Author: Alexius Chua
The serenity of this hotpot restaurant envelops you immediately when you enter the premise. Adorned with artistic trademarks of Chinese craftsmanship like calligraphy, porcelain and bamboo dividers, this 150-seater is much akin to an oriental art gallery than a bustling hotpot place.
Once I settle down, I slowly appreciate what this beautifully curated space offers – a bustling hotpot eatery with fine-dining vibe, it’s a gap that existing hotpot joints apparently missed filling. It’s not your typical hotpot establishment indeed.
For someone who seldom had steamboat, this place is a good introduction. The food, while prided itself for its quality ingredients, does not seem daunting and rather inviting, and most of it is actually tasty. There’s a wide range of beef cuts from all over the world including New Zealand, Australia, USA, Japan and more.
There’s also the Beed Tongue ($22 per portion), which resembled a rose. At first I was hesitant, but with enough inner encouragement I bite into it and proclaimed this is the dish to beat. Meaty and juicy, the cut had a tardiness that please the senses. Other beef dish tasted is the well-known Sichuan dish – Spicy Beef Cubes ($16) from USA. Bite-sized beef cubes marinated in picante sauce and chili flakes.
The signature soups at Tong Xin Ru Yi are slow-cooked to build up that bold and robust flavours. We had the Golden Chicken Soup and Stewed Marinated Beef with Spicy Soup. The chicken soup had a nice balance of saltiness and creaminess, while the heat from the spicy soup built relentlessly till I lost sensation of my lips and tongue. The burning numbness is both addictive and scary.
Next comes the BBQ Garlic Oysters ($32 for 6 pieces), plump Canadian oysters glistening in their shells in a chef’s special house-made sauce. The fragrance and texture of the oyster, with that hit of spice at the end, made this memorable.
The Shake-shake Crispy Pork ($10 per portion) looked deceptively dull, but the first bite will wow you. The salt and pepper lightly perfumed the crispy skin of the pork and the meat is juicy.
With all that meatiness, this refreshing dish comes like a breath of fresh air. The Gracilaria ($6 per portion), when hotpot-ed, has a uniquely crunchy texture much akin to cooked seaweed.
Tong Xin Ru Yi Traditional Hotpot
6 Lorong Telok, Singapore 049019
Nearest Mrt: Clarke Quay
Facebook: @hotpotruyi
Instagram: @tongxinruyi
Hashtags: #tongxinruyi #tongxinruyisg
