Hong Kong - Senfuku 千福中日火鍋料理

As far as hot pots in Hong Kong go, Senfuku is a mighty comfortable place to enjoy this classic.  In the old days of non-airconditioning, I can't imagine people tucking into this in the hot summer.  And what a hot summer we are having in Hong Kong.  But thanks to air-conditioning, we can now enjoy this virtually all year round, even if traditional Chinese medicine practitioners discourage you from overdoing it, for fear of the consequences.

Aside from a small but comfortable premises, Senfuku's differentiator is the use of very fresh, almost sashimi-grade ingredients for its hot pot.

And speaking of sashimi, it's pretty wide selection is very fresh.  While it's not going to be choice cuts, it's a great way to start a steamy meal.  I especially enjoyed the sea urchin or Uni wrapped in separately provided dried seaweed sheets.  I literally licked off the board used to serve the Uni on.

The Geoduck wasn't bad too and was cool and crunchy, making for a great contrast to the wasabi laced soy sauce it is served with.  For the unseasoned, you can also wait for the hot pot to arrive and dunk this in for about 10 seconds for a still-crunch piece of shell fish, that is sweet.

One of the favorite features of Hong Kong hot pot, though not available at all hot pot restaurants, is the ability to concoct your own dipping sauce.  At Senfuku, you can choose from a variety of XO sauce, sesame paste, hoisin sauce, raw garlic, roasted garlic, extra hot little chilies, coriander and spring onions.  The only thing I missed was vinegar, which I requested for separately.  There is no right or wrong, just mix away and see what you come up with and like.

The best part of hot pot is the beef.  The better the cut, the better your experience.  You want enough marbling so it's juicy without being chewy after it's been dancing around in the pot for no more than 30 seconds.  Any more and you might as well eat shoe rubber.  The cuts at Senfuku were commendable, as you can see from the pic.

The eel was unusual and very sweet after cooking.  Aside from the bones, which some might find objectionable, it is an enjoyable fish to be had.  Also good were the milk fish, not photographed here.

Of course, like any good hot pot restaurant, they make their own wantons, squid colloids, pork balls, shrimp dumplings, etc. in every combination possible.  All decent but the WOW! remains with the beef.  That's where the sweet spot really is.

1/F, Empress Plaza
17-19, Chatham Road South
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852-23111812


Note: entrance to building is on Mody Road.