The modern interiors and creative aesthetic juxtaposed with the traditional Chinese ingredients and soup bases at The Drunken Pot let guests enjoy an innovative, elevated dining experience. It’s filled with spacious booths and walls decorated with contemporary street art featuring Asian artists from all over the region. In addition, the view is breathtaking.
I recommend making a booking for 6:30pm, peak time for summer sunsets and to enjoy the sky-high experience along with the hotpot.
The fiery Boston lobster and seafood with mala spicy tomato broth ($428) is cooked right in front of you. I have a feeling some people might get squirmy watching the seafood move and cook right in front of their eyes, but it illustrates that The Drunken Pot lives up to serving its freshest catches. The soup base itself is mild and more aromatic than anything, bubbling away while you add and cook your other ingredients. An array of condiments and garnishes are served so that you can create your own custom dipping sauce.
The ingredients came out quickly, and the servers left us to enjoy dipping our raw ingredients into the boiling soup base to stew. We began with the deep-fried homemade bean curd and seaweed rolls ($58). Soft and savoury, these cooked in seconds. Then came the thin strips of hanging premium sliced Angus beef short rib ($188 for small), which were tender and decadent, with a slight kick from the broth.
For summer dishes, we recommend ordering the Drunken Zoo ($298) rather than plain fish and meatballs. The crafted animals weren’t just adorable but also delicious and a fun diversion from traditionally presented ingredients. Truthfully, I’m not the biggest durian fan, but if you’re a lover of this famous fruit, order the durian squid balls ($98 for 3) for a pungent addition.
The vegetable platter ($68) was spotless – fresh and neatly placed. A meal without this and the handmade egg noodles ($58) would be completely off-kilter. We ate the noodles at the end of our meal because they take longer to cook.
There are many new summer desserts. Deep-fried durian pops ($88), deep-fried ice cream ($88 for 5) and coconut ice cream ($88) were a heavy way to end a big hotpot dinner. The refreshing coconut ice cream was our favourite of all the desserts with its pieces of young coconut.
Verdict
This is the second time I’ve been to The Drunken Pot, and I remain impressed with the quality of the ingredients and soup bases. The menu presents a large variety of dishes to choose from, and the service is fast and efficient. Generally, the food is affordable and great for large groups, as well as being family friendly. I recommend trying the spicy hotpot, which is mild and can be handled by even the most spice-sensitive palates. And if you like durian, they do a great job incorporating the pungent Asian fruit into both savoury and sweet dishes.
Causeway Bay: 27/F, V Point, 18 Tang Lung Street, 2323 7098, book online
TST: 2/F, 8 Observatory Road, 2321 9038, book online
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation.The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
For more reviews like this, like Foodie on Facebook
