Hai Di Lao
Photo by Burppler Terence Ong
For Great Service
To no surprise, this well-known and loved hotpot chain has foolproof hotpot but are notable for their impeccable service — think manicures, screen protectors for your phone, popcorn, and tea in the waiting area. Their popular soup bases ($20+) are the tangy Tomato soup, Chicken broth alongside the seafood, and ma la flavour. Ingredients-wise, besides their selection of delicious premium meat, you can order sides like tofu, meatballs, flour cakes, and fried bean curd skin ($10~) alongside special mixes of their condiments!
If you're coming in a smaller group, note that half portions are available. Although their theatrical performance of hand-pulling noodles is no longer allowed due to the pandemic, be sure to order some as they are still as tasty!
LongQing
Photo by Burppler Justin Teo
For Hotpot Date Nights
Located at Clark Quay, jot this classy steamboat place down for your next snazzy date night. Choose from their selection of au naturale soup bases — we recommend the Wild Mushroom and Spicy Ma La. You can order their Handmade Fish/Prawn Paste and the addictive Crispy Beancurd Skin Roll ($6~) which are great for dousing in broths!
Burppler Justin Teo likes how their soup bases are thick and deep in flavours, without artificial flavourings, including their mala which has a more complex herbiness to it compared to the more single-dimensional mala at HDL. Some gems he recommends are the Japanese Flying Squid ($16), handmade Pork Balls and Fish Paste ($12), and Pig Stomach ($9). End your meal by washing it down with herbal tea specially imported from China!
Tsukada Nojo
Photo by Burppler Jx Eats
For Japanese-style Hotpot
Look to this restaurant in Plaza Singapura for a cosy lunch date spot. You are here for the Bijin Nabe ($25~ per pax) that sees vegetables, seafood, and chicken cooked in a thick and sweet golden Jidori chicken broth — a potent eight-hour-brew where chicken bones get fully dissolved turning into a silky smooth pudding that's high in collagen. Noting how perfect this meal is for rainy days, Burppler Paul Ong reminiscences the best part of being able to add more of their rich soup to his yummy ingredients like prawn, meatball, and red radish! Pro-tip: come during off-peak hours to avoid queuing.
Beauty in The Pot
Photo by Burppler BroodieFoodie
For Collagen Broth and Quality Ingredients
Another formidable player in the scene is this popular hot pot joint that means business when it comes to all things steamy and comforting. Their nourishing Beauty Collagen Broth ($20) is silky smooth and delicious but slightly more savoury, comprising of conpoy, pork trotter, chicken feet, chicken, and pork bones. Aside from their rich broths and premium marinated meat selection, other crowd favourites include their signature fish tofu and fried beancurd skin which should be dipped into the broth for only 3 seconds so it remains crispy.
Complete your tasty meal by downing their refreshing yuzu slush. Drooling already?
Flame Cafe
Photo by Burppler Maureen Ow
For Halal Pagoda Steamboat
Mark this industrial-chic space down for group dinners in the East. Order the four-tiered Pagoda Steamboat in Supreme (from $35.90) and expect an all-in-one steamboat that allows you to steam, barbecue, and boil all at once. Choose two soup bases from their selection of homemade broths, including chicken, tom yum, mala, tomato & herbal tonic. Besides a range of condiments, be sure to select the Cheese dip (refillable at $3.90) or the Salted Egg dip to fully enjoy your all-day freeflow buffet ($29.90~ per pax) plethora of fresh seafood, marinated meats, veggies as well as sides like meatballs, cheese tofu, custard buns, and sausages! Also included are free-flow drinks.
Jiu Gong Ge
Photo by Burppler Triffany Lim
For Seafood Hotpot
Bring your mates and an appetite to Bugis Cube for this shellfish feast. Expect nothing less than a gargantuan tray of fresh and juicy crab, lobster, prawns, mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, and scampi when you opt for their Seafood Platter ($118 for 4 pax, $198 for 6 pax). For mala lovers, they have an addictive mala broth which you can add in ingredients like cabbage, black fungus, corn, quail egg, and instant noodles. Burppler Chew Sher Mein's favourite was the juice and crunchy prawns which had tender bright orange flesh and how their clear soup was an absolute delight to drink as it was rich with sweetness from the seafood.
Guo Fu Steamboat
Photo by Burppler Russell Leong
For Personal Pots
Guo Fu Hotpot is the place for authentic premium beef hotpot and free-flow xiao long baos, and instead of a group of people sharing one big pot, this place lets you have your own little pot to keep things clean and personal. Burppler Sharmaine tried the 1-for-1 Burpple Lunch Set and said it "serves a huge portion of seafood/ meat and the food was very fresh as well. The soup was decent (you can pay to top up to a better soup) and the amount of sauces available were extensive too."
As for Burppler Russell Leong, Guo Fu Steamboat was on his must-try list for the longest time, and "my gaaawwwddd it’s the perfect first post lockdown hotpot buffet."
Tong Xin Ru Yi Traditional Hotpot
Photo by Burppler Cassie Ong
For Unique Soup Bases
Tong Xin Ru Yi is not your usual hotpot joint, with a variety of unique soup bases like Golden Chicken Soup, Catfish with Spicy Soup and Chinese Cabbage with Pork Rib Soup in its menu. Pick from beautiful ingredients like dory fish, frog legs, beef tongue and more! Burppler SG Food On Foot also suggests you try their signature BBQ Canadian Oyster with Garlic "roasted over hot coals, drizzled with housemade sauce of garlic, chilli and chopped spring onions."
Shi Li Fang
Photo by Burppler V L
For Value For Money Hotpot
Burppler Sarah Ng calls Shi Li Fang "one of the more affordable options in the world of hotpots, but all in all value for money." She also likes how you can get an individual pot to yourself. Soup bases here include mala and collagen pork, which a generous spread ranging from hand-pulled noodles and premium marbled pork slices to quail eggs and an assortment of mushrooms.
City Hot Pot Shabu Shabu
Photo by Burppler Shane Sng
For Wagyu Hotpot
City Hot Pot is a modern concept steamboat restaurant that lets every customer have their own personal hotpot. Burppler Ying S opted for the 1-for-1 Wagyu Ribeye Set Meal with tom yum and chicken mushroom soup and says "The soups were tasty, and ingredients were very fresh. Set meal's portion is just nice, and very satisfying!" Burppler Louisa Goh also tried the same set and says the "meat was tender, with a decent spread of veggies, mushroom and beancurd items. The mala soup base is tasty and spicy."
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