Some like it hot pot

This article first appeared in the May/Jun 2015 issue of WGM.

The Panda has enjoyed his fair share of Hot Pots over the years, but he was particularly excited when the opportunity arose to try the latest offering at Galaxy Macau.

When it comes to traditional Asian cuisine, it doesn’t get much better than a good old fashioned Hot Pot. Be it a late refresher after a long night out or a heart-warming feast in the cold of winter, Hot Pots are as versatile as they are popular and it comes as no great surprise they have stood the test of time, having originated in Mongolia and southern China more than 1,000 years ago.

They have also spread far and wide over the years and just about every country across Asia has since developed its own style of Hot Pot – sometimes known as Steamboat – using different meats, vegetables and stock bases. In this part of the world, from Guangdong and surrounds to Hong Kong and Macau, the most popular style involves the use of a light, clear and mild soup as the base with sliced beef, various types of seafood and Chinese vegetables as the main ingredients. These are usually insta-boiled in the soup before being dished out individually whereby each person can create their own sauce and flavor combination by adding their preferences from a range of available condiments.

It’s a great way to enjoy a meal with a group of friends or acquaintances so when The Stallion and I were invited to lunch recently at Hong Kong Gold Medal Seafood Hot Pot at Galaxy Macau we jumped at the chance.

Located just above the main gaming floor and accessed via a small elevator that can be a little tricky to find if you don’t know what you’re looking for, the restaurant itself is beautifully laid out with live seafood in tanks as you walk in, a number of round tables scattered throughout as well as about a dozen smaller booths running down each wall.

There are also a small number of private dining rooms available which are perfect for business functions or special family gatherings.

We were fortunate enough to dine in one of these private rooms during our lunch time visit where we were treated to exceptionally prompt and attentive service. Our hosts, the lovely Samantha and Anthony from Galaxy, inform us that Hong Kong Gold Medal Seafood Hot Pot has proved to be particularly popular with players late at night when they need a break from the tables and a revitalizing meal.

It’s easy to see why. Moments after we took our seats, the waitress wheeled in a trolley full of ingredients and set about warming our soup base, which on this occasion was a surprisingly refreshing double boiled chicken with fish maw. Other soup base options include the basic options such as Tomato, Satay and Spicy Sichuan to the more fancy Sea Whelk, Black Truffle and Abalone and the decadent White Truffle and Abalone.

Accompanying our main meal were some delicious Crispy Bean Curd Rolls and some melt in the mouth Crab Roe Dumplings, however it was the main course we were looking forward to most.

To put it simply, the menu at Hong Kong Gold Medal Seafood Hot Pot is massive and it’s a good thing our hosts picked out our meal for us or we could have been there all day deciding what to try first! From a wide range of fish to abalone, crab and lobster – plus red meat and pork belly – there is certainly something for everyone on offer here.

Our waitress brought out two meat dishes for us to try including the Signature Beef Sirloin which was sliced very thin and cooked in an instant, as well as Japanese 5A Wagyu Cubes which were wonderfully tender.

Cook to your liking, add your own sauce and condiments and enjoy the succulent flavors before wandering back to the Galaxy gaming floor content and refreshed! For those who love their Hot Pot, Hong Kong Gold Medal Seafood Hot Pot comes highly recommended.