Just when we thought we have tried all the steamboat restaurants in Bandar Menjalara, we actually missed out a big one – Taifeng Taiwanese Hotpot. Actually, I wouldn’t even know this place exists if not for Foursquare.
Being hidden from view doesn’t seem to affect Taifeng at all and they were operating at full capacity when we arrived. So we were lucky to get a table without a reservation.
Taifeng offers a few unique soup bases that cannot be found at other local steamboat restaurants. One of them is their signature Sour Vege with Pork Soup @ RM26.50. Yep you read that right, soups are not provided FOC here.
With that said, we didn’t mind paying for it because the soup was appetizing and tangy with no hint of MSG. It also comes with plenty of vegetables and pork slices so the price is pretty justified.
Since the soup already contains a good amount of meat, we ordered only a single set meal @ RM23. For every set you order, you will get a free scoop of Haagen Dazs ice cream at the end of the meal, not bad at all! If you order 2 sets and above, the ingredients would be served in tiered baskets instead of on a plate.
Before you start cooking the ingredients, it is recommended that you taste the soup in its purest form first to appreciate the flavor. Although the pork slices appear lean, they are tender and not chewy.
The food is fresh and even the processed items like meat balls and seafood tofu are of better quality. Not to mention the tiger prawn is unusually large too. At this point, the soup starts to sweeten up with a richer more body – delicious.
Taifeng’s unique condiment is a mixture of peanut butter, chili flakes and dried shrimps. As you can probably tell from the combination it is fragrant and crispy, which it sure is.
Some ala carte items we had include their homemade special pork @ RM17.50, Taiwanese white sausage @ RM6.50 (worth a try, nice and peppery) and mix meat balls @ RM8.70.
I didn’t really enjoy the special pork due to its overpowering ginger taste. If that was mentioned in the menu I probably wouldn’t have ordered it. But from a value perspective, it’s a good deal considering the portion is large enough to be shared among 2-3 people.
The free Haagen-Dazs ice cream did not disappoint a bit as it came in a big scoop. You don’t get to choose the flavor though.
Fresh and nice food aside, the excellent service rendered (the waiting staff is all local) at Taifeng is a breath of fresh air. If you feel uneasy with the service being ‘too good’ for some reason, feel free request for no service and you will be able to enjoy your meal without any interruption.
All in all, Taifeng Taiwanese Hotpot is not exactly a cheap place to eat but it’s definitely worth experiencing for their food, ambiance and service. If you value these above anything else, I am positive you will have an enjoyable meal here. Taifeng’s HQ restaurant is located in Cheras C180.
Taifeng Taiwanese Hotpot 台风台式火锅
Lot 1-10, 1-11, Plaza Menjalara
Bandar Menjalara, 52200 Kepong
Tel: 03-6270 0162 (reservation highly recommended)
Business hours: 5pm – 12am
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