9 places for the best steamboat in KL and Selangor today
Singaporeans are no stranger to hotspots. In fact, it might be reasonable to say that we’re almost addicted to it, given the popularity of a certain chain that’s since popped up in all corners of the island. It’s hard to say no to steamboat, especially on a cool, rainy day, which is why we’ve also compiled a list of the best places in Klang Valley’s Kl and Selangor to enjoy the piping hot dish.
Exceedingly popular across the Klang Valley, steamboat and hotpot restaurants have witnessed a massive boom in the past five-odd years, especially with a rising interest in traditional Mainland Chinese cuisine. But of course, the dish itself has a storied history that extends thousands of years, with the earliest iterations attributed to members of nobility and royalty during the Zhou dynasty.
At the time, steamboat or hotpots were not the communal affairs that we come to recognise today. Instead, they were meant to be enjoyed in personal-sized pots made of bronze that were suspended over a charcoal flame. But the fundamental idea remains the same: a rich, flavourful, piping-hot broth is used to cook raw ingredients such as meats, seafood, and vegetables, to be consumed.
The dish eventually grew to become such a staple in Chinese cuisine that it was even claimed that the Qianlong Emperor would eat nothing but hotpot for almost every meal. And while our contemporary obsession with steamboat hasn’t verged quite nearly on the same level of compulsion, there can be no disputing the appeal that it occupies in the general consciousness.
With that in mind, here are eight of the best steamboat places in KL & Selangor to start your search.
(Hero and featured image credit: @cocosteamboat/Instagram and @eatwithshar_/Instagram)
9 best steamboat spots in KL & Selangor today:
1 /9
With a number of outlets fanned out across the Klang Valley area, Hometown Steamboat Restaurant is an accessible option to kick off our list that has consistently managed to build a reputation for being a local favourite regardless of the neighbourhood it finds itself in.
A wide assortment of reasonably priced but most importantly, exceedingly fresh meats, seafood, and frozen steamboat staples such as fishballs, fish paste, and dumplings, helps to cement its position as an easy recommendation. The tomato broth here is of particular interest, evoking flavours of a far more premium steamboat establishment (ahem), while the herbal broth is a great option for those who enjoy a more sapid but less piquant taste.
Outlets: Setapak, Petaling Jaya, Kota Damansara, Bandar Manjalara, SS14
(Image credit: @sat0ru_monkey_yama4ta/Instagram)
Address
71, Jalan 11/62a, Bandar Menjalara, 52200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone
+60 16-259 6358
2 /9
Singaporeans will be familiar with this entry. With outlets at Orchard Shopping Centre and Bugis Junction, Xiao Long Kan is already a household name here. But if you want to enjoy your favourite steamboat spot at a fraction of the price, you’ll want to make your way to this KL branch.
Located in a street just off from the main Bukit Bintang stretch in Farenheit88, this spot prides itself on replicating an authentic Chengdu steamboat experience. As one of the largest chains in its native Sichuan, Xiao Long Kan is best known for their mala spicy broth, rightfully served in rich red redolence punctuated by the pungence of cumin and Szechuan peppercorns. The chain also maintains outlets in MidValley Megamall and Sunway Velocity Mall.
Outlets: Fahrenheit 88 Mall, MidValley Megamall, Sunway Velocity Mall
(Image credit: @eatwithshar_/Instagram)
Address
Lot 03, Block D, 179 Fahrenheit, 88, Jln Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone
+60 10-220 9618
3 /9
We’d like to believe that this next entry on our list takes its name after the famed one-pot-does-it-all Crock Pot, but chances are it may be better attributed to the massive three-dimensional crocodile chandelier that dominates its cavernous dining hall. Needless to say, Kuchai Lama’s The Croc Pot is immediately recognisable for its unapologetic approach to decorative opulence.
But stunning vistas aside, a restaurant is only as good as the food it serves. Thankfully in this regard, The Croc Pot doesn’t disappoint with a dizzying array of broths, including a unique Green Mala Soup as well as a Black Truffle Brazil Soup that is offered nowhere else.
(Image credit: @thecroc_potpot/Instagram)
Address
Lot, 14080, Jalan Kuchai Lama, Kuchai Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone
+60 13-639 7272
4 /9
One Dish One Taste Chongqing Hotpot
Following in the vein of Instagram-worthy steamboat restaurants, One Dish One Taste Hotpot is Penang’s first hotpot restaurant that sports beautiful dangling Wisteria, making it one of the most Instagrammable too. Taking after Chonqing-style hotpot restaurants from the Mainland, its mala soup is naturally the biggest draw here, painstakingly stewed with a velveteen mixture of lard, peppercorns, cumin, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon for its unmistakably potent burn.
But once you’ve satisfied your masochistic urges, quell your palette with their Nine Box Desserts, which offers diners unlimited refills of nine speciality desserts served in a bespoke tray. This includes everything from milk custard bunnies to herbal jelly.
(Image credit: One Dish One Taste Hotpot/Facebook)
Address
H-G-11, Plaza Arkadia, Jalan Residen 3, Desa Parkcity, 52200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone
+60 12-766 0442
5 /9
If you’ve frequented the Solaris area in Mont Kiara, then chances are you are likely to have spotted a curiously anachronistic facade in the vicinity, with a storefront masquerading as a portal into feudal China. Welcome to Ma Tou Feng Yun Hotpot, one of the de-facto names in the city for Szechuan-style steamboat in KL.
Staying true to the order of the day, the mala broth pairs exceptionally well with their handmade selection of steamboat essentials, with their handmade fishballs being a particular highlight. If you take a liking to milder flavours, the chicken broth infused with coconut is the one to pick.
(Image credit: 码头风云老火锅 Kuala Lumpur/Facebook)
Address
Harbour Hotpot (Ma Tou Feng Yun)
Phone
+60 17-658 8618
6 /9
Looking to dine beneath the stars? Then drop by Sky-Dome Hotpot come evening, and be prepared to be wowed. Encased underneath transparent dome structures, this spot holds the distinction of being the very first steamboat restaurant in KL to occupy a rooftop space.
Beyond the glamour of its venue, the steamboat served here appeases even the most discerning of steamboat fans. Fresh seafood and a solid assortment of steamboat accompaniments, from fish and shrimp paste to fish cakes, leave no whim unfulfilled. Pair it with their collagen-rich Beauty Pork Soup for a true indulgence.
(Image credit: Sky-Dome Hotpot/Facebook)
Address
No.1, Jalan Lima, Chan Sow Lin, 55200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
7 /9
We’ve listed more than a few steamboat places in KL with Szechuan influences, which typically means exceedingly spicy soups. And while that may be en vogue among fans of the dish, a myriad of other soup bases exist to cater to the whims of those who don’t necessarily enjoy mind-numbing heat. Take Yezi Steamboat in Bandar Utama, for example.
Translated from Mandarin into English as ‘Coconut Steamboat’, its name is self-explanatory: their coconut broth here, made using only pure coconut water, is the name of the game. Our recommendation is to pair it with seafood, as the addition of fish and shellfish adds a further dimension of umami savouriness that makes every sip a true delight. Feeling a little lavish? Then ask for the Wild Forest Truffle and Mushroom broth too.
(Image credit: @yezi_steamboat/Instagram)
Address
1, First Ave, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Phone
+60 12-323 5841
8 /9
Another popular chain of steamboat restaurants with locations along the length of the Klang Valley, Coco Steamboat is best known among locals for its signature Pork Knuckle Soup, which regulars order without fail. It’s relatively easy to spot, with boiling cauldrons of the milky broth being found on almost every stovetop in the restaurant.
And there’s no wonder why patrons continue to return for a taste of the soup here, owing to the painstaking process by which it is made. Prepared fresh each day, the soup base requires a total of 8 hours to boil, suffusing it with a sweetness that can only be achieved by a generous amount of pork knuckles that have been allowed to simmer.
(Image credit: @cocosteamboat/Instagram)
Address
Lot 1-01-A Scott Garden ,289, Old Klang Road, 58000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone
+60 19-277 6596
9 /9
Harbour Ed’s Steamboat Restaurant (Sri Petaling)
One of the most highly rated steamboat restaurants in KL on Google, Harbour Ed’s serves up comforting pots of the dish with a side range of ingredients, although the highlight here is undoubtedly the soup. Choose from pork bone broth, herbal, or tom yam soup (pro tip: the latter is a crowd-favourite), all of which are the perfect base for the fresh ingredients and tasty dips here.
(Image credit: @wendyfullworld_/Instagram)
Address
19, Jalan 13/149l, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone
+60 16-620 2672
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