Xiao Long Kan Chinese Fondue
Like taking a trip to China
By Agnes Aui
Strategically located along a street of Bukit Bintang is the newly opened Xiao Long Kan Chinese Fondue, a Sichuan-inspired hotpot hailing from Shuinianhe Cheng Du. It’s evident that the eatery pays attention to detail as all four stories are decked with woodwork, decorations, bricks, furniture and utensils imported directly from China. With an extensive menu consisting of unique food selections, we were eager to travel across the world through our palates.
To start off, choose from four options of broth, namely traditional spicy mala, tomato, mushroom and pork bone. It is recommended that diners try their traditional spicy mala broth that’s made from 90 different Chinese spices including HanYuan pepper, Sichuan broad bean paste and chilli oil. Distinctly different from other overpowering mala broths, flavours of the individual spices stood out in this one – making it an experience worth trying.
Next, build your own signature condiment from sesame oil, scallion, bird’s eye chilli, cilantro, garlic and a dash of oyster sauce, picking and omitting based on your preference. Meat lovers can go all out by ordering the XLK Spicy Chilli Beef featuring sliced beef sprinkled generously with chopped chilli and spring onion or the handmade Rose Meat Ball served on rose petals, adding a fragrant floral taste. When cooked at its recommended time, the meat is soft, pulls apart with ease and filled with striking flavours.
Skip the hassle of peeling shrimps by trying the Shrimp Paste made with finely crushed shrimps, egg white and starch. Having a consistency that’s somewhat similar to meatballs, pieces of shrimp are noticeable when bitten and enhanced with flavours from the broth.
If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, order exotic dishes like pork brain, supreme thousand layered beef omasum, pork aorta, pork blood and more. Though unconventional, it’s selections like these that make Xiao Long Kan Chinese Fondue different from other hotpot eateries. Add some fibre to your meal with fresh greens like sliced green bamboo shoots which are imported from China, chinese white cabbage, winter melon, seaweed and dehydrated ivy mosses. Diners can also have the Mushroom Platter consisting of five different types of mushrooms.
A must-try at Xiao Long Kan is the Brown Sugar Rice Cake that’s lightly battered, fried and soaked in a bountiful brown sugar sauce. Bite into the warm and chewy rice cake as the brown sugar oozes, making the sweet dish a perfect finish.
Address: Xiao Long Kan Chinese Fondue *Hotpot (non-halal)
Lot 3, Block D 179 Fahrenheit, 88, Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 010-213 3382