This Neon-Lit Restaurant In Chinatown Has Steamboat And BBQ Buffet From $26.80++

Hao Lai Wu Steamboat & BBQ In Chinatown

Several years ago, we reviewed Hao Lai Wu, a steamboat & BBQ restaurant in Chinatown, and came away impressed by their colourful interior and extensive variety of ingredients. They’ve recently moved to a new location, and in the process of doing so, seem to have gotten a major glow up.

Hao Lai Wu’s latest Chinatown branch is actually just a stone’s throw away from the previous location, but the changes are readily apparent. The restaurant has a vibrant Peking Opera theme that’s punctuated with neon-lit signs. Its spacious premises extend to an outdoor dining area that’s just as flamboyant as the inside.

Prices for their steamboat and BBQ buffet start from $26.80++ from Monday to Thursday, and $28.80++ from Friday to Sunday. With over 90 dishes to choose from, a meal here would leave you with a thoroughly satiated belly and not much of a dent in your wallet.

There are seven types of soup bases to choose from, including Chongqing Mala, Thai Tom Yum, and Herbal Nourishing Soup. Mala fans won’t need prompting—it’s likely the first soup base on their mind, anyway—but we thought the one here was as fiery and piquant as the best of them.

While the meat selection is nothing out of the ordinary, there’s still a good amount of tasty cuts to choose from, such as the Sliced Pork Belly, USA Sliced Beef, and Beef Omasum.

Seafood options include Prawns, Mussels, and Bamboo Clams. We found them to be quite fresh-tasting, and that’s probably the reason why we were raring to order more after our first round of sampling.

If you’re looking for another great hotpot place, read our Uncle Fong Hotpot Restaurant review. For cheap old-school wonton mee, check out our Yong Chun Wan Ton Noodle review.

Address: 37 Smith Street, Singapore 058950
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 12am
Website
Hao Lai Wu Steamboat & BBQ is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Tanya Tham.
This was a media tasting at Hao Lai Wu Steamboat & BBQ.

Enze Kay

Enze is a Singapore-based food writer. He enjoys noodle dishes from around the world, but local classics such as bak chor mee, wonton mee, and hokkien mee hold a special place in his heart.