King's Laksa Steamboat

King’s Laksa hotpot buffet is decently affordable $26.80++, and while the quality of the free flow meats aren’t the best, they’re serviceable. But, their deep fried prawn paste chicken is perfectly piquant, and that’s free flow too (I think). Bear in mind that the stock bases are charged separately from the price of admission, so the actual cost is closer to $35 per head.⠀
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The laksa soup base is $3.90, while the simple sounding chicken bone soup is a much cheaper option at $1.60. However, my dad & I ended up being far more impressed with the stellar sapidity of the chicken bone soup, while the laksa broth fell flat due to it being a bit diluted. While it wasn’t as creamy and satisfying as it could’ve been, it still packed a spicy wallop.⠀
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King’s has a little more tweaking & improving to do before they can rightfully claim to be hotpot nobility, but they’re definitely on the right road to redolent regency.

Affordable lunch buffet at $20-ish++ per person. They've got a self serve bar with vegetables, tofu, hot dogs etc. Sliced meats and seafood are ordered from the staff. Soup bases are charged separately, we got the laksa and chicken soups. Try the fried prawn paste chicken wings (included in the buffet)!

The laksa soup base is really thick and fragrant and goes very well with the fried mantou. There is variety and the portion is generous. $26.80 per pax for weekend lunch and dinner

Located along a row of shophouses off Upper Serangoon Road, this one's perfect for when you're craving hearty laksa after a long day. The Laksa Steamboat Buffet ($21.80 weekday lunch, $26.80 weekend lunch and daily dinner) includes a decent selection of ingredients; do keep an eye out for their super fresh prawns and fish slices! Add on soup bases for an additional $4 and drinks as well as ice cream for $1.
Photo by Burppler Raine Liu

With all steamboat sessions, the soup bases are best enjoyed towards the end of the meal when all the ingredients’ juices and essences have released its eclectic mix of constantly evolving kaleidoscopic flavors – think of the sweet and malty crustacean flavors of the flower crabs, the umami clams and mussels, the slightly metallic taste of cockles, the buttery thickness of the melted fat from the fresh meats, the savory juices of the lamb and pork, the subtle salinity of the squid, the earthy flavors of the mushrooms, and the fresh sweetness of the sliced fish. After the piping hot, hearty meal, indulge in a refreshing selection of seven ice cream flavors to end your feast on a sweet note.

The chicken soup surprisingly held its own despite the richness of the robust flavored laksa soup. It was thick and creamy, sticky and rich, subtly sweet and savory, which could only mean that it had been so diligently simmered over low heat for an extended duration that the chicken literally dissolved and released all the collagen in its skin, flesh and bones. It was wonderfully invigorating and a joy to the tastebuds to alternate between the vastly different laksa and chicken soup bases – one with its fragrant, hearty and spicy flavors and the other with its clean-tasting, comforting and viscous collagen goodness.