Since their inception in 2013, Xiao Lao Wang Hotpot has relocated twice. They started off in Sungai Buloh, moved to Damansara Uptown and now they are operating in Jaya One.
From what I understood from the owners, most of their menu items have remained largely the same with the exception of a couple of new soup bases.
Pickled Cabbage Pork Belly Soup @ RM48.90 is their latest addition so naturally it was also the most recommended one. While there are other hotpot restaurants in town that also offer similar kind of soup such as Taifeng, Xiao Lao Wang’s rendition uses home-pickled cabbage.
Salt is used to pickle the cabbage (for 1 month) which loads it with beneficial bacteria that subsequently increases the nutritional value. The soup is also not as sour as it sounds, instead it packs a rich umami punch and opens up your appetite. And since it’s topped up with pure pork bone broth, the sourness will reduce gradually as the meal progresses – unless more pickled cabbage is added.
By default, the soup comes with an adequate amount of cabbage and pork belly meat. To make it a fulfilling meal, you could consider the hotpot sets priced at RM50.90 and RM60.90.
The more expensive set comes with pork neck instead of fish noodles. If you love meat, it’s obvious which set is better bang for the buck.
If you don’t fancy pickled cabbage, the best alternative would be their signature Pork Stomach Chicken soup @ RM42.90. This is the polar opposite with a mildly sweet flavor and pronounced peppery tang.
Xiao Lao Wang’s hotpot sets consist mainly of real, natural ingredients and it’s only accompanied by a handful of homemade meatballs. Live prawns are the highlight, as you can see they are larger than usual and taste sweet, succulent and firm to the bite.
For those dining in large groups, I think the live red snapper @ RM7/100g (portion above is about RM75) is a must order.
The deep fried fish head can be added into the soup for extra flavor; while the perfectly filleted (completely deboned) flesh is melt in your mouth tender when cooked. Simply delicious.
Sanbanto Berkshire Pork Belly is another must have to enjoy with the hotpot. These strips of premium pork belly have decent marbling of fat throughout the meat which translates into juicier and better flavor.
Pick a slice and swish it back and forth in the boiling hot pot until it turns white and enjoy immediately. A small portion is priced at RM16.90, large at RM28.90.
Among the few homemade seafood and meatballs we had, the cuttlefish and mushroom pork balls are our top favorites. If we could only pick one, it has got to be the cuttlefish balls @ RM16.90.
The HKG Bean Curd Roll @ RM13.90 is also worth a try. Just dip a piece deep in the hotpot for 2 seconds, long enough for it to soak up the flavor while retaining the crispness.
Condiments wise, you have more than a dozen to choose from. You can either mix your own, or get the staff to mix one according to their tried-and-tested formula.
We tried mixing a bit of everything and put more emphasis on their ‘Dancing Chili Sauce’ and ‘Foo Yee’ sauce. It actually turned out pretty good!
Overall, it was a satisfying hotpot session and we were delighted with the quality and freshness of the ingredients. I should also probably say that we enjoyed Xiao Lao Wang’s Pickled Cabbage & Pork Belly soup more than Taifeng’s. It wins hands down by a mile.
Xiao Lao Wang Hotpot 小捞王
100-G021, The School, Jaya One
No.72A, Jalan Universiti, 46200 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7496 0670
Business hours: 5pm – 12am
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