Food Review: Spice World Hotpot (香天下火锅) at River Valley Road in Clarke Quay | Teddy Bear Hotpot and Barbie Doll Decorated Meats [Closed]

Posted on August 21, 2019 by theRantingPanda in Food

The Place Hailing from Sichuan, China, Spice World Hotpot has been around in Clarke Quay for more than a year but I only managed to try it recently. Located in the buzzing Clarke Quay close to Liang Court, the interior of Spice World Hotpot reminds me of the hotpot restaurants in China. It is not an open concept space, so you do get your own little privacy, though I would recommend avoiding the table beside the cashier if you are not keen on having onlookers spying on what you are having.

The Food There are many types of broths here, though I went for something simple, the Yinyang 2-flavour Broth (S$22.90). Exotic broth flavours include the likes of Bubble Tea and Matcha flavours but it all sound too eccentric for me. I chose the Pig Tripe & Chicken and the Zanthoxylum broth, the former is light and flavourful, while the latter is not as spicy as Mala but you still get the spicy kick out of it.

For meats, I ordered one of the signature meats, the creepy looking Premium Barbie Wagyu Beef (S$38.90). The doll aside, the beef slices here are tender and I enjoyed having it with either broths. The beef may not be very well-marbled, but the quality is good.

The Pork Belly Balls (S$7.90/half portion) is another dish I recommend. Pork balls are common, but this pork belly balls taste even better.

Other staple hotpot dishes I had are the Shiitake Mushrooms (S$8.90), Fried Tofu Skin Rolls (S$4.90/half portion) and Lettuce (S$3.90/half portion).

The Fried Tofu Skin is disappointing as it isn’t that crispy to begin with. My benchmark is Beauty in The Pot, so this version is a far cry from it.

Rants Be prepared to smell like hotpot after your meal, as the ventilation is quite bad. Hits and misses on the service, but bottom line is not to expect Beauty in The Pot service standards.

Will I Return Again? If you like over-the-top food presentation and spicy hotpot base, Spice World Hotpot is a worthy option to consider. Otherwise, some of the dishes can come across as gimmicky. Prices are also on the high end, and I would very much prefer to return to Beauty in The Pot.

Make your reservations instantly at Spice World Hotpot here.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3/5