his steak, which he threw on the grill with festive fervor. And I headed off to procure for my pot.

Clams, head-on shrimp, mussels and crawfish were mandatory. Also fish roe balls and a few fresh filets. Watercress adds color and a peppery bite, and also serves as a magnet for that chili oil. Even spice fans should be wary, tempering leafy bites with starchy complements such as noodles (udon, ramen and rice are among the options) to tamp down the fire.

Another way of doing that lies in what a hot-pot pro pal of mine turned me on to: the sauce bar. Though its primary purpose is crafting condiments in which to dip your meats, there are gems here that can be combined to balance and/or enhance your broth, as well — things like oyster or hoisin sauce, sriracha or chili oil, fresh herbs, more.

If you enjoy flavors like peanut or sesame in your ramen, for example, these can be employed here, giving the broth extra silkiness, weight and interest. The same sauce you create for dipping (I’m always heavy on the fresh garlic!) can be used in your soup. Test it out in a small bowl and build confidence before dousing the whole pot.

Ou’s family enjoyed hot pot restaurants long before running them. In fact, it was the first-gen American layer of the clan that added this genre into the larger resume.

“My parents were immigrants from China,” Ou explains. He was born in New York, but the family relocated to Central Florida when he was a boy. “They opened many restaurants. Sushi restaurants, Chinese restaurants, takeout only, even buffet restaurants. I started working in them when I was about 11.”

When it came time to do their own thing, Ou explains, it was family members’ love of hot pot and Korean barbecue — which they enjoyed a lot while traveling to New York and elsewhere — that Volcano founder Jason Shi thought would bring guests the best of both worlds. Most customers at the outset were Asian, Ou says, but over time, the customer base has diversified.

“So many more people know hot pot now, but it’s a learning curve, and we always have the servers ask if it’s their first time.”

Ours did, he’ll be happy to know.

“Mainly everything takes 2-3 minutes to cook. And many of the things that take longer — like the corn cobs — we cook partially ourselves so it won’t take forever in the customer’s pot.”

Once boiling, he advises, it’s time for the meats. Some people will get everything together at once and time their barbecue items to be ready as their hot pot ingredients are. Ladles allow you to lift things out before they get tough. Rolled meats only require a 30-or-so-second dip. A quick drag through your chosen sauce (they’ve got house-made variations ready if you don’t feel like crafting your own) and you’re cooking, talking, eating, enjoying.

DIY hot pot/BBQ is about more than just the food. It’s an experience. One that’s been catching on for some time. And speaking of, there can be limits imposed. But that’s generally for when there are customers waiting. Unless you dally, though, it’s unlikely you won’t have had all you can eat after 90 minutes boiling and grilling. The latter, with its vast selection — chicken and beef bulgogi, marinated Kalbi beef short ribs, pork belly, those impressive ribeyes — is a mighty filling lot.

I grabbed a few slices of bacon to go with mine. Because decadence. (And because someone else has to clean the grill.)

With time, says Ou, everyone builds on their skill set.

Prices at the Winter Garden location are as follows: BBQ only, $29.99 pp; BBQ and hot pot, $34.99 pp for adults. Children 11 and under: $12.99 and $15.99 pp.

As hot pot culture has proliferated, so, too, has Volcano’s portfolio. The operation has venues in Tallahassee, as well as two in Texas and another in Pennsylvania. And fans in east Orlando, take note: a new location will be opening at 3560 E. Colonial Drive by year’s end.

“We’re excited to bring another restaurant to people in another part of the city,” says Ou. “We’re focused and happy to see that while our first customers were mostly tourists, it has grown with locals and now we see repeat customers coming back to eat. Now, they love hot pot as much as we do.”

If you go

Volcano Hot Pot: 3279 Daniels Road in Winter Garden, 407-614-8200; hotpotvolcano.com. (Additional metro area locations at 5877 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Kissimmee, 407-986-5559, and 5655 International Drive in Orlando, 407-237-9797.)

Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. For more foodie fun, join the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.