The Magic of ChongQing Hot Pot
19 Tanglin Road
#04-06/07 Tanglin Shopping Centre
Tel: 6734 8135
It's been slightly over 5 hours and I'm still feeling bloated from dinner. My eyes are squinting at the computer screen as I write but I can't go to sleep cos lying down now would make me feel super uncomfortable. Think I need to do something about my 'underperforming' metabolic rate.
Brought my parents to ChongQing for a steamboat buffet tonight. Mum liked it and I think, Dad did too although he always claims that foods, unless introduced by him, is not yummy enough. ChongQing serves the popular 'Yuan Yang Guo' which comprises of chicken soup and 'ma la tang'. Guess the soup is the most impt in a steamboat meal and this one made the cut cos Mum was raving about the tasty and murky soup. Although she realised later that it tastes much better when all the ingredients are not mixed inside. It's funny though cos most steamboat places serve their soups pretty bland in the beginning but gets tastier after everything is thrown in. The 'ma la tang' is almost unbearable to drink on its own so I usually mix a little of it in the chicken soup so it spices things up just a little. Dad choked on the soup cos he was trying to be a hero, thinking that the spice was nothing. He learnt after that I think.
ChongQing serves the usual steamboat fare but the fish paste is a definite must-try. Meats are also yummy cos they're sliced very thinly so that it's easy to cook and eat. To me, the uniqueness of the food is in the sauce. While Coca serves the Thai-style chilli sauce, ChongQing provides 4 sauces; a peanut sauce, chilli sauce, cut chilli with sliced garlic and sesame oil. It's up to each individual to decide what sauce they like but for me, it tastes best when everything is mixed together but in the right proportion of course. It may look disgusting initially but it tastes great with the boiled ingredients.
Pictures can speak a thousand words so maybe I didn't have to describe it so much if I had pictures of what I ate today. Unfortunately, I have no freaking camera nor a super high tech camera phone. Like i said before, before I go get one, try to use your imagination or rather, refer to the telephone number above and do the necessary.
P/S: Terribly jealous that my bro and sis have made it to NYC and ate at Les Halles! sis was going on about her t-bone and bro's hanger steak. blah blah blah about how the sauce was blah blah blah... urgh! For those who don't know, Anthony Bourdain used to be the executive chef at Les Halles, a bistro/cafe famous for their steak frites. sis says that their fries are fab but really, I didn't need to know that. Although I really love salty food, now's not the time to add salt to my wound.
Enjoyed a lot! » »
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