Hot and steamy
December 9, 2019
The sound of cymbals and drums signalled the start for a pair of lions
to shower their blessings on the brand new Coco Steamboat Restaurant in The
Scott Garden, Old Klang Road. The two lions, gold and black, drew much
attention as they pranced around the restaurant and at its entrance.
Coco Steamboat is not new to folks in the Klang Valley as it first
opened 15 years ago. Apart from a previous outlet in Old Klang Road, there are
two other branches in Cheras – Taman Bukit Hijau and Sungai Long.
Restaurateur Mr Wong said he hopes the new outlet will offer customers a
bigger and better dining experience. Indeed, at 2,100 sq metres, the new restaurant is spacious and can cater
to up to 600 people in groups of 4, 6 or 10.
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| Amanda Wong |
More used to round steamboat pots, I am amused to find the pots here are
square in shape. Wong’s daughter and business development manager, Amanda, says
they feel this shape more suitable, especially if customers who want two soup
choices. It is also to accommodate the powerful suction system that draws
smells downwards. This way, customers won’t go home with the smell of cooking
clinging to their clothes.
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| Square steamboat pot with the signature Yeye's Pork Bone Broth |
While little if any culinary skill is required to cook your own food in
a steamboat, the key to a delicious meal lies simmering in the stock and Coco
offers a choice of 5 soup stocks. The signature is Yeye’s Pork Bone Broth
(RM34.90). I love how there is evaporated milk added to give it a boost of creaminess.
It seems that this broth is made from an old recipe handed down the generations
in the Wong family.
The others are Cordycep Flower Chicken Soup With Fish Maw (RM46.90),
Tomato Soup (RM27.90), a hot Mala Soup (29.90) and the latest premium Black
Truffle Broth (RM49.90), made with shaved black truffles.
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| Pork Set also has beancurd, sweet corn, mushrooms and vegetables |
As for the ingredients, there are a la carte choices listed under meat,
seafood, dumplings, balls, tofu and vegetables as well as set platters of pork,
beef or seafood. At the sneak preview, we are served Pork Bone Broth with the Pork
Set, a platter of Chinese cabbage, bok choy, sweet corn on the cob, thinly
sliced pork, pork kidney, deepfried beancurd, brown shimeji mushroom as well as
preboiled pork stomach and belly pork. The soup is delicious, well flavoured
and smooth with collagen goodness. This is the kind of stock that will jellify beautifully
if kept in the fridge.
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| Cold Tofu and Popo's Prawn Ball |
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| Pork dumplings |
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| Ling Long Tofu |
We also had a la carte items such as sliced fish, Popo’s squid
ball, Popo’s prawn ball, shimeji mushroom, Ling Ling tofu, cold tofu and
deepfried tofu.
What really brings the ingredients
together is the stock and the Pork Bone Broth lives up to its reputation.
On a side table, there are freshly cut
fruit and ingredients such as peanut paste, sesame paste, chilli and scallions.
For RM5 per person, customers can combine the various items to make their own
dip.
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| Fragrant deepfried chicken wings |
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| Fried Prawn Beancurd Rolls |
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| Popo's Deepfried Dumplings |
But it’s not all about steamboat at
Coco. While waiting for the soup to boil, we nibble on appetisers (from
RM8.90): Crispy vinegar black fungus, fried dumplings, fried shrimp paste
sliced pork, fried prawn curd rolls and fried chicken wings.
As for drinks, we sip on Coco’s
Signature Sugar Cane (RM11.90). This is not the regular fresh sugar cane but
rather, it is a boiled combination of ingredients to help the body
“cool” down.
As steamboat is a popular cuisine style for Chinese New Year, head over to Coco Steamboat for yummy hot pot goodness. Do note that the chain is closed for three days (January 24-26) and reopens for business on January 27.
COCO STEAMBOAT (non-halal)
Lot 1-1-A The Scott Garden
289 Old Klang Road
Kuala Lumpur
Telephone
+6019-277 6596
Opening Hours
Daily: 11.20am to 2.3pm, 5.30pm to
11.30pm
Closed alternate Mondays
Closed for CNY from January 24-26
