Spice World Hot Pot 香天下火锅 a very popular hot pot restaurant in China, popularized through the internet which they termed as 网红店 opens its first franchise in Clarke Quay, Singapore. I am a big Mala fan, tried the authentic Mala Hotpot in China. My virgin attempt was in Chongqing and ever since I love it. In Singapore, the most famous being Haidilao, Upin Hot Pot, Beauty in The Pot and lesser known like Tang Restaurant and Bar and Chao Tian Men Steamboat Buffet Restaurant.
When I texted my friends in China to find out about them, unanimously, they felt that Spice World Hot Pot taste better than Haidilao. They said the selling point of the latter is service while former is food quality and taste.
Oriental design is the theme. The space is populated with lots of Chinese lanterns and numerous Chinese motifs such as the dragon were seen. They even brought a pavilion into the space. And they used the favourite colour of Chinese, Red. To make the space modern looking, instead of placing Oriental Chairs, they chose modern looking white chairs with some chinese design.
Highly attractive was the bear consist of beef oil in the Mala Soup at and addition of $9.90. If you are lucky, you may get the Kitty in the soup.
Spice World Hot Pot offers 6 types of Non-mala (spicy) soup. Their signature is the Pork Belly Soup and Wild Mushroom Soup. Others are Tomato Soup, Three-delicacies (chicken, pork and duck), Curry and Tom Yum Soup.
We opted for the Yin Yang Broth ($22.90) which offers us a Mala Soup and one other option. We chose the Pork Belly Soup. 2 other soup we tried were Tomato Soup and Three-delicacy (pork, chicken, duck). Our favourite was the Pork Belly. We felt the Tomato Soup at Spice World Hot Pot is better than Haidilao version. Alternatively, diners could select the Benz Triple Flavour Broth ($25.90). I am glad that they cater for solo diners who have an option of single serving broth ($6).
We were informed that the soup has NO artificial flavouring, MSG and flavour enhancers. I am not sensitive to MSG therefore I can’t testify for that.
lf you like beef, you could opt for Signature Tender Beef 招牌嫩牛肉 and Premium Barbie Wagyu Beef 极品芭比和牛 ($38.90) with M8 Wagyu Beef from Australia. Personally, I will order the latter at my subsequent visit.
Thinly sliced mutton meat with some good amount of fats were placed on a one metre wooden plank, resulting the name of this item, One Metre Mutton Slices 一米羊肉 ($28.90). Cook it in Mala Soup and you won’t taste the gamey flavour.
Fan of the beef tripe will rejoice on the chewy Air-flown Beef Tripe 香天下飞的肥毛肚 ($15.90). Not my kind of food as I find it far too tough for my jaw.
Shrimp paste with fish eggs 鱼籽虾滑 ($18.90) and the Pork balls ($12.90) are 2 worthy selections. The latter is the favourite of former UK Prime Minister David Cameron). Though some might criticised them for the lack of chewiness when comparing to Haidilao. However, I love it the way it is.
Fresh slice fish is also available for fish lovers, Red Tilapia 尼罗红鱼 was what we have. I prefer the fish slices thicker. I find it far too thin.
Vegetable Platter 素菜拼盘 for some greens to balance the diet and Potato slices 功夫土豆 is a favourite dish for the hot pot.
The silky Fried Braised Tofu 爽炸豆花 is another tasty option.
Handful of snacks such the Deep fried pork slices 妈妈酥肉 and Glutinous rice cake with brown sugar 红糖糍粑 are available too. We only managed to tried the former and we love it.
Of course a good number of sauces, dips and condiments to accompany the hot pot are on available. I estimated over 20 items. We find the dips a little too watery. The most unique sauce is the numbing oil. Add some doses into your sauce to get that extra kick of numbness. The consolation is that taste wasn’t compromised. Along with the sauces are some sides and fruits free-flow too.
Similar to Haidilao, the service crew will offer parsley and spring onions added to your bowl for the soup.
Finally, a dessert to end the meal, Rose Ice Jelly. After all the rich flavourful Mala, we could hardly savour the rose flavour. Peanut aroma dominant the dish and perhaps masked the rose fragrance.
NAHMJ Verdict
Spice World Hot Pot 香天下火锅 will be a fierce competition for hot pot restaurants. I am certainly impressed and will return soon. In fact, as I was drafting this post, I crave for Mala. Lol.
Spice World Hot Pot 香天下火锅
3B River Valley Road, #01-06/07, Singapore 179021
Tel: +65 6884 6884
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SpiceWorldSingapore/
Opening Hours
Sundays to Thursdays 1030 to 0400 | Fridays to Saturdays 1030 to 0600
Getting There
By MRT:
- North-east line – Clarke Quay station
- Downtown line – Fort Canning station
By Bus:
- Opp Liang Court along River Valley Road 32, 54, 195
- Opp Shell House along Clemenceau Ave 64, 123, 143
- UE Square or opp Mohd Sultan Rad along River Valley Road 139
Rating: 7/10
*Disclaimer: This was a media invite.