The Magic Pot of Chong Qing @ Tanglin Shopping Centre

We are having steamboat lunch buffet @ The Magic Pot of Chong Qing located in Tanglin Shopping Centre. They have another branch in Suntec City however it was fully booked when we called to make reservation. Pretty busy eh?

It's been a long time since we last visited the Tanglin branch. We used to eat here when it first opened like some 15 years ago. The restaurant is still the same, clean and typical chinese look. They have installed a few more electric fans to cater perspiring patrons like me. Hee! The weekday lunch buffet is priced at S$21+++ and dinner at S$32+++. There is also a slight difference in the menu between lunch and dinner. Well, it doesn't really bothers me.

We order Spicy (麻辣) and Chicken (酸菜鸡汤) broth soup. The first round of steamboat ingredients were served by the staff for a start. You choose what you do and don't like from the trays and they will take it back to avoid wastage. I like this idea. The beef and pork belly are fresh and thinly sliced, perfect for steamboat as you do not need to cook too long. The shrimp wanton is a MUST eat, be it spicy or chicken broth. Yummy! Next is their specialty, fish paste. A lot of steamboat restaurants served this but personally, I think there is nowhere that can do it better than The Magic Pot of Chong Qing. Try it the next time you are there. As we are not seafood eaters, so I can't comment much but they do serve fresh prawns and not those that are difficult to shell.

Then comes my favourite, luncheon meat. I know it's kinda stupid to eat cheap stuff but trust me, you will love it with spicy broth. I just can't stop eating. The vegetables are very fresh too, that is the most important of all. We have mainly tang or and watercress. My sister has a very unique way of eating vermicelli (冬粉), she soaked them in the spicy broth until they have absorbed all the chilli oil and spiciness. Frankly speaking, it was so hot and spicy that I choked and coughed big time. *Ahem ahem*

While having our feast, the restaurant serves what they call "A one time serving only" dishes. That includes Xiao Long Bao, Gyoza, Fried Bun with condensed milk, Egg glutinous cake with icing sugar and Chestnut Jelly. They are all my favorites. I ordered another serving of Fried Bun and Egg glutinous cake. Just can't get enough of it.

Finally, after writing so much, the winner of the whole meal is none other than their homemade sauce. You can get all the food everywhere but it is their sauce that makes everything delicious.