It seems as if the hot-pot format would be easy to replicate in neighborhoods islandwide many times over, because customers pitch in to do the hard work of cooking. Yet in Hawaii the hot-pot restaurant tends to be a one-off phenomenon, each an only child.

That leaves room for a Mongolian invasion.

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot is one of the largest food chains to emerge out of China, and it’s opened its doors at the former Ka Restaurant & Lounge site at Ward Centre, a space that had been dark for more than two years. The large space is a remnant of the 1980s, when there was far less competition for food dollars.

Few restaurants require such a large footprint these days, and two attempts to retry Mexican cuisine in the neighboring former Compadres spot did not work out. I have much more optimism for Little Sheep. For one thing, it’s fun to cook with friends and family, and the array of food items ensures there will be something for everyone, including vegetarians and gluten-free eaters.

The first Little Sheep restaurant opened in 1999 in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China. Today there are more than 300 locations, spanning Asia and including five restaurants in Canada and 15 across the United States.

I like that it’s spacious here, so there are no time limits, no cramming into tight spaces or navigating chairs to get at the sauce and condiment bar. But there’s a huge trade-off. In return for high-quality fare in a pristine environment, you must accept service woes.

First, English is not the first language of waiters, which may turn into a source of frustration. I couldn’t understand why one Mandarin-speaking waitress kept talking about "leadership, leadership," before realizing she was saying "Little Sheep." But why she would be mentioning the restaurant’s name, I don’t know, when I asked about the menu. And requesting a glass of ice to accompany a carafe of tea was a 10-minute ordeal. Finally, our waiter understood the word "cup."

Being Chinese does not give the servers any particular insight into the various broths and sauces. It would have been helpful if managers had hired more local people, who would better understand kama­aina questions and concerns, and work at getting the answers.

Unfortunately, the language barrier is the least of the service problems. Little cooking in the kitchen doesn’t mean there can be any less preparation involved. Other self-serve hot-pot restaurants have us expecting instant gratification because everything on the menu is usually plated, ready and waiting for waiters to grab and go. This does not seem to be the case here, where your broth may arrive a half-hour after ordering, your meat in another half-hour and vegetables an hour later. By the time the vegetables, noodles and dumplings appear, all the meat is gone. Managers were ineffective at speeding the proc­ess, promising food in a minute without actually checking on orders or pitching in to help, so that "minute" stretches into hours.

I am hoping they will fix service issues, because the food is worth trying, but not at the cost of getting upset. The hot-pot experience should be a relaxing one.

The concept is easy to understand. Pick your soup, ingredients and dipping sauce off a checklist at the table, then prepare to cook away. Little Sheep offers several broth options, at $3.95 per person. The signature herbal broth is made by boiling down pork and beef bones. This original flavor comprises 36 ingredients, including healthful herbs, vegetables and spices ranging from galangal to dried longan and goji berries. The spicy original is a more fiery version of the original. Vegetarians can opt for a broth of herbs and shiitake stock. And "Yin Yang," served in a divided pot, offers your choice of two of the broths.

While you’re waiting for the broth to heat up, head to the sauce bar for your pick of condiments including sesame, red chili, chili with oil, ponzu and bean curd sauces, plus chili peppers, green onion, minced garlic and cilantro. There are also bottles of sesame oil; white, red and black vinegar; and soy sauce. If you can’t decide, the restaurant has some recommendations to go with lamb, beef and seafood.

Next, choose meats and seafood. Meat portions are 6 ounces, enough for two people if you’re ordering another meat entree and side items. A party of four might require double orders.

Of course, with a name like Little Sheep, the restaurant prides itself on serving New Zealand lamb shoulder (6 ounces $8.50, 12 ounces $15.95), sliced paper thin. Other hot-pot restaurateurs have tried to sell locals on lamb, but it’s been rough going. People associate the meat with gaminess. But between the thin cut and the pungent sauces, that resistance has been overcome in other places.

Just in case that doesn’t hold true in Hawaii, you’ll also find well-marbled USDA Choice Angus rib eye ($8.95), beef tripe ($3.75/$6.50), chicken thigh (6 ounces $6.95) and pork belly (6 ounces $7.95). Seafood lovers have a choice of head-on ($4.95/$8.95) or head- and shell-off tiger shrimp ($5.50/$9.95), or shrimp balls ($5.95/$10.95) comprising the chopped meat.

One of the most interesting of the seafood choices is the teardrop-shaped fishcake ($4.50/$7.95) with the crunch of yellow masago, or capelin roe, in the center.

Round out your soup with tofu ($2.50/$3.95), thick Sun noodles ($2.50/$3.95) and fresh vegetables that include baby bok choy ($2.95/$4.95), pumpkin ($2.95/$4.95), Napa cabbage ($2.95/$4.95) and lotus root ($3.50/$5.95). The gluten averse can opt for crunchy yam noodles ($2.50/$3.95) or enoki mushrooms that have a noodlelike appearance and a wonderful crunch.

If boiled foods don’t appeal to you, there are grilled items such as potstickers ($6.95), lamb dumplings ($6.95) or charbroiled Mongolian lamb skewers (four for $6.95) seasoned with salt, cumin and chili powder.

Finish American-style, with ice cream, or continue in Mongolian style with a delicious yam mochi with red bean ($5.95), a variation of the traditional bean paste-filled dessert bao that was a big hit at my table.

Just as good as dessert is a passion fruit green tea drink containing gel pearls that, instead of being chewy, burst on the tongue to release their fruit flavor. For many who tried it, it’s a new sensation they didn’t care for, but I preferred it to the old pearls that are a choking hazard.

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Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.