A Ragin’ Review

A review on a small hot pot restaurant in Port Hueneme.

To celebrate the upcoming month of winter and Oxnard’s weather finally reaching below 70 degrees, I decided to go out to eat for something warm and indulgent with my family on December 1. The Asian fusion restaurant called Ragin’ Pot located at 301 West Channel Islands Boulevard was a place I have driven by probably hundreds of times, but never stopped to try before. Their signature dish is the Chinese-style hot pots which is what I was most interested in trying.

 

When I first walked into the restaurant I was pleasantly surprised by its Asian inspired decor. Despite its location being in a more hidden part of Port Hueneme and right next to a Smoke and Vape shop, there was a classy, modern, yet simplistic feel to the interior design. There were many beautiful floral decorations at the front counter and a wide open dining area with white flower lanterns hanging from the ceiling over each of the dark gray tables.

 

We were seated immediately by a kind staff member. Looking at the menu there was a variety of different drinks, in addition to the usual options of soda or water, including flavored tea, milk tea boba, Vietnamese style hot coffee, and many more. For appetizers we ordered two different types of egg rolls, shrimp and vegetable, which were both served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. The vegetable egg rolls were just your standard egg rolls that you would find in most Asian restaurants. The shrimp egg rolls, however, were surprising because inside of the crispy egg roll wrapper was just a large piece of shrimp, nothing else – it was delicious.

 

For the main part of the meal, they have many options to customize your hot pot. First, you choose a soup base, second choose your fillings, then choose spice level for the soup base. It is also served with your choice of rice or vermicelli noodles. They have vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options as well. I ordered the vegetarian hot pot with vegetable broth and a medium spice level and the noodles. When served to us, the wooden box that the soup is served on is lit with a flame underneath. Not only does it add some excitement to the dish, it kept the soup warm throughout the meal. The flavor and components of the dish went well together, but it felt like there was something missing that could have improved the taste. I also wish the noodles could have been ramen instead of vermicelli (however, they do have that option for an extra $2 charge).

 

Lastly, we had sesame balls for dessert. I’ve had a lot of sesame balls in my time and i can confidently say that those were the best ones I have tasted. There was a nice slight crunch on the outside but the perfect amount of sweet red bean filling that added a nice chewiness to the ball. They were definitely my favorite part of the meal.

 

Overall, the hour that I spent at this restaurant consisted of good service, good food, and a memorable experience with my family. I recommend anyone who enjoys Asian cuisine or even anyone looking for a new restaurant to try to give this small but high quality restaurant a chance.

 

Rating: 8.5/10