Steamboats

First time at HDL’s Novena outlet and we managed to get a lunch reservation to avoid the long waiting time. The space is cozy but our table next to the window was a little cramped. Food is shiok as usual and the service we received was exceptional - even got two complimentary bowls of longevity noodles for our parents and a stalk of carnation flower for Mother’s Day!

This hotpot space is open till 5am daily = another spot for suppers! We got to try 3 different soups - Healthy Collagen, Si Chuan Spicy Soup Base and their newly launched Prawn Soup Base. Our clear winner that night was the super rich Prawn Soup Base, made from boiling lots and lots of prawn heads - it was so rich and intense that it felt super sinful slurping down (but unfortunately heard that you’d have to top up $ for more broth, which doesn’t seem as worth it). While the Collagen felt too watered down, the Si Chuan base is a not bad option for ma la lovers. The buffet was pretty standard, and includes the usual steamboat options you’d expect. Not outstanding, but what we enjoyed most were their ala carte Homemade Prawn Balls ($12.90 for 6) which were super q and packed with prawn meat.

Thank you to @haixianlao for having us and @burpple for the kind invite! 🙆🏻‍♀️

Another new hotpot kid on the block! There’s almost zero information online on Xiang Tian Xia’s new Singapore outlet (they have branches in China, New York, etc.), but we took a risk and bought their $200 cash voucher on Fave at 51% off (that’s $99) - & score! Cause it was definitely worth it for the amount we had. We had the triple pot with their Mushroom, Tomato and Ma La broths. Shoutout to the fragrant mala broth, spicy and thick, leaving a light numbing sensation. Flavour is quite different from the familiar HDL probably due to the mixture of spices used, but it was still good albeit not as drinkable. It’s also customizable for less spice, less oil, etc. The good range of ingredients were fresh but for some like the wide sweet potato noodles ($5), the portions were significantly smaller.

They don’t do half portions here too, so make sure to grab along a few more friends! Just a few prices for a better gauge - triple pot $22, double pot $18, tiger prawns $14, pork belly $16, dory fish $12, handmade pork and mushroom meatballs $10, shrimp paste $18. Service is not mind blowing but still warm and attentive. We’re surely coming back with another voucher, but if without, we’d probably stick to HDL and Upin!

📍香天下 Xiang Tian Xia Hotpot
Blk B 3 River Vally Road #01-06/07
Singapore
🕦 10.30am to 4am Daily

Back at Wen Wen for the second time after what seems like forever but the wait was so worth it. ✨We paid $70 for 5 pax. Unlimited noodles and refills of that amazing broth in a mix of crabs, clams, prawns, intestines and pork ribs along with shabu pork and veg we brought along. S H I O K. Their contact number for reservations has changed to 90265983 and I think they now provide additional vegetables for top up if you forget to bring your own!

Got to Clarke Quay with an izakaya in mind for lunch, but it poured so badly we found ourselves around this bubbling hot pot instead! Upin's relatively new and snugged on the 3rd floor of Clarke Quay Central. Can't say that I like this more than my fav HDL, but it was still really satisfying! We got the mushroom broth and ma la (why of course). Both broths started out lighter and became more flavourful half way through, as compared to HDL where the flavours hit you well from the start. Similarly, you also get to choose the amount of oil, level of spiciness as well as numbness for the ma la base. We went for the spiciest and it was good!

Prices are lower here, but they don't do half portions, so come in a bigger group to stretch your dollar! Some prices for comparison - Twin Pot ($14/$16, depending on the higher cost of soup among the two chosen), Black Pork ($10), Prawn Paste ($12), Indian Lettuce ($4), Kelp ($4), Wide Vermicelli ($5). Ingredients were fresh, quality and came in relatively big portions. Service was great too, we were served by a very friendly 吴阿姨! Beverages are free flow at $3 a pax, while access to the sauces, seasonings and fruit table is at $4 a pax. Upin takes reservations up till 6.30pm before the dinner crowd fills up the space, but is also open till 3am for supper. Will be back!

Resisted our favorite HDL and got down to trying a new hotpot place in Clarke Quay! Started off with a yuan yang pot of ma la (why of course) and pork bone broth. The latter caught our hearts with its rich savoury flavour, the kind that you'll feel is boiled super thoroughly. The ma la paled in comparison, it didn't pack a punch as much as we would have liked, especially if you're used to HDL. It was light but still quite fragrant and had a nice balance of both numbness and heat! You can customize the level of oil, peppercorns, etc. Also, not sure if it was the ventilation, but it got really hot half way through and we were sweating buckets even though it wasn't crowded.

Price wise, it's about the same as HDL's but somehow, we all felt that the portion here is a tad smaller for certain dishes. There isn't half portions here, so come in bigger groups! Would definitely recommend to get their Shrimp Paste ($17) - two square blocks of pure shrimp paste, once cooked its crunchy and q, super shiok!

Service wasn’t as attentive at times although there weren't many people. We had to keep getting up to get our dishes placed on a separate table, but our cups and soups were constantly refilled. Not sure if we'll come back again but if you do want to give it a try, there's a Si Chuan Face Changing (四川变脸) performance daily from 7.30pm to 8pm!

Finally got down to Shi Li Fang after hearing so much about it, but as much as I wanted to like it, it kinda fell short of expectations. We got the chicken and ma la soup bases, both were average with the chicken one being slightly better (heard the tomato is one of the best ones here). Didn’t slurp down too much soup but it made us really thirsty after the meal. 😔 That said, plus points for the fresh ingredients served quickly after orders despite being full house!

Heard that prices are affordable, but that's more for the set meals. The ala carte options are not the most kind to the wallet imo - ordered some of the more basic dishes and our bill came up to $54 for 2 pax, something I'd prefer to pay for a buffet at one of the steamboat places in Bugis. But, collect enough stamps here and you can redeem soft toys in exchange!