Foodies, by now, you might have seen quite a bit of “Mala Xiang Guo” circulating the internet. It’s yet another 2019 dish, and scrolling through photos of them, especially at 2 am will make your stomach scream. Like you can literally smell the dish through your screen. Since our team is a fan of Mala Xiang Guo, we’ve decided to give XLL Malahotpot a try, as we heard a lot of good reviews from them, and they have Salted Egg Mala Xiang Guo! So hop on as we go for yet another foodie adventure!
Brief Explanation of Mala Xiang Guo and XLL Hotpot:
Some of you might be new to the new term, let us explain. “Mala Xiang Guo” is basically a dish where you pick your own ingredients, which the cook will then chop everything into small pieces and stir-fry them in Sichuan peppercorn, spicy sauces and other related ingredients. They’re like mala hotpot, but the dry version aka “drypot” and could go according to your desired level of spiciness.
Onto XLL Hotpot. Spotting the shop was easy-peasy as the signage was bright and huge. Plus, we went during the night. Upon entering, we noticed the ambiance is quite comfortable and is rather new. We were then entertained by the owner and he explained to us the menu and ordering system. To our surprise, this is their new Cheras outlet. They already have 8 other outlets across West Malaysia. Guess we need to set the bar higher now?
With more than 80 ingredients to choose from, we decided to go ahead with ‘small’ spicy, they have four levels of spiciness available. Not to miss out the highlight of the whole journey, Salted Egg Mala Xiang Guo. Also, we added a millennial’s favourite ingredient, continue reading to find out. *wink*
Enough talking, Taste Test:
Remember the ingredient we kept secret about? You guessed it right, we topped our ‘drypot’ with cheese! XLL Malahotpot might be the only place who has thought of such combination. Judging from the appearance, we were hooked. Like how can you say no to such vibrant, and beautifully garnished plate of goodness?
Flavor wise, you need to dig in more in order for the flavor to slowly build their way in your taste bud. We didn’t get much in the first few bites, but the more we had it, the more we enjoyed it. It’s a decent plate of hot pot. Don’t get us wrong, it was pretty okay, just that we probably should’ve upped the level of spiciness a bit more to get that kick. If the cheese was better melted, the texture and flavor could’ve been better as well.
Onto the most anticipated dish, Salted Egg Mala Xiang Guo! While presentation might not be the best, the smell of creamy salted egg though, reached out to us from far.
You know how most salted egg dishes where flavors are strong in the beginning, but then it gets cloying after a bit? This one is different, with just the right amount of salted egg added to enhance the ‘drypot’ flavor. Like addiction but better, we couldn’t stop diving into it. XLL Malahotpot made it so good it might be their best invention so far, though this flavor is better suited for millennials.
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Last One We Promise:
If you think we’re done, nope. You guys know how we love trying out new stuffs. We tried out their new Spicy Roasted Fish to wrap up our review. When it came, we were surprised. The size of the fish could easily feed 3, and for the price, it’s worth every penny. It came with generous amount of broth, which we were told we could actually add other desired ingredients in it as well. So basically a spicy steamed fish and hotpot, best of both world? Probably.
One last thing, XLL Malahotpot offers other stir-fry dishes for those who’re not a fan of Mala Xiang Guo. More is more, and their menu is definitely worth flipping through.
Verdict of XLL Malahotpot:
We left the place with a happy tummy. Overall XLL Malahotpot is quite a good spot for big bunch to get a decent Mala Xiang Guo. Do try out their Salted Egg Hot Pot though, you can’t get it anywhere else. If you happen to be in Cheras, pop by give this place a try. Have a good one foodies, and buh bye!
XLL Malahotpot Cheras
Address: 43G Jalan Dataran Cheras 2, Dataran perniagaan cheras , 43200 balakong Selangor.
Operating Hour: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (Daily)
More Info: https://www.facebook.com/XLLhotpot/
Contact: 011-3570 5900
