my weekly obsession. for some reason, bp brings me back on a weekly (sometimes twice a week) basis, where it has gotten to the point i don't even need to look at the menu anymore. when i first discovered this place, i owed it to the foodie community to try pretty much every flavor there is on the menu. three months later i quickly came to realize that the #7 tomato veggie exceeds by far that of the others, and there really was no point in even ordering the others when the #7 got the job done, every time, no matter how many times i've eaten it.
the popular flavors such as the spicy beef, japanese miso, thai curry, or even the kimchee beef appeals to the masses for its instant relatability to the generic asian cuisines commonly found in any boring restaurant, sadly leaving the veggie tomato behind more often than not by the newcomers. a tomato based broth in hot pot form may seem questionable at first (totally understandable), but somehow boiling point nails it by finding the right balance between savory, sweet, and spicy all swimming in one personal bowl of perfection. this soup is the calling for almost any occasion, even on hot days because it just hits the spot, but i personally find myself eating twice as much the amount on cold wintery nights and hungover mornings. this soup in particular happens to be the only one sans crab meat, which i have to highlight for those that are particular to crabmeat allergies. i also had an experience where i went in with a friend who ended up watching us eat the wholetimebecause he also had mushroom allergies, which was an ingredient found in every item on the menu. because the menu does not disclose the contents of the broth, it is best to error on the safe side. i feel bad for you guys, but what can you do, life trumps a moment of tastebud extravaganza.
what is so great about this place is the free refills of broth, so you can always prolong your heavenly spoonfuls, or give yourself a reason to order extra sides on the menu in case you're extra starved that day. i recommend going in during lunch hours because a drink of green tea or black tea comes as a set, whereas during dinner hours all items stay separate. speaking of drinks, a few key beverages are pretty popular at bp such as the milk teas and the boba teas. i recommend either the mango boba, hokkaido milk tea, or the wintermelon tea.
service is something bp definitely has room to improve. most of the time, the staff is quick to order your meal but it is common for them to forget something that you've ordered. depending on where you sit, they also take forever getting to you, but that's really out of your control. i've actually only witness one instance where their water refill game was strong, most of the times you have wait about 10-15 minutes after your water has depleted for a member of the staff to remember you asked for a refill 10 minutes ago, let alone come to the realization on his/her own.
but overall, this is my go-to seattle grub. i highly recommend it. try everything i mentioned above, but if you were timid about the tomato veggie before, don't be, and let it take you on an adventure.
don't forget to get your parking ticket validated as well at check out! the parking at uwajimaya adds up quickly!