Ready to feast, Meridian? New hot pot restaurant offers discount during soft opening

If you’ve worked up a titanic appetite, Meridian is the place to be.

After months of anticipation, a new all-you-can-eat Asian restaurant debuted this week.

Umi Japanese Shabu Shabu rolled out the red carpet Monday at 2325 E. Fairview Ave., suite 160, in the Pine 43 development. (For reference, it’s near Marie Callender’s.)

Umi, which also operates in Salt Lake City, is a cook-at-your-table, hot pot experience.

Normally, the price is $32.99. Diners get appetizers, broth, meat, seafood — the works. Kids 6 to 10 cost their age in dollars. Youngsters 5 and under are free. Diners have up to two hours to feast.

But Umi is doing a soft opening until June 1. So the price is $5 off: $27.99.

Not all the food is available yet, such as sushi — but items are being rolled out. Still, $27.99 for even a slightly limited hot-pot experience is a solid deal.

Umi has earned three reviews already on Google — all 5.0 stars.

One diner was “amazed” by the food and service: “I was surprised with the variety and will bring my vegetarian mom here next time. Usually vegetarians get limited options, but Umi had different tofu, tons of veggies and noodles. They had a serious selection of seafood and beef. I was full by the time I remembered they had lamb. That was after three slices of their yummy cheesecake. I shouldn’t have, but I did go back for more. They had bottled teas and hot tea available that were included.”

Diners also can order a shot of Japanese whiskey if they’d like. Umi has a full bar. (Alcohol is not included in the all-you-can-eat price.)

In Utah, where Umi has operated since 2022, diners basically love the concept. Umi rates a 4.8 out of 5.0 stars from hundreds of reviews on Google. Diners rave about the “cute” robot server, the “delicious” food and, well, the sheer quantity of it all.

As Umi explains on its website, the first thing you do is choose from several broths. Then you order meat from your server, hit the food bar and pile up seafood and vegetables to quick-boil in the broth at your table. Dip them in sauces and start scarfing.

Want more? Order more. Cook more.

Umi Japanese Shabu Shabu in Meridian is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, according to its website.

Check out the menu at umishabu.com.