Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Hot Pot Feast

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay – Clarke Quay, Singapore

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Interior, Second Section

 

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Taking Order

 

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, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - A Bear in the Hot Pot

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Pouring Soup Over Bear

 

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Yuanyang Soup

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Tomato 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. 

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Signature Tender Beef 招牌嫩牛肉

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Premium Barbie Wagyu Beef 极品芭比和牛

 

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - One Metre Mutton Slices 一米羊肉

 

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Air-flown Beef Tripe 香天下飞的肥毛肚
 

 

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Shrimp paste with fish eggs 鱼籽虾滑

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Fish paste ball

 

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Red Tilapia 尼罗红鱼

 

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Vegetable Platter 素菜拼盘
 

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Potato slices 功夫土豆

 

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Fried Braised Tofu 爽炸豆花

 

The silky Fried Braised Tofu 爽炸豆花 is another tasty option. 

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Deep fried pork slices 妈妈酥肉

 

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.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Sauces and Condiments

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Free-flow side dishes

 

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. 

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Condiments for soup

 

Similar to Haidilao, the service crew will offer parsley and spring onions added to your bowl for the soup.

 

Spice World Hot Pot, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Rose Ice Jelly

 

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, A Tough Competitor For Haidilao At Clarke Quay - Pavilion in the restaurant

 


 

 

 

Spice World Hot Pot 香天下火锅

3B River Valley Road, #01-06/07, Singapore 179021
Tel: +65 6884 6884

FBhttps://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.