As Asians, we love a good steamboat or hotpot. It is an affordable communal dining experience where everyone at the table, cooks their favourite ingredients in a simmering hot pot of soup.
The history behind Hotpot
Do you know that this form of cuisine can be traced back to more than 1,000 years ago in Mongolian? Because Mongolian horse riders did not have cooking utensils back then, so they would simmer meat and vegetables in their overturned helmets. Interesting.
Mongolian Hotpot Chain comes to town
Just before the new year rings in, Singapore welcomes another new hotpot restaurant – Little Sheep Hotpot to its buoyant hotpot scene.
This famous Mongolian hotpot chain has over 280 restaurants in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United States, Japan and Canada. Little Sheep was founded in 1999, in Inner Mongolia, China.
Thanks to No Signboard Holdings (who entered into a franchise agreement to operate Little Sheep restaurant concept in Singapore), Little Sheep Hotpot is finally here in Singapore, at One Fullerton.
Little Sheep (Xiao Fei Yang) makes a grand entrance at the restaurant the other day during their grand opening. We were also there that day to have a taste of what’s Little Sheep Hotpot is like.
Little Sheep Hotpot Experience
Little Sheep Hotpot is well known for its delicious Mongolian lamb soup base which has 36 different types of spices added to it! Chinese Medical herbs like goji berries, jujubes, black cardamon pods, ginseng and herbs were also added to prepare their original white soup base.
When we tried the soup base, we thought we would be overwhelmed by the intense saturation of flavours. However, the taste of the lamb-based broth is light. Prawns can be added to ‘sweeten’ the soup. The soup also has a distinct lamb taste, which is somewhat similar to mutton soup.
For those in need of a kick of spice, you can opt for their Original Mala soup. They also offer two other soup bases – tomato soup and mushroom soup.
Hotpot Ingredients
There are two-page full of hotpot ingredients to choose from, on their order form. There is a good selection of delicately sliced marbled meats, fresh vegetables, succulent seafood and handmade noodles.
Don’t forget to try their signature grilled items like their Mongolian Style Roasted Lamb Shank or Signature Lamb Kebab. They are, after all, well-known for their Mongolian-style cooked lamb meat.
For starters, they served peanuts along with a plate of crispy fried fish skin. Apparently, you can also dip the fish skin into the soup.
I really enjoyed their meatballs and their sausages which has cheese stuffed in it.
They served dumplings which are in a frozen state. As such, it takes a longer time for it to cook in the soup.
The fried beancurd roll is one of their popular hotpot items on the menu. The tofu skin soaks up all the flavours when you immerse it into the broth.
Condiments Booth
You can customise your own steamboat dipping sauces with the condiments available here.
The condiments and fruits are complimentary.
Dipping Sauces
Ice Cream
There is also a soft-serve ice cream machine where you can help yourself to some vanilla soft-serve.
With so many hotpot ingredients to choose from, what should you be ordering?
I would recommend the following: House Original White Soup, Dried Tofu Skin, sausages, meatballs, Signature Lamb Kebab.
They also serve beverages like draft beer, fresh coconut, winter melon tea, lime juice and soft drinks.
You can check out their menu right below. You can thank me later.
The restaurant seats 150 diners. You can walk-in or call 6222 9959 for reservations.
How to get there?
Nearest MRT Station: Raffles Place Exit H
Drop-off Point: Located near Starbucks (#01-04) at One Fullerton
Carpark: The Fullerton Hotel Singapore or at One Fullerton in the Basement of The Fullerton Heritage
