The influx of Chinese nationals to Singapore has brought with it a variety of regional specialities from cities such as Chongqing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
And the latest wave of chicken hotpot eateries is capturing the hearts of hungry diners - Chinese nationals, tourists and locals. Over the past year, at least four new outlets have opened.
While the common steamboat features a variety of soup bases, chicken hotpot comes served in a claypot of thick black gravy flavoured with various spices and dark soy sauce.
If simmered for too long on the portable stove, the gravy can get a tad salty and oily, and diners can counter this by asking for plain chicken stock soup to be added.
The dish is eaten with rice and if patrons want, they can also add mushrooms, vegetables or tofu at $3 a plate. These are neatly stacked in fridges so diners can help themselves.
Chicken hotpot is a popular dish in Chongqing and Shenzhen. In Singapore, the outlets here are located in Geylang and Liang Seah Street, where other hotpot restaurants are located, as well as the more far-flung Kovan and Bukit Merah areas.
