On a whim, I bought this Ikeda brand steamboat and grill combo at the local Chinese market, and decided to host my first dinner party in a long time. With only two people in the house, we're short on tableware so I went to Ikea and MVP Trading for rice bowls, plates and glasses. The 365+ pieces at Ikea are so versatile, I think I'm going to get the dinner and serving plates as well.  I also bought this tiny blowfish chopstick rest. Very cute! With some loose fabric I stitched up some matching linens and busted out little tea cups for sake.

So far, we've used the steamboat contraption for just the two of us several times already. With most of the ingredients already prepared, hot pot is a easy and leisurely meal on these cold nights, and particularly good for cleaning out leftover stuff in the fridge. With some variations, dashi and konnyaku, or kimchi and tofu, we never get bored either.