It's true: queuing up for a table at JPot can be a chore especially during weekends, so the best way to enjoy your personal steamboat pot is to book a table (I used Chope).
And it may seem that each diner is individually given a pot of soup, your friends would probably not mind sharing some of their tasty soup bases available. One tip to share is to consider what ala carte ingredients you want to order before you decide on your soup base (eg. Tau Pok goes well with Laksa soup base, but maybe not so matching with Tom Yum).
Typically most items come in 4s or 6s, but if you are not sure you can always ask the waiters on duty. The table is not very big anyway, so you can always send in a few rounds of food orders so that the food come in small batches. If there are items I will always choose, they will be the Fish Noodles, Homemade Tofu, Pork Belly, Beef Brisket, Deshelled Prawns and Mushroom Combination.
Is ala carte steamboat more expensive than other steamboat buffet restaurants? Well, at any time of the day, my average spending here will be between S$35.00 and S$50.00 per person, and it largely depends on what my accompanying diners will choose. Just take note that time limit will be imposed during peak hours.
#BurppleXChope