Suki-ya: A truly satisfying Japanese Hot Pot experience!

I originally wanted to try Ramen Champion over at Bugis +. Unfortunately, they had an event that day so I had to find an alternative spot to satisfy my hunger pangs! For some reason, I was craving for hot pot, finding Suki-ya is a foodie's dream come true!

I had Suki-ya before back in 2014, revisiting it now after their change in menu is definitely worth it! As compared to the previous time I was here, they have included salmon in their meat selection and changed their soup bases! Sad to say, they have also increased their price from $17.90 to $23.90 for an Adult lunch buffet.

To be honest, their price range is still very affordable as they offer UNLIMITED fresh vegetables and meat! In addition, they have a large variety of goodies like chikuwa fish cake, seafood tofu and cheese balls! What I liked best is their sauces! You can get creative and mix the sauce however you like! More on this later!

In the buffet, you are entitled to free flow drinks, unlimited meat and fresh vegetables from the healthy bar! There is complementary ice cream for dinner only. I remembered they used to have a soft served ice cream machine,  I have no idea why they changed it to the regular ice cream cups. Soft served ice cream sounds more tempting!

The waitress helping us to pour our soup into the pot.

For the soup base we went for Shabu Shabu and Butaniku. Shabu Shabu is a healthy and light tasting broth made from simmered kelp, as you add different ingredients, the broth transforms and evolves into a delightful soup. Butaniku on the other hand is richer and more flavour-packed, the taste of the pork broth is very hearty. For those who are a fan of the tonkotsu broth, this is for you!

Before the change in menu, I clearly remembered there was a spicy kimchi soup base. They have changed it to the more authentic Japanese Wasabi soup base since then.

Thinly sliced pork and chicken with chopped spring onions.

The meat selection includes beef,chicken,pork and salmon. Salmon is a new option,very few hot pot places actually includes this as a choice! My mother and I went for the chicken and pork. The meat was professionally sliced, they were as thin as paper! I could literally see through the meat! This makes me wonder how they cut it so thinly...

Look at how thin the meat is!

In Japanese hot pot, the meat is cooked by swishing it in the soup for a few times. This is also where the term 'Shabu Shabu', meaning 'swish swish' in Japanese, comes from! It is crucial that the meat is finely sliced so that it cooks easily! 

Suki-ya offers a large assortment of vegetables.

They also have a wide selection of other ingredients like noodles and fish cake!

A must-try is the seafood tofu, it is so soft and hit the right notes on the flavour! My mother who usually dislikes tofu actually likes it! She had 4 pieces in total!

It is recommended to first add in the vegetables to sweeten the soup. I added carrots and corn for the extra boost!

An upclose of the sauce i made!

One of Suki-ya's specialty is the sauce counter. There is a variety of sauces and ingredients for mixing.

• Egg Sauce

My favourite sauce when it comes to Japanese hot pot! The egg sauce is for dipping your cooked meat into. It makes the meat silky smooth and takes away some of the heat before the meat is eaten. I swear you won't regret it and you have to give this sauce a try! 

• Ponzu Sauce (Shoyu with Vinegar)

This citrus based sauce is most suitable for meat! It is savoury and tangy! For my sauce, i added in some grated radish, chopped green onions and garlic! All of my favourite ingredients combined in one! The acidity of the sauce balances out the savoury soup and is so addictive. I wouldn't mind double-dipping! 

• Spicy Peanut Sauce

This creamy concoction may look unappetizing but it adds a kick to your food! The taste of the peanut is unfamiliar but lovely, when the spicy aftertaste comes in, the flavour becomes so intense! I cannot tolerate spicy food but this one makes me come back for more!

My set up for the day, sauce game strong!

Dipping the cooked meat into the flavoursome sauce.

It was an awesome gastronomical experience and I couldn't move after eating so much! We had a total of 6 plates of meat and 5 plates of vegetables! On top of that, we had our own serving of ramen and glass noodles. 

If you are out looking for delicious Japanese hot pot with a vast selection of ingredients and sauces, I definitely recommend Suki-ya! Moreover, their price range is very reasonable! Do keep a look out for ongoing promotions!

When I went that day, they had a value lunch set. All the food I had was only $9.50 per pax! What a good deal!

Unbelievable!

I hope that in the future Suki-ya can have more variety of soup bases, maybe they could venture into flavours such as tom yum or mala which is a hot favourite (pun intended) with Singaporeans!

Other outlets include Marina Square, Tampines Mall, 112 Katong, Bedok Point, Plaza Singapura, Heartland Mall Kovan and Bukit Panjang Plaza.

I will be ending my post with this explosive cheese ball picture that I took, it was so cheesy and sinful! 

Food coma.