Huat like royalty this CNY with Buddha Jumps Over the Wall steamboat in Orchard

The famed Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup is claimed to be a delicacy so scrumptious that it was the centrepiece at state banquets for many years, together with these for Queen Elizabeth II. This Chinese New Year, Empire Hotpot will probably be providing limited-edition festive steamboat menus, one in all which incorporates a Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup base— so you may lastly dine like royalty!

Empire Hotpot is a steamboat restaurant and you could find it on the fifth flooring of Ngee Ann City in Orchard. 

Though comparatively new, having opened in Aug 2021, Empire Hotpot has set itself other than different steamboat joints with its distinctive soup bases and handmade dishes. Permanently on the menu is the well-loved Empire Supreme Lobster Broth, which options half a lobster, and never forgetting the premium Fish Maw & Shark’s Cartilage Soup, which is wealthy in collagen.

Hidden behind its easy storefront is a lavish and smooth eating space. I liked how polished all the pieces seemed— all the best way from its giant, spacious white eating tables to its origami-like hanging decor. 

More importantly, I completely admire how the eating areas had been deliberate out. Each eating group has their very own sales space, with snug plush seating and a desk so giant that it could possibly simply match 8 individuals comfortably. No extra having to sit down elbow-to-elbow whereas indulging in hotpot anymore!

What I attempted at Empire Hotpot

For Chinese New Year, Empire Hotpot has give you 6 festive steamboat menus that cater to eating events from 4 to 12 pax. These menus will run from 9 Jan to five Feb 2023, and pre-booking is already accessible now.

Each menu is complete and begins with the Prosperity Hamachi Yu Sheng, comes with a hotpot broth or two (relying on the menu), appetisers to whet your palate, platters that embody handmade dumplings, greens, seafood and premium meats, and ends off with dessert and bunny buns.

We tried Empire Hotpot’s CNY Set for six (S$980++, early hen value S$888++). This is a whopping 9-course steamboat menu, and it’s the one one to characteristic the elusive and ultra-luxe Buddha Jumps Over the Wall hotpot base, which is already price S$338!

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is a legendary Fujian dish. Also often known as 佛跳墙 (fo tiao qiang), it earned its title due to its heavenly aroma, which tempted vegetarian monks to leap over the wall and break their vows of abstaining from meat simply to have a sip!

This centuries-old traditional is famend for utilizing elements which are the cream of the crop, and Empire Hotpot’s recipe goals to be as genuine as potential.

The soup broth comes accompanied by a bowl of pricy delicacies on the aspect so that you can add at your individual tempo, that includes elements corresponding to abalone, fish maw, sea cucumber, pig’s trotter, dried scallops, shark’s fin and mushrooms.

This was a stellar soup that was full of savoury flavours. While its texture remained clear and supple, there have been robust notes of salty umami due to Jinhua ham (金华火腿, aka dry-cured ham) and the opposite premium elements that had been used within the soup.

Empire Hotpot’s CNY Set for six begins out with the Prosperity Hamachi Yu Sheng (Large), which sadly we had been unable to strive. However, we had been handled to 4 appetisers, all of that are made in-house: Salted Egg Yolk Fish Skin, Marinated Black Fungus, Fish Roe Fortune Bag, and Cucumber with Minced Garlic.

Out of the 4, my private favorite was the Salted Egg Yolk Fish Skin, the place thick, giant chunks of crispy fish pores and skin had been coated in a beneficiant quantity of wealthy salted egg yolk seasoning. Coming in as an in depth second was the Fish Roe Fortune Bag, an lovable appetiser the place beancurd skins had been folded to resemble cash baggage and full of fish roe.

A real labour of affection, Empire Hotpot’s Dumpling Platters are all made by hand. As a part of the CNY Set for six, you’ll be capable to benefit from the Fresh Shrimp Dumpling (8 items) and Four Treasure Ball.

I actually loved the Four Treasure Ball, which got here with beef & coriander meatballs, shrimp balls, fish balls and pork meatballs. These hand-formed balls had been actually QQ and recent, and made for satisfying meaty bites.

Apart from the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup base, the platter that I used to be most wanting ahead to had been the seafood platters. This got here with 3 forms of recent seafood: Live Prawn (12 Pieces), Marble Goby (Whole Fish) and Australian Scallop (2 parts).

The service at Empire Hotpot was impeccable, with employees providing to assist prepare dinner and deshell the skewered prawns, so we didn’t even must get our fingers soiled in any respect! 

Impressively, the prawns had been deshelled so effectively and so cleanly that even the tail meat was intact— a certain signal that the prawns used had been recent.

As an individual who sometimes doesn’t go for prawns throughout a steamboat for worry that I’d find yourself wrestling with my prawn shell for half the meal, this was extremely effectively appreciated.

What’s a hotpot with out meat? Empire Hotpot’s CNY Set for six comes with 2 meat platters: Shirobuta Pork Belly, and your alternative between US Sliced Beef and Kurobuta Pork Collar. Both platters include loads of marbling and fats for that melt-in-your-mouth expertise. 

If this isn’t sufficient meat for you, notice that you would be able to select to order extra parts of meat from the à la carte menu, but it surely’s greatest to let the employees know forward of time (ideally 3 days upfront).

Be certain to pair your meats with Empire Hotpot’s home made Empire Signature XO Sauce (1 bottle)! Made with the chef’s secret recipe, it’s full of umami-filled notes from the XO sauce, shallots and dried shrimp.

As the Empire Signature XO Sauce is made in restricted quantities, notice {that a} bottle will probably be given just for diners who’ve made reservations or ordered for take-away.

To add slightly kick to your Buddha Jumps Over the Wall steamboat, Empire Hotpot’s CNY Set for six features a Drunken Chicken with Chinese Wine. I completely liked the fragrant contact that the Chinese wine added to the already wealthy broth, making it further aromatic!

End off your meal at Empire Hotpot with some traditional Chinese New Year necessities and desserts, such because the Lotus Leaf Rice with Eight Treasures and Steamed Mini Bunny Pao (6 items).

The glutinous rice was a very distinctive addition to the festive steamboat, whereas the lovable Steamed Mini Bunny Pao was full of lotus paste for that indulgent wealthy contact. I reckon the children will completely love the bunny-shaped buns— they even include dotted purple eyes and folded ears!

If your abdomen nonetheless has area for extra, you’ll want to strive Empire Hotpot’s Chilled Osmanthus Jelly Cake, which is also called 桂花糕. 

With a stupendous crystal-like exterior, this beautiful jelly cake is full of precise bits of osmanthus and goji berries, and every slice was splendidly floral, fruity and light-weight. 

Final ideas

At the tip of the meal, my eating companions and I weren’t solely stuffed to the brim, however we had been additionally actually impressed with Empire Hotpot’s intensive Chinese New Year choices. 

The menu covers all the pieces you possibly can probably want in a hotpot, not to mention one which’s created completely to have fun the Lunar New Year. Plus, the quantity of laborious work, preparation and handiwork that went into every well-thought-out dish was palpable, and could possibly be clearly felt and tasted by means of every merchandise’s flavour and texture. Feasting like a royal simply bought actual with Empire Hotpot, particularly with its luscious Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup base. 

To keep away from disappointment throughout the Lunar New Year, you’ll want to pre-book upfront!

Expected injury: S$70 – S$150 per pax

* This article was delivered to you in partnership with Empire Hotpot.

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