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2010-09-07
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Chinese New Year is here as well as the season for festive mass meals like hot-pots and yusheng. But unlike in the recent past, families that traditionally dine at home have taken to restaurants for a fuss-free reunion dinner. FreshGrads checks out JPot at VivoCity as a choice for the yearly reunion dinner.THE FOOD:Each person has an individual stove of which they can choose from seven different types of soup bases: JPot Superior Broth, Bak Kut Teh, Herbal, Laksa, Silky Porridge, Tom Yum and Veg
THE FOOD:
Each person has an individual stove of which they can choose from seven different types of soup bases: JPot Superior Broth, Bak Kut Teh, Herbal, Laksa, Silky Porridge, Tom Yum and Vegetarian.
The other soup bases were good but the Superior Soup Broth was especially outstanding. The Bak Kut Teh soup, on the other hand, was less than satisfying and way too peppery when boiled long enough. All soups can be re-filled as many times as you like.
There is a wide range of sauces and suggestions for mixing them. We liked all the suggestions for mixtures and particularly liked the sweet garlic chilli sauce just as it is. There is only one sauce bowl per person in the table setting but servers will promptly dish out more when requested.
Now, finally to the mains. What JPot offers other steamboat outlets probably do as well but what makes it stand out is the amount of thought put into preparing the food and its quality. We felt that steamboat has never been so meticulously prepared at JPot. The well-thought presentation of their raw food and the interactivity required really made steamboat more fun. For one, fish meat is presented in a tube form and diners are encouraged to go the do-it-yourself way. For the lazy, ask and the servers will do it for you.
Quality is a highlight at JPot. There is nowhere else in Singapore you can get high-quality meats for hot-pots, such as Sri Lankan crabs, Wagyu ribeye and Kurobuta pork and more. As promised (and probably guaranteed by the price you are paying), the scallops are fresh, succulent and sweet, as were the Red Garoupa fish fillet, and only king-sized prawns were served. Spinach Tofu was pretty bland but passable when dipped in their delicious sauces. Beef the way we liked it - very thinly sliced. And they weren't kidding when they said Live Sri Lankan Crab. The crab was so fresh that it was still moving when we put it into the soup despite it being already chopped up. However, the Sri Lankan part about the crab was downsized quite a bit. And as mentioned, this is one of the few places you can find quality Wagyu Ribeye and Kurobuta Pork for steamboat.
JPot also offer a limited Dim Sum selection, which includes Shrimp & Wood Fungus Dumplings, Fried Fish Skin and Fried Wanton among others.
The set lunch is a pretty good deal starting from $9.80. Ala carte ordering tends to add up to more than you expect to pay. Be prepared to pay almost twice you have to pay for the typical Bugis street style steamboat for the food quality and hygiene, air-conditioned location, and ambience. Otherwise, it may be better sticking to the cheaper alternative.
THE MOOD:
JPot offers a nice harbourfront view of Sentosa and the construction it is undergoing right now. FreshGrads suggest you make reservations for the limited seats with a view though. Reservations could be made online at their website.
By its affiliation with Jumbo, it is no surprise the decor within is more classy than your typical road-side hot-pot restaurant. We liked the well-spaced out seating but are disheartened by the lack of communal dining tables - our group of six was assigned to two separate four-man tables. The food may be good albeit the steeper pricing, but if they run out of tables big enough to accommodate your family, it might be better staying home or dining elsewhere. After all, it is reunion dinner. Otherwise, JPot is a good choice for a hot-pot treat.
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