Steamov Review: Conveyor Belt Hotpot Restaurant That Closes At 6AM In Chinatown

Steamov has conveyor hotpot in Outram Park

Hotpot is indispensable to most Singaporeans, and the craze never really stops all year round. As a fan of hotpot, my ears perked up when I heard about Steamov, a cool conveyor belt restaurant in Outram Park. The take-as-it-comes concept is not all—they are open till 6am daily, which makes for a great supper spot when you’re craving some piping hot soup!

Food at Steamov

At Steamov, a soup base is priced at just $5+ with 10 different flavours to choose from. And here’s the best part: you get a personal hotpot to add whatever ingredients you like, so there’s no need to fuss about your dining companion’s preferences. FYI, some soup choices include Spicy Pot, Mushroom & Black Chicken Pot, Herbal Duck Pot, Sour Vegetable Fish Pot and more.

I like my broth clear and rich so I opted for the Mushroom Pot, while my colleague got the sweet-tangy Tomato Pot. We also ordered a plate of Lean Pork ($8+) and Beef ($10+) for some shabu shabu action.

For those curious, the conveyor belt was moving at a crawling pace, which helps if you’re fickle-minded, but it can also be a tad frustrating for the hangry.

The bright side, though, is that there’s a wide selection of ingredients to choose from. Meat, seafood, veggies, noodles and more—name it and they probably have something that will strike your fancy. You can also find your ma la xiang guo favourites such as lotus root, beancurd skin, and even low-carb Japanese konjac noodles. Each skewer or clipped item costs $1+, while the sticks with a flat end cost $3+ each.

Like many hotpot restaurants, Steamov has a free-flow sauce station featuring over 10 sauces and condiments. You are spoilt for choice here; DIY your concoction with sesame sauce, oyster sauce, spicy fermented bean paste, mashed garlic, chopped spring onions, chopped peanuts and more.

We then moved on to the proteins, where the first thing that caught my attention when the beef rolls and lean pork were served was how thin the meat was. In terms of texture, the beef and pork were really tender, but I felt that each piece was sliced too thin and shrank noticeably after cooking. Colour-wise, they were less vibrant than those from other hotpot restaurants I’d eaten at, though there wasn’t anything lacking about the flavour. I just wished there was a better meat-to-fat ratio, as the beef rolls were a tad too fatty for my liking.

I was more impressed with the meaty duck skewer, priced at just $1+. There were black pepper bits on it too, which added a hot and earthy flavour that I enjoyed.

Though their meat selection wasn’t the best I’ve had, their seafood skewers fared better, thankfully. I really enjoyed the huge scallop in my mushroom broth as the umami-laden soup paired well with the fresh, sweet shellfish. Each scallop is priced at $3+, which isn’t the cheapest option here, but I think it’s worth it.

I also recommend getting the fish balls with roe, priced at $1+ for two pieces on a stick. They were soft, chewy, and generously packed with briny bits of fish roe within.

Also priced at $1+, the prawn here was just as good as the scallop and fish balls. Here’s a personal tip: let the prawn simmer in the broth for a good 10 to 15 minutes. This way, your soup becomes more robust with a hint of seafood flavour!

Ambience at Steamov

At first glance, the restaurant looked different from other hotpot places, with a fun vibe thanks to the long stretch of conveyor belt. But in terms of the quality of its offerings, there’s not much to shout about—apart from the value-for-money prices and wide variety of ingredients. The restaurant is relatively spacious, though, as it can seat more than 50 diners at once. Plus, it’s located right next to Outram Park MRT Station.

The verdict

Beyond the fun idea of a conveyor belt, Steamov is a typical Chinese hotpot restaurant conveniently located in the Chinatown area. I don’t think I’ll go out of my way to visit them again unless my friends and I are looking for a late-night, wallet-friendly hotpot option near town. 

In related content, read our guide to the best hotpot restaurants in Singapore. Alternatively, check out Caffe Pralet for viral square doughnuts and loaded sandwiches if you’re in the area.

Address: 325 New Bridge Road, #01-00, Singapore 088760
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 6am
Website
Steamov is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Marcus Neo.
This was a media tasting at Steamov.