Hard-to-beat value at Quan Hotpot

NEW RESTAURANT Quan Hotpot Level 1, Hotel Michael Resorts World Sentosa 8 Sentosa Gateway Singapore 098269 Tel: 6577-6688 Open daily for dinner only: 5 pm to 10.30 pm

FOR any restaurateur with a healthy ego, opening a hotpot eatery is akin to an existential crisis. It says, “I no longer trust my instincts as the arbiter of good taste. I no longer excite the market with genre-bending chefs redefining gastronomy in this wealthy city-state. I… I don’t know what the heck Singaporeans want to eat anymore.”

Enter the familiar steamboat. An evergreen concept, dating back to the invention of the Chinese New Year reunion dinner. Foolproof. No pedigree chef needed. No-fuss cooking – just someone to make broths and slap minced beef into springy balls on cue. 

Like it or not, it is also a restaurant of its time. When manpower is scarce and the appetite for fine dining is waning, you hedge your bets, not gamble on a new one.

Resorts World Sentosa hopes to play its cards right with Quan Hotpot, likely after its previous Spanish concept Sugarra folded within a year of opening at Hotel Michael. If it can lure Coca-loving Singaporeans from the mainland and tap its captive Chinese tourist base looking for a taste of home, that alone would be a win.

Structurally, it’s still the same Sugarra, with its signature wall displays of olive oil-filled glass decanters. We pity the poor soul tasked with refilling every single one of them with scarlet-hued chilli oil; if another war breaks out and a spicy condiment crisis ensues, you know where to go.

A screaming Chinese mural – depicting koi, Ming Dynasty porcelain and other cultural cliches – covers an entire wall, giving the place an all-inclusive package-tour vibe. Ignore it and focus on the display counters, heaving with a TCM clinic-worthy bounty of herbs, spices and tonics – an enticing preview of what you’re getting for dinner.

Bear in mind that Quan is still in its soft-opening stage. But set aside its slightly awkward decor and presentation, and you have a strong dining concept that succeeds where it matters most: price and quality.

And you can’t beat the price. A set menu costs S$68 a head, and as long as the price (and quality) stay at this level, Quan has an edge that’s hard to beat. It’s cheaper and less fussy than Bon Broth, and more relatable than China import Chamoon. The location is always a drawback, but since distance never got in the way of Singaporeans hunting down a bargain, this might not be a deal breaker.

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There’s an a la carte menu if you’re a control freak, but you’re better off with the set; you get almost everything, and you will struggle to finish it. It’s a very good spread that covers seafood – tiger prawns, scallops and raw abalone – meat and vegetables, including very fresh, locally farmed mushrooms. 

You’re not getting wagyu at this price, but the organic Australian pork belly, US short plate and whisper-thin lamb shoulder hold their own.

The real stars, though, are the broths. There are six to pick from, and you get them in individual pots, so there’s no philosophical debate about double-dipping.

There are the usual laksa and mala options, but the most neutral would be the collagen herbal chicken broth. This one gives you enough oomph to enjoy on its own, but doesn’t overpower the delicate abalone or pork that you dunk into it.

The heritage suan chai broth with the salty tang of preserved vegetables is great by itself, but is otherwise a bossy brew that gets overbearing after a while.

When that happens, just splurge an extra S$14 for a new pot of congee broth, which is like porridge someone forgot to put actual rice in. It’s a smooth, milky but clean soup that’s lighter than the chicken broth but with its own character. 

Don’t forget the sauces, a solid supporting cast of condiments including raw minced garlic, sambal belacan, Thai chilli sauce and doubanjang. Mix and match yourself, or let the very hospitable servers Eebil and Mason do the honours.

Service is part of the charm: warm, engaging and never pushy. Eebil even stops us from ordering more, but allows us to add on addictively crunchy, freshly fried fish skin (S$8).

Mason, in turn, takes pains to explain that the “hand-formed delicacies” aren’t as suspicious as they sound, but homemade, juicy shrimp, pork and beef balls. Chewy, slippery noodles in different vegetable-based colours are also good.

Dessert is simple: fresh fruit and passion fruit sorbet.

Of course, Quan is not going to rock your world, but it’s been a long time since we had such a satisfying time for S$68 a person. Resorts World Sentosa may be playing it safe, but this time its instincts might be right.

Rating: 7