Happy Lamb is a globally recognized hot pot chain that recently opened a location in Austin, Texas. Its roots trace back to Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China, also known as the ‘Lamb Gourmet Capital of China.’ Founded in 2017 by the original owner of Little Sheep, a renowned Chinese hot pot franchise, Happy Lamb is popular for its All-You-Can-Eat (AYCE) hot pot offerings.
Soft Opening Experience
I attended Happy Lamb Austin soft opening, and upon entering the restaurant, I immediately noticed its fresh and polished interior. The space did not seem as large as Soup Leaf, another popular All-You-Can-Eat (AYCE) hot pot restaurant. However, everything was thoughtfully laid out, with a clear and organized design.
There is a dedicated drink station where you can refill beverages ranging from sodas to teas. Additionally, they have a well-stocked sauce bar with all the condiments needed to create your own customized sauce. The sauce bar is covered to help prevent germs and cross-contamination.
Happy Lamb Austin offers two level pricing options: the Standard Lunch ($21.99) | Dinner ($27.99) and the Premium Lunch ($27.99) | Dinner ($33.99). Unfortunately, during the soft opening, we were unable to try their Premium menu option.
Happy Lamb Austin Rating
Rating:
Cuisine: Chinese
Price: $$
Ambiance: Casual
Meat Quality: I appreciated the meat options available on the Standard menu. All the meats were uniformly and thinly sliced. There are two portion sizes: small and large. The small portion is slightly larger than a standard order at Soup Leaf, while the large portion is approximately twice the size of the small.
Sauce: I found the sauce bar to be simple and straightforward. While some places offer premade recipes for you to try, Happy Lamb lets you take charge and become your own ‘sauce boss.
Veggies: Everything was fresh, including classics like watercress and various types of mushrooms. I always opted for taro and radish when it comes to hot pot.
Hot Bar: There were a few options, but the only ones I tried were the sesame balls and General Tso’s chicken, which I liked.
Raw and Cold Bar: Selection of raw seafood, tofu, and fish balls. They don’t have the best fish balls, there is a very particular fish ball with roe that I like. A plus is they have the golden fortune bags with roe.
Broths: We chose the tomato broth and the spicy marrow broth. Both were deep, rich, and full of flavor.
If you like this this review, you might want to check out my 1618 Asian Fusion review.
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