KEN HUNTS FOOD: Steamed Seafood Hot Pot (蒸味鲜) @ Golden Triangle, Relau, Penang.

Friday, January 1, 2016

Steamed Seafood Hot Pot (蒸味鲜) @ Golden Triangle, Relau, Penang.

It is almost the time of the year where myriad of shops with bubbling tabletop cauldrons of Chinese goodies are surfacing but a new trend is hitting the island lately; a healthier, guilt-free option. The concept is not new in Kuala Lumpur but this particular restaurant at Golden Triangle is the first to introduce this concept in Penang: Rice with condiments will be placed at the bottom of the Hot Pot while the ingredients will sit on top, the essence of the ingredients will flow together with the steam and form the purest, most delicious broth at the bottom. Cook together with the Rice, a lip-smacking serving of Porridge will be ready at the end of your meal. The place is simple but spacious enough for a family or friend gathering, the heat-intolerant will be glad to know that the restaurant is fully air-conditioned. Don't want to get your hands dirty? Fret not, there will be trained servers to serve you; the cooking time has been meticulously tested out and should be just perfect to cook the ingredients. The only drawback is the limited seating (only 10 tables available), advance reservation is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment.

P/S: There will be complimentary steam treatment for your face too!

New Zealand Scallops (Rm 15)

Kappa (Rm 5/ 100 gm) and Flower Clams (Rm 8/ 100 gm)

Prawns (Rm 8/ 100 gm)

Grouper Fish (Rm 15/ small)

Home-made Siew Mai (Rm 4)

Shimeiji Mushrooms (Rm 5) and Abalone Slices (Rm 10 for 15 pieces)

Chicken Thigh (Rm 8)

Pick your preferred hot pot ingredients from a laundry list of fresh and savory Proteins and Veggies plus some home-made Dumplings. Everything comes on the side without marination so you can season them according to your taste but we'd like to keep things simple and natural. The ingredients were so fresh that additional dips were made unnecessary; though some Onions and Coriander could further enhance the aroma. Fresh Seafood will be brought in from Batu Maung at 3 pm daily so it is advisable to make a reservation somewhere around that time to secure the (your preferred) freshest catch of the day. We'd recommend Kappa or Flower Clams, both make great ingredients to the Hot Pot. Tiger Prawns are amongst the must-orders, they were so succulent and fresh that you would cry for more. The seafood-sweetness was so intense that it lingered on the palate for quite sometime. Another praise-worthy item would be Chicken Thigh; it was very fresh with the addictive chewy-soft texture, I could personally eat at least three Thighs. Freshness was no doubt an important element here but we thought the cooking time was of great significance as well and we were impressed that 蒸味鲜 had everything timed perfectly.

Scallop Porridge (Rm 5)

Save the best for last, the Scallop Porridge with secret broth will unveil once you have finished steaming all the dishes you ordered. All the essence of the sea will be collected and formed the primal "seasoning" and "flavor" of the Porridge. It was brimming with the natural seafood-sweetness, all can be clearly tasted. Additional dips were unnecessary for us as the in-depth flavor infused has spoken for itself. In case you are wondering... there are 4 types of Porridge-base available (basically Rice with Dried Seafood ingredients, they will be cooked as you steam the Seafood)- Pork Ribs,Dried Scallops, Dried Squid and Dried Oysters. Rm 5 regardless of the number of pax sharing the hot pot.