Step into a world of gastronomic delight through the Weekend Hot Pot Buffet at Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, City Centre.
Served in the chic ambiance at Sichuan Kitchen, this promotion presents a symphony of flavors through the use of premium ingredients.
Restaurant Ambiance
Nestled at Level 1 of the hotel, Sichuan Kitchen greets arriving customers with an ambiance that intertwines heritage with sophistication.
The restaurant embraces classic Chinese elements, creating a space that is welcoming and harmonious.
Several types of prized tea leaves are on display here.
As we settle into our seats, our gaze is drawn to the picturesque view beyond the glass windows. Majestic skyscrapers define the skyline of Kuala Lumpur. At the center of all is the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, reminding us we are dining in the heart of the city.
Despite the bustling nature of the urban center, dining in Sichuan Kitchen evokes a feeling of tranquility.
In fact, the majestic city backdrop seems to enhance the mystical charm of the restaurant.
Sichuan Kitchen caters to family-style dining, as evidenced by spacious tables with built-in hot pots.
Meanwhile for patrons who seek a more intimate setting, Sichuan Kitchen offers several private dining rooms of varying sizes.
We are seated near the window, which affords breathtaking views while we dine.
Tableware items are meticulously arranged to imbue a sense of sophistication and elegance. We truly feel privileged to dine in such a fine establishment.
Selection of Soup
Our gastronomic journey commences with the selection of soup. For this, we consulted the head chef of Sichuan Kitchen, Chef Justin Wu. Hailing from China, Chef Justin has decades of culinary experience under his belt and has mastered the art of Sichuan cuisine. From hot pots to specialty delicacies, each menu item is specially crafted to his highest standards.
Chef Justin explained that Sichuan cuisine is not merely about spiciness. Instead, the cuisine emphasizes on creating multiple layers of complementing flavors. For instance, the Sichuan Mala soup is a blend of three types of chilies and peppercorns. To get the perfect taste, Chef Justin goes to great lengths to prepare mala paste from scratch.
Sichuan Kitchen offers five types of broth for the hot pot. Since the hot pot has two compartments, each dining party has a choice of two soup types (or four types for four diners and above).
- Sichuan Mala: 🔥
- For the adventurous palate: If you are a thrill-seeker and crave Sichuan cuisine, this choice is a no-brainer. The fiery and numbing flavors are guaranteed to fire your taste buds on all cylinders. Brace yourself for a tingling sensation on your tongue!
- Abalone: 🍲
- For the luxurious experience: This exquisite broth coats your tongue with the rich essence of abalones, and warms your body from the inside out.
- Truffle Mushroom: 🍄
- For connoisseurs of earthy flavors: Rich umami flavors of mushrooms combine with soothing aroma of truffles, culminating in earthy overtones on your taste buds.
- Tomato: 🍅
- For something light and refreshing: This broth gives a breath of freshness with its light and tangy taste, making it the go-to for diners who are unsure where their limits lie. Sometimes, simplicity is perfection.
- Coconut Chicken: 🥥🍗
- For a tropical twist: The savory chicken broth is infused with subtle sweetness of coconut water, resulting in a marriage of flavors that dances on the palate.
Let’s see how hot pot is being prepared! Firstly, Chinese herbs such as ginger, dates and goji berries are added to the pot.
Have you noticed the adorable bear in the pot? It is actually made of spicy mala paste! Meanwhile, the white hearts are made of beef tallow. These ingredients are cleverly shaped to add a playful touch to our hot pot experience.
Our choices for hot pot broths are Sichuan Mala and Coconut Chicken. As the saying goes: when in Rome, do as the Romans do. A meal at Sichuan Kitchen would not be incomplete without the signature Sichuan Mala. Meanwhile, the milder Coconut Chicken serves a complementing role with its soothing coolness. The latter is also our fall back option in case things get out of hand!
Hot Pot Ingredients
Ingredients for the hot pot are presented at the buffet counter. Check out the official menu for the full list of ingredients for lunch and for dinner.
It is evident that Sichuan Kitchen uses premium ingredients only.
Ocean Prawns
Each prawn is cleaned and deveined to ensure that it gives the perfect taste and mouthfeel.
Fish Fillets
The fillets served at Sichuan Kitchen are exceptionally thick. Thick slices allow the fish to retain its natural juiciness after cooking. While barramundi is rich and buttery, red snapper is noticeably sweet and delicate.
Shellfish & Squid
New Zealand green-lipped mussels are used for the best taste.
Beef & Lamb
As for red meats, beef and lamb rolls are thinly sliced to allow them to be cooked quickly. Their marbled texture makes them luxuriously soft and delicate when cooked.
Since the beef and lamb rolls are incredibly thin, they only need to be blanched briefly. Chopsticks are recommended, otherwise the rolls tend to get lost in the soup. The usual Chinese saying “七上八下” is to dip each piece in the soup for seven or eight seconds. By blanching this way, the meat remains tender and juicy.
Chicken
For chicken thighs, Sichuan Kitchen uses the red meat portion as it has superior texture for hot pot cooking. Meanwhile, the spicy sliced chicken has been marinated beforehand. Chicken is deboned for the convenience of customers.
Meatballs
Beef balls, fish balls, cuttlefish balls and Fuzhou fish balls are provided for our dining pleasure. Fuzhou fish balls have minced fish filling at the center. Be careful when you bite them because the filling can be very hot!
Vegetables
Leafy greens such as nai pak (奶白), bok choy (小塘菜), choy sum (菜心) and baby cabbage (娃娃菜) are provided. These fresh vegetables serve to sweeten the hot pot soup over time.
Also available are lotus root and potatoes. Both vegetables are cut into thin slices to ease cooking in the hot pot.
Mushrooms
Enoki and shimeji mushrooms are available. The role of mushrooms in hot pot should not be understated.
Noodles
If you need to get some carbs in, the buffet counter provides rice noodles (米粉), minute noodles (公仔面) and yee mee (伊面).
Dipping Sauces
Dipping sauces are sometimes overlooked, but they are essential to proper enjoyment of hot pot. To this end, Sichuan Kitchen spares no expense in preparing more than a dozen types of sauces and toppings.
Since no two palates are identical, the composition of dipping sauces comes down to individual preferences. According to Chef Justin, people from Sichuan typically use minced garlic, spring onions and sesame oil. Ironically, the fragrance of sesame oil helps to alleviate the sensation of greasiness in the mouth. Yes, we can vouch for that!
If you are fond of pungent flavors, preserved bean curd (腐乳) can really tantalize your taste buds.
Do you know that “sha cha sauce” (沙茶酱) is derived from our local satay sauce? When Chinese migrants returned home, they adapted satay sauce to local tastes by including dried shrimps. Since most of these migrants speak the Hokkien dialect, they transliterated “satay” to “sa-te” (沙茶), which is pronounced “sha cha” in Mandarin.
Lauganma chilli (老干妈豆豉) is very popular in China as the brand is one of the largest producer of Chinese condiments.
Cold Appetizers
While waiting for the hot pot to come to a boil, diners can help themselves to cold appetizers at the buffet counter.
While these Sichuan-style cold dishes may vary from day to day, they always include vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.
Spicy Sliced Chicken
Chicken is cut into thin slices to allow it to absorb the flavor of soy sauce. Abundance of sesame seeds gives this dish an aromatic appeal.
Seasoned Tofu Skin
Presented in thin strips, the tofu skin offers a unique texture that strike a chord with our palate. The appetizer is garnished with coriander and cucumbers.
Cold Marinated Hot & Sour Yunnan Fungus
Located at the southern frontier of China, Yunnan Province is known as the fungus capital as the region is home to numerous types of edible fungus. Marinated in vinegar-based sauce, the fungus is bursting with tangy notes. Not only does this dish make an excellent appetizer, it also helps to cleanse the palate after the meal.
Cucumber Salad
As for something easy on the tongue, the cucumber salad provides a soothing breath of freshness. As the saying goes, cool as a cucumber!
Fruits
Apple salad and watermelon cubes are provided.
Desserts
As for the finale, two desserts are presented to conclude the meal on a sweet note.
Herbal Jelly
This dessert is not only delectable, but also has cooling effects that come handy after indulging in hot pot dishes.
Sichuan Ice Jelly
Hailing from Sichuan, this dessert is also known as “bingfen” due to the cooling relief it affords during the humid summer. The recipe is said to have been invented during the Qing Dynasty. The jelly is made from seeds of the Nicandra plant, which produces a gelatinous substance after being processed. Tasteless by its own, the jelly is sweetened with brown sugar syrup.
Sichuan ice jelly comes to life when paired with toppings like tapioca pearls, haw flakes, crushed peanuts and raisins.
Beverages
Beverages are also included with the meal. Today’s choices are Ice Roselle Flower Tea, Ice Herbal Tea and Ice Chrysanthemum.
The Ice Roselle Flower Tea has a delightful balance of sweetness and tartness, making this drink our personal favorite.
Special Feature: Spicy Chicken
Spicy Chicken (辣子鸡) is not included in the Weekend Hot Pot Buffet, but is specially prepared for our enjoyment. As one of the signature dishes in Sichuan cookbooks, Spicy Chicken features chicken pieces fried with Sichuan peppers, dried chili peppers, peanuts, sesame seeds and spring onions. Despite being coated with spicy seasoning, the chicken remains tender and retains its meaty appeal.
Make a Reservation Today!
If you are looking for authentic Sichuan cuisine in a cozy atmosphere, Sichuan Kitchen at Four Points KLCC is among our top recommendations. Its pork-free menu caters to a wider range of customers. And if you wish to indulge in Sichuan-style hot pot to your heart’s content, the Weekend Hot Pot Buffet is the perfect choice for you. For your convenience, reservations can be made through the restaurant’s official website.
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Direction to Sichuan Kitchen @ Four Points Kuala Lumpur, City Centre
