Legacy lives on at hot pot eatery

Washugyu Brisket Lunch Set ($19.25)

Tucked away in Market City Shopping Center, Kamitoku Japanese Hot Pot is continuing a 70-plus-year family legacy that started in Tottori, Japan: beef broth. Since opening earlier this year, the eatery has acquired a local fan base, which says its homemade beef bone broth is the most delicious hot pot broth on the island.

“Most of our customers take home their leftover broth after they eat at our restaurant,” confirms Yu Conceicao, general manager and co-owner.

Beef bone broth is Kamitoku Japanese Hot Pot’s specialty

To develop the broth’s deep meaty and savory flavor — known as umami in Japanese —washugyu beef bone is steeped for an entire day. Washugyu beef, a cross between the finest U.S. and Japanese cattle, is cultivated using strict Japanese feeding, rearing and breeding techniques, and its melt-in-your-mouth marbling is truly euphoric.

Several meat and vegetable sets are available to accompany the beef broth, which can be ordered as the original Beefy Marina or seven other flavors.

Gyu Shogun ($85)

Gyu Shogun ($85) is a mega-sized sharing set.

Washugyu beef, an array of vegetables and traditional Japanese hot pot ingredients are all arranged into a photogenic tower. An iced matcha drink and sorbet from Henry’s Place sweeten the deal.

Special lunch sets start at $9.99 and include the famed broth, a choice of meat (prices vary), vegetables and either ramen or rice.

Inspired by home-cooked hot pot meals using leftover ramen broth, the restaurant’s main focus has “always been locals and families,” says Conceicao, adding that a special Kids Set ($8) is on the menu and prices have recently been adjusted.