Tong Xin Ru Yi Traditional Hotpot @ Boat Quay - Steamboat Brimming With Ingredients Upon Order

Unlike other hotpot places, Tong Xin Ru Yi Tradition Hotpot serves flavourful slow-cooked soup bases brimming with ingredients upon order. Formerly located at Boat Quay facing the river, it has moved a street behind to Lorong Telok, near Circular Road. Compare to its previous premise, the new place is bigger and more spacious with elegant wooden furnishings and muted earthy tones.

Fried Mint Leaf 3.5/5

When having hotpot, there is a waiting gap for the raw ingredients to be cooked. Hence one can order some cooked food to munch first. A good starter is the Fried Mint Leaf ($8), crunchy with a crispy tempura-like batter.

Shake Shake Crispy Pork 4.5/5

Deep-fried to tender is the Shake Shake Crispy Pork ($10). Give the crispy pork a good shake in the shaker tub, giving each piece a good coating of the salt and pepper seasoning. Be warned, this is extremely addictive.

BBQ Canadian Oyster with Garlic 3.5/5

The BBQ Canadian Oyster with Garlic ($32 for 6pc) is delivered daily to the restaurant. The plump oysters are roasted over hot coals, drizzled with housemade sauce of garlic, chilli and chopped spring onions. They can be served fresh too.

Stewed Spicy Beef Pot & Golden Chicken Pot

Tong Xin Ru Yi offers a repertoire of soup bases, and we tried the Stewed Spicy Beef Pot ($48) and Golden Chicken Soup ($68). The stewed spicy beef pot features a savoury trilogy of fork-tender braised beef meat chunks, soft beef tendons and chewy beef backstraps. There are also deep-fried golden tofu cubes and radish in the spicy and piquant soup laden with Sichuan peppercorns, chilli slices, traditional herbs and spices.

As for the golden chicken soup, it consists of a harmonious blend of nourishing chicken broth and sweet golden pumpkin. It the golden broth, there are black fungus, yam, konjac, pineapple chunks, sliced cucumber, brown shimeiji mushrooms and pumpkin. Other signature soups include Golden Frog Soup, Catfish with Spicy Soup, Fish with Pickled Cabbage Soup, Pickled Cabbage with Pork Rib Soup and Tomato with Oxtail Soup. There are also vegetarian soup bases such as the Vegetarian Spicy Soup and Corn with Tomato Soup.

Beef Tong, Eight-Second Beef (New Zealand), Premium Chef-sliced Beef Shin (Australia)

Apart from the bountiful selection of the usual meats, seafood, mushrooms and leafy greens and noodles, Tong Xin Ru Yi offers several unique and premium ingredients on the menu from all over the world. Take for example, the premium beef selection of Beef Tongue, Premium Chef-sliced Beef Shin (Australia), Eight-Second Beef (New Zealand) and Spicy Beef Cubes (USA).

Spicy Beef Cube

The Beef Tongue Slices ($22) which are rolled into a rose, has a delightful crunchy texture. The Premium Eight Second Beef ($24) is delivered weekly with limited portions. It is best to savour by cooking it for 8 seconds in the hotpot, to appreciate the well-marbled meat. Go for the Premium Chef-Sliced Beef Shin ($28) if you prefer something that is well-marbled and at the same time has a substantial bite to it. As for the Spicy Beef Cubes ($16), it is a popular item from Sichuan marinated in picante sauce and dusted with chilli flakes.

Hand-Cut Mutton (New Zealand)

Pork Belly

Besides the selection of beef cuts, other meat selections such as Hand Cut Mutton (New Zealand) and Pork Belly are available too.

Sliced Black Bone Chicken

What is really intriguing is the Sliced Black Bone Chicken ($20). I have never seen a black bone chicken, but I didn't know the meat is black too. It tastes slightly sweeter than the usual chicken meat and boasts a chock full of antioxidants.

Gracilaria

Another interesting ingredient not commonly sight at hotpot restaurant is the Gracilaria (龙须菜), specially sourced and imported for local diners. It looks and tastes like seaweed, and has a unique crunchy texture.

Great news for diners as Tong Xin Ru Yi is offering 1-For-1 US Premium Beef and/or Japanese Black Pork until 14 September 2019. You get to also enjoy 2 Soups for the price 1, for selected soup bases. On top of that, simply share photographs of your meal on facebook and Instagram, tag @tongxinruyi and hashtag #tongxinruyi #tongxinruyisg to enjoy 12% off all hotpot ingredients upon payment.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Tong Xin Ru Yi Traditional Hotpot
6 Lorong Telok
Singapore 049019
Tel: 65368058
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 1030pm
Sat-Sun: 12pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards the junction of North Canal Road and South Bridge Road. Cross the junction and continue on North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses along North Canal Road. Look out for an alley and turn left into it. Look for the entrance to the building and take the lift to level 2. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk towards North Canal Road. Continue on North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses along North Canal Road. Look out for an alley and turn right into it. Look for the entrance to the building and take the lift to level 2. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Beauty In The Pot @ The Star Vista - Steaming Hot New Outlet In The West

Finally the long wait is over, Beauty in The Pot has opened its newest outlet in the West at The Star Vista. Besides its six signature broths (Signature Beauty Collagen, Signature Spicy Nourishing Soup, Herbal Drunken Chicken, Cooling Coconut, Longevity Wild Pine Mushroom and Vitamin C Tomato Sweet Corn), the new outlet has collaborated with its sister company Le Shrimp Ramen to offer the Hearty Shrimp Broth for a limited period  from 6 to 31 July 2019 to celebrate its new opening.

The new Hearty Shrimp Broth ($28 for single pot, $15 for twin pot, $9 for quart pot) is only available for a limited period at the new Star Vista outlet. It is made from baking fresh big prawns and then hand-grinded them to fine texture before simmered them for more than eight hours with premium conpoy. A blend of spices is also added to the luscious stock, giving the broth a piquant oomph. To enhance the rich and flavourful broth, fresh clams are added to give it a natural sweetness of the ocean.

For its Grand Opening Promotion, Citi, Standard Chartered and PGR cardmembers get to enjoy Twin Pot broth for free (includes Hearty Shrimp Broth) on 6 and 7 July 2019.

Of course, hand in hand for a good pot of steamboat broth is the variety of fresh ingredients to complete the experience. The premium meat such as the kurobuta pork and wagyu beef is one of my favourite choices for its marbling and melted in the mouth texture.

The Fried Beancurd Skin is a must order whenever I visit Beauty in The Pot. It is advised to cook it for only 3 seconds so it still retains a crisp texture while soaking up the flavoursome broth. I prefer to cook it longer to soak up more of the delicious broth though.

And of course not to be missed is the fresh seafood such as the thickly sliced Red Garoupa and Red Leg Sea Prawns. If you are not aware, you can request the staff to help you peel the prawns at Beauty in The Pot.

The new outlet at The Star Vista spans 6,321 square feet and boasts 212 seats. It is swathed in pastel blues and reds. The shopfront is designed to represent an old quarter in Singapore during Western colonisation. There is also a children's playground, so the adults can enjoy the food while the kids enjoy their playtime.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Beauty In The Pot
The Star Vista
1 Vista Exchange Green
Singapore 138617
Facebook
Website
Tel: +65 62621692
Nearest MRT: Buona Vista (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 3pm, 6pm - 3am

Direction:
1) Alight at Buona Vista MRT station. Take Exit A or C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

One Pot (一锅) @ Jalan Benaan Kapal (Kallang Park) - Cheap & Quality Hotpot In A Ulu Food Centre

In my wildest imagination I would not have imagine having hotpot in an ulu food centre that I have not even known of its existence. I love eating hotpot, so for my birthday celebration, I suggested to go to One Pot (一锅) at Kallang Park after reading MissTamChiak review of the place.

I was taken back to find a food centre located at a quite corner in Kallang Park. Even all the stalls were closed except for One Pot during my visit. However the place is packed with people having hotpot.

Diners can choose from the pork, chicken or beef set. The pricing begins from $15 for a pax to $60 for 5 pax. The set is served in a wooden box. It comes with fresh ingredients such as the choice of meat (depend on the set you order), fish, quail eggs, luncheon meat, fish balls, crab sticks, prawns, minced meat, mushrooms, tang hoon and vegetables. I have to say that is some presentation.

You can be guaranteed of quality when you sight Brent the stall owner, slicing fresh pieces of pork and beef using the meat slicer. Who says you can't enjoy quality Kurobuta Pork and Australian Ribeye in a hawker centre. You will get this at One Pot.

Besides the ingredients from the set box, depending on Brent's morning marketing, you may also find other ala carte items on the menu. During my visit, we ordered the meatball, dumpling, fish dumpling and beancurd skin.

One Pot for the time being only offers Japanese Pork Bone soup base for their hotpot. Unfortunately there are no other soup bases. Trust me the Japanese pork bone soup base is really tasty and goes well with the ingredients. Noteworthy is the dipping chilli sauces, one is spicy and the other slightly sweeter.

What stood out for One Pot is its value for money hotpot with quality ingredients. My meal above for 4 pax is only around $60. It probably will cost you around $100 in some hotpot restaurants. Furthermore, parking there is free too. However, do call Brent to make a reservation before going down to avoid disappointment.


One Pot (一锅)
56 Jalan Benaan Kapal
Stall #54
Singapore 399644
Tel: +65 90077959
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Stadium MRT (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Stadium MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Stadium Walk Road. Cut across the big open air carpark. Walk to Stadium Crescent Road. Cross the road. Walk to Jalan Benaan Kapal. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Beauty In The Pot @ VivoCity - Finally A Nearer Outlet For The Westies

Taking over the space which used to occupy Paradise Dynasty at VivoCity is Beauty In The Pot. For those not familiar with the mall, it is located above Golden Village Cinema or besides the new public library at VivoCity. This is by far their latest outlet among the three Beauty In The Pot concept by the Paradise Group.

Like the other outlets, the restaurant offers a variety of soup bases such as the Signature Beauty Collagen Broth, Signature Spicy Nourishing Soup, Herbal Drunken Chicken Broth, Cooling Coconut Broth, Tomato Broth and Mushroom Broth. Depending on the choice of broths, it comes in single pot, dual or quad pots.

I like my meats for hotpot and I like the choices on Beauty In The Pot's menu. For Pork, they have selection such as US Kurobuta Pork, Nagano Pork Belly and Nagano Pork Collar. As for the beef, there are US Angus Prime Short Ribs, US Wagyu Ribeye and Beef Tripe.

One of my must order item at Beauty In The Pot is the thickly sliced Red Grouper served on a bed of ice. It is understand that they are freshly delivered from the fish market daily.

A definitely must order for me is the Fried Beancurd Skin. It is supposed to be only cook for 1 to 3 seconds, so one just gets the bite of crispiness while allowing the beancurd skin to soak up the broth. I personally prefer it to be slightly longer, allowing it to soak up everything.

If you are spoilt of choices and do not know what to order, just go for the different platter selections. Once you know what you like, you can order the specific item in your second round or next visit.

However I have a small complains. I am a bit upset that Beauty In The Pot is charging for the sauces per pax. Come on who eats steamboat without sauces. I have met some staff that didn't even explain to the customers but just put the charges at the end of the dinner in the bill.


Beauty In The Pot
VivoCity
1 Harbourfront Walk
#03-08A
Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 62550758
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Harbourfront (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 6am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Harbourfront MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Empress Porridge @ Fusionpolis Galaxis - 无米粥 (no rice grain) Porridge Steamboat

Empress Porridge was first established in NUH Medical Centre and has since become known for their home cooked flavours with a rotating menu of wholesome dishes. Now setting foot in Fusionpolis Place, Empress Porridge continues to warm your bellies with an expanded menu with two new additions - Porridge Steamboat and Take Home Dinner.

Porridge Steamboat 3.5/5

The Porridge Steamboat ($15) comes with a finely milled porridge base, along with an assortment of protein and vegetables. To achieve the desired grainless texture, the Empress Porridge’s 无米粥 is slow cooked for hours which at the same time draw out the sweetness of the rice.

Portion for two

Minimum 2 pax is required. Each set comes with fresh prawns, sliced fish, white and brown mushrooms, seasonal vegetables, ring ring beancurd roll including your choice of beef/chick/pork meatballs. Additional charges apply to add-on meat and vegetables. The fish slices were quite good, I like the hint of rice wine that came along with it. I do not recommend choosing beef out of the 3 meat options. I had that but I do not like the taste of it at all. Hence, best to go for either the chicken or the meatballs. The meatballs were sweet and juicy, couldn't be any better to go with the velvety porridge.

Mustard Leaves Fried Rice

A thoughtful touch added to this set is the mini bowl of Mustard Leaves Fried Rice that will be served to you to wrap up your meal. This is to make sure that you are really full at the end of this humble feast!

Empress Porridge 3/5

Solo diners can simply go for the Signature Empress Porridge ($4.80) for similar comfort. Signature Empress Porridge is cooked with a mixture of brown and white rice, simmered with dried scallops, cuttlefish, dried shrimp, tender pork collar and braised peanut. Brown rice gave it more bite which I find a lot more satisfying than just using plain white rice. The savoury taste come mainly from the dried scallops and shrimps which elevates the enjoyment of the porridge. However, there might be a need to cut back on the dried shrimps as they can get rather overwhelming after a few bites.

Carrot Cake 3/5

Prawn Paste Chicken 3/5

Other familiar delights includes Carrot Cake ($2.50) and Prawn Paste Chicken ($2.50). Pricing is economical, considering that these are not from your neighbourhood hawker centre or coffeeshop. The radish on the carrot cake is done in-house which flavoured the fluffy egg nicely, just like Cai Pok egg! The 'cake' itself is mediocre but it will satiate your craving nonetheless. The prawn paste chicken was a bit oily but if you like chicken kaarage, this is not too far off.

A quick solution to having homecooked food is their Empress' Take Home Dinner. From $9 onwards, each set comes with 1 bowl of heartwarming soup, slow-cooked daily for up to eight hours, 3 hearty dishes and 1 variation of rice dish. Check out their website for more information on pricing and dishes available.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Empress Porridge
Fusionpolis Galaxis
1 Fusionopolis Place
#01-15
Singapore 138522
Tel: +65 93836788/ 69095228
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: One-North (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 730am - 730pm
Sat: 8am - 1pm
(Closed on Sun & PH)

Direction: 
1) Alight at One-North MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Beauty in The Pot @ One KM Mall - Third And Largest Outlet With A Totally Pink Colour Theme

New hairdo, manicure, massage... These ain't just the only ways to spruce and better yourself up for the Lunar New Year! Head down to Beauty in The Pot's latest and the largest outlet at One KM Mall, for its well acclaimed skin nourishing collagen soups and exquisite broths. Spanning over 7,600 square feet with 288 seats to accommodate you and your loved ones, this pink-centric outlet at Level 3 offers 6 soup bases which you can enjoy all your favourite hotpot ingredients with.

Inspired by cherry blossoms, ladies might be awed by the pink princess theme, illustrated by the different shades of pink that colored the restaurant - from the entrance, the walls, ceiling, chairs and even charging points!

Our hotpot of the evening come with 4 different soup bases (quart pot starts from $5 each): Signature Beauty Collagen Broth - featuring Shark's Cartilage as the key ingredient. Every sip was rich and lined my lips with the 'collagen'. If you love mala spicy, their Signature Spicy Nourishing Soup will hit the right spot with its Chinese herbs infused pork broth. It is also hard to resist the Herbal Drunken Chicken Broth when the aroma of the glutinous white wine and herbs that keep emanating from the hotpot. The Cooling Coconut Broth is satisfying in its own right with a balance of richness and cooling elements lent from coconut flesh and white fungus. There is also a much milder option - Vitamin C Tomato Sweet Corn Broth for immunity boosting and Longevity Wild Pine Mushroom Broth (vegetarian).

After enduring the long queue, there are a few items not to be missed - Homemade Fish Tofu ($2/pc) made with yellowtail, soya bean and egg white. Unlike those tough commercial seafood tofu, this is really the real deal as I could even taste the fattiness of the fish. Prettily shaped, just apt for the Chinese New Year!

Around the table or even across the board, the most loved item is the Fried Beancurd Skin ($4.90 half portion/$9.80 full portion). For first timer, be advised of the 3-sec rule set by the restaurant. That will ensure that your blanched crispy beancurd skin will remain crispy in the inside while the exterior get soaked with broth. This 3-sec rule applies to their new item Alasaka Crab (so that it won't fall into pieces and dissipate into the boiling broth) and Fry Fish Skin.

Other than the fresh meats that really set you up into a feasting mood, such as Waygu and Pork Belly (and that's also when your DIY dips became seriously important), my personal favourite is the Pork & Chives Dumpling.

When fresh and juicy dumplings are rare at hotpot places, these juice-bursting dumplings are all the more satisfying. If you have a thing for meatballs, the Soft Bone Pork Meatballs ($5 half portion/ $10 full portion) are solid with premium pork meat.

Don't be surprised when you are handed a pink rose by a hunk if you drop by this outlet. In conjunction with the grand opening, male models will be giving out pink roses to female guests during during special dates and times. You will also receive a pair of exclusive Beauty in The Pot chopsticks as well as a $20 catering vouchers. These vouchers will come in very handy if you decide to order Beauty in The Pot Catering Sets for this CNY, available from $218+ for 5 pax. This include all you need steamboat items - full set crockery ware, steamboat pot, induction cooker, disposable table cover, soup refill etc. Orders must be made at least 5 working days in advance.

Other CNY takeaways includes Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng ($48.80 for 10 pax), Paradise Treasure Pot ($268 for 5pax/ $438 for10pax).

Words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Beauty in The Pot
OneKM Mall
11 Tanjong Katong Road
#03-39
Singapore 437157
Tel: +65 62848820
Facebook
Website
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 3am

Direction:
1) Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to Singapore Post Centre. At the Singapore Post Centre, turn right again and continue straight down the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]