Hotpot Kingdom ( 鼎鼎香) @ Marina Bay Sands (MBS)

Chinese loves hotpot because it symbolizes reunion where a group of friends or family members gathered around the table cooking and eating the food together. For me, a good hotpot has to have fresh ingredients and a pot of superior soup base to go with it. Recently, I visited the newly opened, Hotpot Kingdom (鼎鼎香) at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands to see whether it meets my expectation of a good steamboat place.

Similar to one of my favourite steamboat restaurants, Imperial Treasure Steamboat, Hotpot Kingdom also offers an array of condiments where one can mix and match to create their own dipping sauce. A slight different is the variety of chilli sauces that is more suitable for the local liking of spicy.

Fried Silver Fish 4/5

Truffle Siew Mai 4/5

Some may not like to have steamboat because of the waiting time that is needed for the soup to boil and cook the ingredients. One beauty dining at Hotpot Kingdom is that they offered some starters, cooked food and even dim sum on their menu. Do note dim sum is not available for dinner.

Macanese Pork Bone Soup / Spicy Soup 4.2/5

Korean Kimchi Soup / Herbal Chicken Soup 4.2/5

Hotpot Kingdom offers ten different soup bases that is priced at $15 or $25. Under the $15 category, there are Spicy Soup, Macanese Pork Bone Soup, Pickled Vegetables with Fresh Fish Soup, Bak Kut Teh. While the $25 category consists of Beef Consomme Soup, Pork Tripe with Pepper Soup, La La Seafood Soup, Korean Kimchi Soup, Herbal Chicken Soup and Chicken Soup. As we have quite a big group, we decided to try Spicy Soup, Macanese Pork Bone Soup, Kimchi Soup and Herbal Chicken Soup. To be frank, I have enjoyed all four soups and I could not pick which is my favourite.

If you are having the Herbal Chicken Soup, the chicken is actually marinated in Chinese wine and served on the dish. At the table when the soup boils, the chicken is placed into the soup and the remaining Chinese wine marinade is poured into soup base.

Tiger Garoupa 4.2/5

Live Prawns 4.2/5

Local Lobster 4.2/5

Seafood lovers will be rejoiced with the selection of quality and fresh seafood on the menu. We tried the Tiger Garoupa ($13/100g), Live Prawns ($9/100g) and Local Lobster ($23/100g)

Homemade Meatballs 4.2/5

Another must try at Hotpot Kingdom is their Homemade Meatballs. There are Fresh Prawn Balls, Fresh Pork Ball, Dace Fish Ball, Fresh Beef Ball and Fresh Cuttlefish Ball. Ranging from $12-$14 for 6pcs. These meatballs are really good and springy but very expensive, about $2 per piece.

Vegetable and Mushroom 4/5

Ordered some Vegetable and Mushroom to go with the steamboat for a more balanced diet.

Pork Belly 4.2/5

Black Angus 4.5/5

Steamboat is not just about seafood. Good quality meat is also important part of a good spread. For a more premium selection, there are Japanese Wagyu Ribeye, Japanese Wagyu Striploin and Sliced Kurobuta Karubi, Premium US Black Angus and more.

Wanton 4/5

Egg Noodles 4/5

The menu is offers a variety of noodles and sides. An occurs of inspiration we decided to order some Wantons and Egg Noodles to cook our own inspired Wanton Noodles tossed in XO sauce.

My verdict of Hotpot Kingdom is that it is a great place for steamboat. Not only that, the extensive menu even offers a good variety of quality and fresh ingredients as well as dim sum and cooked dishes. However a steamboat meal at Hotpot Kingdom can be quite expensive.


Hotpot Kingdom (鼎鼎香)
The Shoppes
Marina Bay Sands
2 Bayfront Avenue
#B1-01B
Singapore 018972
Tel: +65 66887722
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hotpotkingdomsingapore
Website: http://www.hotpotkingdom.com/
Nearest MRT: Bayfront (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bayfront MRT station. Take Exit D. Proceed to basement 2. Walk towards the other of the building and turn left. Todai is located at the far left of The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

The Missing Pan @ Bukit Timah Road

After achieving raving success for its delicious brunch dishes, The Missing Pan, a cosy bakery-cum-brasserie at Bukit Timah, has launched several new main courses and light bites that are perfect for sharing over dinner. The good news is that they are available all-day just like their hearty brunches.

Chorizo Pork Fiesta 3.5/5

Highlights from the "Munch" section include this Chorizo Pork Fiesta ($10), a generous serving of intensely savory Spanish pork sausages that are bouncy on the teeth. I thought the meaty discs combined with black olives were a little too salty on their own, but the acidic crunchy gherkins and dried chili acted as good mediators in terms of both flavors and textures.

Chargrilled Squid 4/5

I am not a fan of squid but this Chargrilled Squid ($12) were so sweet and succulent that made me rediscovered the charm of this brainy seafood. The enticingly sweet and spicy "hush hush" seasoning probably won a lot of points for this dish, which implied that the side dressing of honey lime mayonnaise did not serve much purpose but this would taste equally mouthwatering even if other seafood are tossed in.

Mushroom Quesadillas 3/5

The Mushroom Quesadillas ($18) had the basic necessary ingredients such as wild mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and mozzarella but the taste fell rather flat. It was a pity because the tortilla skin made in-house was excellently crisp and fresh. Perhaps a mix of cheese and a little more spice would bring about clarity of flavors.

Smoked Duck Risotto 4.2/5

Nonetheless, regardless whether you have visited in the past for the food, the Smoked Duck Risotto ($25) provided another good reason to dine here. Instead of slices of smoked duck breast, the meat was meticulously chopped into bite sizes, blending itself seamlessly with the rest of the ingredients including hojimeishi mushrooms and baby spinach. The bright zesty flavor of the semi sun-dried tomato lightened everything instantly and served as a good foil for the rich and creamy base.

Frozen Honey Nougat 4.5/5

The vigilant eye for consistent quality food is not kept to the main courses but also the desserts section, where non-conventional pairings like thyme ice cream and nutty brownie would invite you to linger for more. Take for example the Frozen Honey Nougat ($12) that was flecked with pistachio nuts, dried almonds, and jazzed up with a delicate and aromatic coconut tuile biscuit. I was amazed how this chilled meringue was so restrained in sweetness, even when consumed with the meringue sticks. This is definitely a wonderfully refreshing and healthier confection than the usual ice cream to tide sweet cravings.

Bread and Butter pudding with Vanilla Crème 4/5

Topped with all kinds of fruits you can imagine-from the usual berries to apples, grapes and even watermelon, the humble Bread and Butter pudding with Vanilla Crème was transformed into the largest and possibly most beautifully plated version I've ever seen. This eggy pud would set you back at only $8, but increase your belt size by another hole. Begetting a long swipe through the vanilla crème and cocoa crumbs, the lush custardy interior would be perfect if it had a toastier exterior.

Pleasure 3.5/5

Besides the desserts, all the cakes and bread are churned out from the 1st floor bakery. The Pleasure ($8.50) is a classic interpretation of a milk chocolate-hazelnut cake but the dacquoise and ganache were slightly stiffened and dry. However, the hints of salt did help to enhance the elusive chocolate and pull things into a more coherent shape.

For those who love their alcohol, The Missing Pan boasts a specially curated list ranging from Thatcher Ciders, Brothers Ciders to craft beers from Belgium and UK. With a winning recipe of earnest passion and sincerity in serving good food, I am confident that the Missing Pan will continue to anchor a strong foothold in the local F&B scene.

Written and Photograph by Li Tian, a passionate foodie behind Singapore-Japan Food Blog “Dairy & Cream”. Has an eye for pastries and desserts.


The Missing Pan
619D Bukit Timah Road
#01/02-01
Singapore 269724
Tel: +65 64664377
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missingpan
Website: http://www.themissingpan.com
Nearest MRT: Tan Kah Kee (DT Line)

Opening Hours: 
Tue-Sat: 9am - 5pm, 6pm - 10pm
Sun/PH: 9am - 6pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tan Kah Kee MRT station. Take Exit A Turn right onto Bukit Timah Road. Walk down Bukit Timah Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]