A new self-serve "hotpot and poke" restaurant has soft opened in Steveston — but it's not for people.
Chew Chew is Richmond's newest spot where dogs and cats can enjoy a fresh meal of meat and veggies, either in-store or to go.
This is the first shop of its kind in North America and is opened by co-founders Suiki Zhang and Justin Tang, who wanted to bring the self-serve hot pot experience humans enjoy to their pets.
"I feel like pets are like babies to a lot of pet owners. You want them to have the best and a good experience just like what we have access to," Zhang told the Richmond News.
The meal begins in the 'sniff zone'
Before choosing ingredients, pets can explore the "sniff zone" where they can smell samples of the food.
"It's like an interactive area for the pets to get to know what they like and to give owners an idea of what ingredients to choose," said Zhang.
Nearby signs show the health benefits of each ingredient for dogs and cats, based on different life stages from puppyhood to senior years.
Customers can select ingredients and build their pet's "hotpot" in a metal pot with proteins like beef, beef spleen, chicken liver and chicken heart, and vegetables including broccoli, corn, peas, blueberries and eggs.
Each pot is sold by weight at six cents per gram with an option to upgrade the meal to a combo for $1.99 that includes goat milk drink and a coconut ice ball for dessert.
Meals can be served raw or cooked based on the pet's preference, but Zhang said raw food "preserves" nutrients.
She told the Richmond News the idea was inspired by the growing trend of self-serve hot pots like Big Way Hotpot and how she wanted to give that experience to her own dog, Bee, and cat, Sugar.
"I thought 'Why not let them try something similar?' If anything, give them an even better experience." she said.
The store is designed with pets in mind. The decor uses blue and yellow, colours visible to cats and dogs, and dog-friendly music plays in the background.
This setup allows pets to comfortably eat in the store or have the option to take it to go to eat at a park, according to Zhang.
While most visitors so far have been dog owners, the meals are available for cats as well. However, Zhang said no outdoor cats have stopped by yet.
Menu expansion
Chew Chew has a local supplier that brings in fresh food that are human-grade, according to Zhang.
Kangaroo and alligator meat are being considered because they are leaner and healthier, but are currently out of stock, she added.
Zhang already has basic knowledge of pet nutrition, but starting a restaurant deepened her understanding of food safety and health for dogs and cats.
"I definitely went more in depth in researching the different types of ingredients and what their health benefits are such as muscle support or even skin," she said.
Despite branding the store as a "hotpot" style spot, there's no soup based offered with meals, at least not yet.
Zhang said she has been experimenting with chicken broth but has not found a version that works highlighting it doesn't "look very good" and "comes out mushy."
"There is still a lot of work in experimenting with what can make the experience similar to actual hotpot," she added.
There are plans to bring in pet pastries and cakes in collaboration with a local bakery as well.
Building community
Within the first few days of soft-opening Chew Chew, many dog owners and community members have connected with each other.
Pet owners have even exchanged contact information for meet-ups as well.
"It was so loving when I saw so many different dogs having a good time together," said Zhang.
"We enjoy creating experiences that gather people to have fun and this allows us to expand that to our pets and let them meet more friends too."
Chew Chew is open daily from 12 p.m. until 7 p.m. during its soft launch at 115-3800 Chatham St.
Its grand openingw ill be on Aug. 16 with free combo add-ons for any meal purchase.
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