Chuan Xiang Steamboat @ Beach Road

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One fateful evening, R & I headed to Beach Road to reconfirm my suspicions that one particular favourite steamboat place of ours has closed. Indeed, it closed, taken over by Pu Tien Restaurant. R was craving for steamboat so I was on the lookout for any nearby steamboat places to try, that red huge banner stood out screaming "$13 steamboat buffet".

Chuan Xiang it had to be. For once, I gave into price over value. And in short, lived to regret the choice made.

  1. We sat down and made our choice of soup base; half ma la, half chicken broth. They brought a huge pot over with broth and started taping the wires to the ground, nearly tripping a poor passerby.
  2. The broth started bubbling and I was wondering why they took so long to take our orders for the meats and all. Turne d out, it was self service. [surprise #1]
  3. The spread was indeed...limited. Tongs and all were chucked nearly everywhere, I prayed really hard I didn't end up with a whooping upset tummy. Meats were in chunks, cooked food placed near the raw food. Selection of cooked food consisted of fried gyozas drowning in oil, fried sweet potato mochis (The most edible of the lot), papaya salad, fried chilli with shrimp, peanuts with anchovies and fried mantou.
  4. Flies started flying round us towards the end of the meal, making it more than uncomfortable.
I remember eating a whole lot of yam strips, sausages and vegetables, hardly touching the meat. Both broths had not much of taste, just plain tongue burning ma la and tasteless chicken.

Freeflow of lime juice as well, which was equally tasteless.

The steamboat just next door looked way better, but slightly more expensive. Sigh.

Seriously, a case of you pay for what you get.

Never again.

Chuan Xiang Steamboat
Beach Road (Opp Park Royal Hotel)

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