Hi Hot Pot Review: Affordable Hotpot Restaurant By Haidilao With Over 20 Broths

Hi Hot Pot has cheap hotpot at City Square Mall

If you’re a fan of Haidilao but are on a budget, then Hi Hot Pot at City Square Mall is an affordable alternative. Run by the same team behind Haidilao, the popular hotpot restaurant offers a wallet-friendly take on the popular hotpot chain, with a wide selection of specialty broths and meats, as well as free-flow drinks and dessert from just $9.90++.

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Food at Hi Hot Pot

We started by choosing our soup base, available in over 20 flavours. We opted for the Hi! Dual-Flavour Pot, and picked the Signature Golden Chicken Soup with Fish Maw (Dual-Pot) ($18.90++) and Vegetarian Tomato (Dual-Pot) ($9.90++). FYI, these two broths are also available a la carte from $32.90++ and $9.90++, respectively.

The Signature Golden Chicken Soup with Fish Maw came with a medley of ingredients: potato, carrots, corn cobs, mushrooms, dates, goji berries, and chunks of tender chicken.

The initial sip was rich and savoury, but its thick and creamy consistency made it cloying towards the end.

Of the two soups we tried, we preferred the Vegetarian Tomato broth. It was lighter on the palate, with a mellow, sweet-tangy balance that made it especially comforting on a rainy day.

For $1++, you can get an all-access pass to their DIY condiments bar. Everything here is free-flow, so you can go back for seconds or thirds!

The selection here is quite extensive, stocking everything from hotpot staples such as minced garlic, scallions, and sesame oil, to house-made blends, including their Hot Sour Sauce, Sesame Sauce, and Hi Secret Sauce.

If you’re not sure what to get, there’s a sauce guide that recommends the best pairings.

Apart from the sauces, the condiments bar comes with free-flow drinks and dessert, including soft drinks, coffee, tea, and ice jelly.

Moving on to the protein, we got the Premium US Wagyu Flat Iron ($22.90++) and Premium Spanish Duroc Pork Belly ($9.90++).

Just from the marbling alone, the Wagyu looked fresh and delicious. Upon the first bite, each slice was soft, delicate, and melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Like the Wagyu, the Pork Belly tasted great. Our only gripe was the fat, which was slightly chewy.

For seafood, we had the Signature Tiger Shrimp Paste ($9.90++), shaped in an adorable heart.

As instructed by the staff, we moulded the Shrimp Paste into mini balls and cooked them in the broth for three minutes.

Each piece was plump and bouncy, keeping its form even after being left in the soup for more than the recommended three minutes. They were fresh with a slight sweetness and paired best with the Vegetarian Tomato soup.

We also got the Salted-Egg Filled Fish Balls ($2.90++ for four), which were soft and chewy at the same time.

Each piece was filled to the brim with a creamy salted egg paste.

It would be a crime not to order noodles at a hotpot restaurant, so we got the Hi! Handmade Noodle ($2.90++) to add to our broths.

Noodles at hotpot restaurants can sometimes be a miss, quickly turning soggy if left in the broth for a while. This wasn’t the case for their Handmade Noodles, as they kept a silky yet springy texture from start to finish.

Whenever I dine at a hotpot restaurant, I always order a ton of veggies to balance out the richness of the meal, so we got the HiHi Vegetable Platter ($8.90++).

Each platter comes with a plethora of ingredients: lettuce, Chinese cabbage, lotus roots, potato slices, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes.

We had no complaints about the platter; the portions were generous and the veggies were fresh.

To end off, we hit the dessert bar for their Hi Signature Chengdu Ice Jelly.

The Ice Jelly can be customised with a variety of toppings on display. We followed the recipe for their signature combo, which pairs jelly with raisins, hawthorn flakes, sesame seeds, brown sugar, and crushed peanuts.

The dessert wasn’t anything special. The jelly was quite bland on its own, and most of the flavours came from the tart hawthorn flakes and aromatic sesame seeds. That said, it was a refreshing finish to the heavy meal, and given the unlimited servings, we’d consider it a pretty good deal for just a dollar.

Ambience at Hi Hot Pot

From the earthy colour scheme and wooden accents to the comfy sofa seating, Hi Hot Pot is a cosy space to dine at. Better yet, each table is separated by dividers, so you won’t need to worry about privacy.

The restaurant can accommodate up to 450 diners at a time, with tables seating groups of four to six. Despite the large capacity, the spacious layout keeps the atmosphere relaxed even during peak hours, making it a great spot to catch up with friends over a hearty hotpot meal.

If you’re dining in a larger group, you can book one of their two private rooms, each seating up to nine diners. The rooms also come equipped with an entertainment screen, available for use upon request.

Hi Hot Pot is located in the basement of City Square Mall, a quick six-minute walk from Farrer Park MRT Station.

Hi Hot Pot – Eatbook review

Overall, Hi Hot Pot did not disappoint. Here, you can enjoy a simple yet satisfying hotpot meal with fresh ingredients and comforting broths, complete with free-flow drinks and dessert, all at affordable prices. The restaurant is also conveniently located and open till 11:30pm daily, making it a great option for supper.

In related content, check out our Good Combo Hotpot & BBQ Buffet review, where we tried their $20++ buffet with free-flow xiao long bao and seafood in Chinatown. Alternatively, read our guide to the best hotpot buffets in Singapore for more tasty hotpot recommendations.

Address: 180 Kitchener Road, #B2-01/02, City Square Mall, Singapore 208539
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 11:30pm
Tel: 6592 6600
Website
Hi Hot Pot is not a halal-certified eatery.

Good Combo Review: $20++ Hotpot And BBQ Buffet With Free-Flow XLB And Seafood

Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.