Courtesy of Alice Wong
Courtesy of Alice Wong
Local caterer and restaurateur Alice Wong remembers the first time she used the stove. She was 6 years old. Since then, her skills have evolved from frying eggs to cooking, managing, and owning restaurants. “Cooking has always come natural to me, and the food industry runs deep in my family,” she says. (Her parents own the Great Panda restaurant chain in Atlanta.) Now, Wong is working on a ramen and teppanyaki grill restaurant called Hotto Hotto. It’s scheduled to open at the Beacon development in Grant Park, at 1039 Grant Street, in May.
“Ramen was my go-to comfort food growing up, and my kids love it, too,” she says. “Teppanyaki is also one of my favorite types of cuisines. It’s made fresh and is light because it doesn’t require [a lot of] oil. The charred meat and veggie aroma from the grill is just so irresistible.”
Wong will serve as Hotto Hotto’s executive chef. She’s created a menu with 15 types of ramen—both with broth and without—including vegan and vegetarian varieties. There’s even a build-your-own option that serves 3-4 and features everything from salmon and minced pork to pickled mustard greens and black sesame slaw. Beef, chicken, shrimp, scallops, fish, tofu, and lobster will be prepared on the grill. In addition to ramen and teppanyaki, appetizers such as bao, okonomiyaki pancakes, and tebasaki wings will be available.
At the bar, there will be Asian beers from Hopstix brewmaster Andy Tan, as well as sake and specialty cocktails such as a gingertini and Asian plum bellini.
Hotto Hotto will seat 150 diners and feature an open kitchen, patio, interior/exterior bar, and private dining room. It will be decorated with paintings created by local artists.
“Our goal is to be the freshest, most creative, health-conscious, vegan-friendly, gluten-free-friendly Japanese grille and ramen restaurant in Atlanta,” Wong says.
Check out the preliminary menu below.
Appetizers
Dashi Edamame: Steamed soy beans
Crunchy Harumaki Spring Roll: Crispy Japanese spring roll filled with cabbage, celery, carrots, vermicelli, and shiitake mushrooms
Tebasaki Wings: Sweet and savory Japanese fried chicken wings with hints of garlic, ginger, and black papper
Tofu Salad Wrap: Tofu salad wrapped in iceberg lettuce
Black Sesame Slaw: Made with shredded cabbage and carrots
Dorayaki: Sweet Azuki red bean paste in two small pancake-like patties; a popular breakfast food
Bao: Available with pork belly, grilled tofu, potato salad, and teriyaki chicken
Okonomiyaki Pancake: Japanese savory pancake made with vegetables and bacon (also available vegetarian without the bacon)
Ramen
Classic Tonkotsu Ramen: Thick and creamy tonkotsu ramen broth with chashu (pork belly), soft-boiled egg, shiitake mushroom, butter garlic corn, spinach, scallions, sesame seed, bean sprout, and menma (bamboo shoots)
Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen: Teppanyaki chashu, soft-boiled egg, wood-ear mushroom, nori seaweed, butter garlic corn, spinach, scallions, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, and roasted shishito peppers
Tonjiru Ramen: Hearty pork and root vegetable stew topped with caramelized teppanyaki onions (miso base)
Nikujaga Japanese Beef Stew: Beef stew with potato, carrot, tomato, onion, and scallions
Classic Chicken Ramen: Made with tender chicken breast slices, bok choy, straw mushrooms, soft-boiled egg, fried shallots, and cilantro
Spicy Curry Chicken Ramen: Slow-cooked in coconut milk curry with tender chicken breast slices, fried puffy tofu, bean sprouts, soft-boiled egg, fried shallots, scallions, fresh mint leaves, and a wedge of lime
Teppanyaki Chicken Ramen: Chicken broth, caramelized teppanyaki onions, teppanyaki vegetables, bean sprouts, wood-ear mushroom, and fried shallots
Miso Veggie Ramen: Vegetable broth topped with teppanyaki tofu, kombu (seaweed), spinach, menma (bamboo shoots), straw mushrooms, scallions, fried shallot, and roasted Shisito peppers
Broth-less Ramen
Home-style Spicy Dan Dan Ramen: Ground pork, scallions, sesame seeds, sesame oil, house-made chili pepper, and garlic butter
Peanut Chicken Ramen: Creamy peanut sauce drizzle on top of teppanyaki chicken slices, topped with black sesame slaw and soft-boiled egg
Nacho Ramen: Slow-cooked minced pork with Asian black bean sauce, black sesame slaw, fried shallots, shredded cheddar cheese, scallions, and sliced jalapeños
Hiyashi Chukka Salad a.k.a Cold Japanese Ramen Salad: Classic Japanese cold noodle salad with slices of egg omelet, cucumber, black sesame slaw, shredded radish, scallions, and shredded dried tofu
Not Mom’s Ramen: Savory with a hint of sweetness—sunny-side-up egg, fried shallots, garlic oil, and scallions (available vegan by substituting egg for shredded dried tofu)
Black Bean Tofu Ramen: Black bean tofu with scallions, black sesame slaw, and fried shallots
Fun 4 All Ramen: Build-your-own noodle bowl that serves 3-4 people—available toppings include teppanyaki salmon, teppanyaki shrimp, teppanyaki chicken, stewed minced pork, grilled tofu, tofu stew, or pork belly ramen; shiitake mushrooms, carrots, green onions, wood ear mushrooms, pickled mustard greens, black sesame slaw, and seasoned soft-boiled eggs (vegetarian and vegan option available)
Teppanyaki
Beef, fish, shrimp, scallop, lobster, chicken, tofu, or assorted vegetables; served with steamed or fried rice, black sesame slaw, or steamed veggies and a side of broth
Rice Plates
Tori Katsu: Chicken cutlet served with zesty tonkatsu sauce, rice, and Asian sesame slaw
Tonkatsu: Breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet served with zesty tonkatsu sauce, rice, and Asian sesame slaw
Vegan Tofu Katsu: Tofu cutlets that are crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and served with zesty tonkatsu sauce, rice, and Asian sesame slaw
