Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Highly Recommended)
Address: 25D, Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir, Taman Abad, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/cEKNW5sesSuwrUtT8
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
开锅费 Open Pot Fee = RM15.00
SST 6% = RM6.29
Service Charge 10% = RM10.49
Final Bill = RM121.70 (S$38.50)
Click here for the Full Menu and Receipt (Opens in a New Tab, Price is accurate as of Posting Date)
This is a Chinese Hotpot Restoran with a Similar Dining Concept to Hai Di Lao that is located here in Taman Abad that was highlighted to me by my Friend Lee Nah.
Apparently it is supposed to be quite Popular and you need to actually do an Online Reservations via Google Maps. This is not really necessary though if you're coming to this place on a Non-Peak Hour even on Weekends.
There are 3 Level Tiers of Buffet available.
顶级御品 自助套餐 Premium Buffet
豪华自助套餐 Luxury Buffet
经典自助套餐 Classic Buffet (This is the one I chose)
Exterior of the Restoran
The Exterior of the Restoran is Very Majestic (Stereotypical) Look that is designed and renovated to look like some Ancient China 武侠小说客栈.
Very Visually Striking, it is one of the More Beautifully Designed Building here in Taman Abad that you're unlikely to miss. Check out both their Daytime and Nighttime Look.
Interior of the Restoran
The Interior of the Place is likewise also renovated in a Classic Very Stereotypical Ancient China type of Beautiful Furnishings. Because it was around CNY Season when I visited, the Music Background they played were CNY Songs all over.
There weren't any Customers when I visited at 11.00am on a Saturday Afternoon but gradually more people started to streamed in. That said, the Place is still Not Full House even at a Prime Lunch Hour at 1.30pm on a Saturday so I don't think its really necessary to do any Online Bookings. Although I'm not sure about the Crowd Level during their Dinner Hours though.
The Staffs were mostly Malaysian Chinese were Polite and Reserved and I felt well attended to. Nicely Patient, I liked that they will automatically without asking, help with the Removal of Foam from the Hotpot, Auto Topping Up Soup, and Collect Empty Plates without me reminding.
General Rules of the Buffet
1) In addition to the Buffet Price, there is an Additional "Open Pot Fee 开锅费 of RM15.00. Debit / Credit Cards are Accepted here.
2) There is a 2 Hours Limit as I was told, but this doesn't seem to be strictly enforced actually as I was here slightly beyond that. They are quite relaxed on this if within reason.
3) This is a Free-Flow Hotpot Buffet, so you can order as Much Meat / Veggies / Ingredients as you want as long as you don't waste food. Buffet Wastage Fee is calculated at RM10.00 per 100g.
4) Ordering of Dishes is thru an Online QR Menu. And based on the Buffet Tier that you select, you can order anything that is listed as "Free of Charge". If you want to order something Premium that cost Extra, you can still do so if you want. They'll just add it to your Final Bill.
5) Ice Cream, Condiments are Free to take. I have a Choice of 3 Free Drinks of which I can only choose 1 throughout my Entire Duration of Stay.
Quality of the House Mix Condiment.
In addition, the Young Lady also offered to do a House Mix of their Condiments. This is Free of Charge Service. I have no issues and left it to her for the Mix. I appreciated that she even enquired if there are anything I did not want to add (eg: Coriander)
Interestingly she also mentioned I may add some of their Soup Broth in this Condiment Mix which will make it taste Nicer. This is something new that I've not had from HDL myself. Heck I don't even remember HDL offering to do any Condiment Mix actually.
Without Soup Broth, this Condiment House Mix had a Prominent Taste of Peanut Gravy. Saltish and Sourish Vinegary in all the Right Ways. It was a Tad Elevated Spicy that slowly grows but never bites sharply.
Adding some Soup Broth didn't improve or degrade anything, but just made it more Watery. I personally like this House Mix myself and I can recommend to request for it if you also have no idea what to do for a Hotpot Condiment.
Quality of the Green Tea
Green Tea is the Only Zero Sugar Beverage Option of choice. Served in a Cute Little Jug this wasn't Gao Gao, and was probably brewed using some Teabag. I also tasted a tinge of Jasmine Flower within. Not Bad Tasting.
Quality of the Soup Bases
Just like HDL, there are Several Choices for Soup Bases and I chose the 3 that are listed as Recommended on their Menu to give them a try. I love that the Design of their Main Golden Hotpot Soup Basin which literally has 2 Golden Dragon Heads 龍頭 that fits the Theme and Name of the Restoran so well.
金汤养生汤 Golden Chicken Soup (Orange Colour)
This was Not Bad Tasting. It had a Nice Milky MIlky sort of Chicken Soup Flavour that I thought tasted abit like a Campbell Soup Can although its probably not made from it. Saltish but Not Too Salty, this wasn't Spicy at all. I'm not a Good Hotpot Soup Connoisseur but this was not bad tasting for me.
三鲜猪骨汤 Fresh Pork Soup (White Colour Soup)
Much Lighter in Taste Profile compared to the Earlier Golden Chicken, this wasn't DIlluted and wasn't Porky at all. Savoury with a Decent Slight Herbly Aftertaste. I also thought this was not a bad choice at all.
牛油麻辣汤 Spicy Mala Beef Soup
Hahaha I don't eat Mala often so I'm not a Good Judge of this. To me this tasted like a Regular Classic Mala Broth. Not Particularly 大辣 or anything although I did slightly choke abit on the Mala Fumes hahaha. I'm personally ok with this.
Quality of all the Hotpot Ingredients
Alright now we come to the Main Event. All the Dishes were served up quite promptly without much delay. Hahaha the Staffs were even quite amused when I arranged them all to take a Photo / Video Shoot like this for the Blog.
Obviously I can't order EVERYTHING on the Menu so I've selected some of the Main Items to review. Especially those Rare or Unusual Cuts. Hahaha my Tummy also cannot eat EVERYTHING on the Menu lah.
鲜虾 Fresh Prawns
鸭血 Duck Blood Cube
金澄鸭舌 Duck Tongue
猪血 Pig Blood Cube
三寸鸭肠 3 Inch Duck Intestine
香辣小群肝 Small County Liver
猪脑 Pig Brain
鲜猪黄喉 Fresh Pig Throat
蔬菜拼盘 Vegetable Platter
鲜切牛肉 Fresh Beef Slice
西班牙雪花猪肉片 Spain Snowflake Pork Slice
内蒙羔羊肉 Lamb Slice
巴西牛肋 Brazil Beef Rib Finger
牛舌 Beef Tongue
炫舞澳洲肥牛 Australian Beef Slice
花开富贵猪颈肉 Pork Neck Slice
鲜虾 Fresh Prawns
I like that you have a Choice of either Shell-On or Pre-Peeled for their Prawns. I like that they still kept the Head even for Shell-Off for People who enjoy the Tomalley Cream. That said though, they do not do Deveining of the Digestive Tract so do take note of this.
The Prawns were Big and Fat and I later understand that these are Tiger Prawns. Fresh, Clean and Super Firm and Bouncy I absolutely love how Fresh these were. They were a Major Highlight of this Hotpot.
鸭血 Duck Blood Cube
Pig Blood is available in Singapore, but not Duck Blood. Not my first time having this as I had them in various other Restorans in JB. Clean, abit Gamey, No Bloody 血腥, I thought these tasted especially nice when dipped in their Condiment House Mix.
金澄鸭舌 Duck Tongue
猪血 Pig Blood Cube
About Same Taste Profile as Duck Blood Cubes, this had a Slightly Softer Texture.
Also Clean Tasting and No Bloody 血腥, I also have no issues with these.
三寸鸭肠 3 Inch Duck Intestine
This is apparently one of the Unique Highlights of this Restoran that seems to be raved by quite alot of People as I watched Youtube Videos of this Place. It looks like alot when first served up, but they will shrink alot when cooked.
I had thought this would taste like Chicken Intestines but its not. Texture actually interestingly leans more towards Small Pig Intestines. Savoury Meaty sort of Taste, Not Gamey Ducky Taste. Not Bad Tasting if you are ok with Small Pig Intestines because it does taste like that.
香辣小群肝 Small County Liver
First Time trying this. No Idea what animal this is from. Texture was Firm and Cartilegy. It was a Tad Spicy due to the Marinade it used. Not Overly Livery and tasted Clean. It was the Firmest Bite Texture Item in this List.
猪脑 Pig Brain
Hahaha this is the Item I love the Most when it comes to a Chinese Hotpot like this. In fact I ordered 3 Servings of this. Membrane has been cleanly removed and I highly recommend to eat this with that Pork Soup Broth. So Soft and Creamy and Clean Tasting. If you enjoy Pig Brains, you won't go wrong with this one.
鲜猪黄喉 Fresh Pig Throat
First Time Trying this and interestingly this doesn't even taste like Pork. In fact, I thought it absolutely looks and taste exactly like Sotong right down to the Bouncy Sotong-Like Bite Texture. Interesting. Of all the things to taste, I never expect a Pig Throat to taste like Sotong.
鲜切牛肉 Fresh Beef Slice
Soft to the Bite, Clean and not Overly Beefy actually. This tasted nice with that House Mix Condiment. I have no issues with this Quality.
西班牙雪花猪肉片 Spain Snowflake Pork Slice
Not Bad Tasting. Not Overly Porky, I thought these tasted like a Pork Meat that you'd normally get from a Pork Porridge for some reason. Soft and Tender.
内蒙羔羊肉 Lamb Slice
Soft and Tender, these were a Tad Lamby Gamey but also Not Overly So.
Just the Right Amount of Gaminess for me. Also not a bad choice to choose.
巴西牛肋 Brazil Beef Rib Finger
This one has a Very Noticeable Meaty Beefy Texture and Flavour.
Beefiness is quite strong for this one but its a Level that I still find Acceptable.
牛舌 Beef Tongue
Taste like a Mix of Meaty and Cartilegy. This didn't taste Very Beefy and was Soft and Tender. Not Bad Tasting.
炫舞澳洲肥牛 Australian Beef Slice
I personally couldn't find any difference for this one compared to their Fresh Beef Slice.
They taste about the same for me. 1 Serving of this is Alot though so do take note of this.
花开富贵猪颈肉 Pork Neck Slice
Among all the Pork Items in the List, I thought this one had a Most Noticeable Level of Pigginess.
Texture is Tender to the Bite, this one also was alot for 1 Serving so do take note too.
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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
At the Final Price of RM121.70 (S$38.50), including all Service Charges and Fees, I thought the Weekend Classic Buffet Tier I selected felt Very Comprehensive and hits the Right Mark for me in terms of Affordability, Quality and Variety.
I thought it was a Pretty Reasonable Price for a HDL Styled Unlimited Servings 吃到饱 Hotpot Buffet. Even though there is a 2 Hours Limit, they didn't seem to enforce it as strictly as I left after taking an Extra 30 Mins. But that was probably because it wasn't Full-House at that time too. I thank the Restoran for being generous with the timing.
What I am impressed with are also the Varieties of Unique Items available that I don't think I have even seen before in JB HDL. I'm not a Hotpot Soup Connoisseur but I also have no issues with their Soup Broth. The Place was also Very Nicely Renovated, Comfortable to Eat, and I have Zero Issues with the Decent Customer Service.
If you are looking for a China-Styled Freeflow Buffet Hotpot Place, and is ok with the Prices, I can definitely recommend this place to give a try in Taman Abad. I definitely enjoyed my Dining Experience here. Don't just take my word for it, this Restoran scores 4.9 out of over 17,000 Google Reviews on Google Maps as of this post.
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