Hotpot brand Shuai Jiang Jun opens in Singapore with authentic 40-year-old recipe from Chongqing

When it comes to food, more options are always better. Some people are devoted to their favourite brands, while some need new flavours to excite their taste buds.

For hotpot lovers in Singapore who need more novel places to hit up, add Tiong Bahru Plaza’s new Shuai Jiang Jun to the list.

In Mandarin, Shuai Jiang Jun (帅将军) refers to the commanding general of the army — naturally, the brand also goes by Lead General Hot Pot in English.

The name is also a double entendre that can be read as “handsome general”!

The brand prides itself on doling out an authentic Chongqing hotpot experience, and uses a four-decade-old recipe that dates back to the 1980s and has been passed down through generations.

Shuai Jiang Jun’s first Singapore outlet can be found on level two of Tiong Bahru Plaza and you can’t miss it — there’s a huge “帅” sign emblazoned outside the store.

Fish maw soup and silky fish

The key to a good hotpot meal is always the broth base and you’ll be happy to know that Shuai Jiang Jun offers a good assortment that caters to different preferences.

You have classics such as the tangy General’s Red Robe tomato pot (S$5) and comforting classic pork tripe and chicken broth (S$6.50), but we recommend going for the luxurious and silky General’s fish maw & chicken pot (S$11).

Those who revel in tongue-searing spice can also try the General’s Inferno spicy beef tallow pot (S$7) that’s boisterous in heat. (We also are part of team xiao la, though.)

But while the soup is the key ingredient, a hotpot meal is always better when the meat is just as good. We think the signature snowflake wagyu beef (S$40) is something meat lovers would love.

The premium wagyu comes daintily fanned out and boasts a nice bit of marbling.

It isn’t of the extremely fatty kind, which is good if you enjoy a leaner, tender bite and velvety, lightly melt-in-mouth fattiness.

We recommend dunking this into Shuai Jiang Jun’s fish maw soup to retain more of its natural beefy richness, while still giving it a nice collagen boost!

If you’re hankering for seafood, the Golden Defender fish (S$33) is one of Shuai Jiang Jun’s signatures — you get a whole pomfret that’s been cut open and hanging from a hook.

Although the presentation is cool, it’s more for aesthetic purposes and you’d need the staff to snip the pieces and pull them off the hook before it’s ready to be cooked.

The fish is chunky and silky with a good bit of firmness to it, and mild in flavour, which makes it perfect for soaking up your favourite broth.

Besides that, the General’s shrimp paste (S$24) is a reliable treat for seafood lovers — we can’t remember the last time we had hotpot without shrimp paste.

There’s nothing very outstanding about the shrimp paste at Shuai Jiang Jun, but it hits all the spots by being nice and bouncy and luscious — can’t go wrong with this.

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On the flipside, the tender chicken gizzards (S$12) are probably something a lot of people would balk at, but it’s actually one of our favourite items at Shuai Jiang Jun.

All that heavy seasoning imbues it with oodles of flavour and, if you time your cook right, it comes out delightfully juicy and crunchy. 

Disclaimers though: We love offals and chicken offcuts when we go for yakitori.

If you’re one of those who are always on the hunt for a new hotpot spot to check out, Shuai Jiang Jun’s fish maw broth is something we think is worth a try!

This was an invited tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the new unique zen-vibes matcha cafe in Kovan and the viral new fried chicken brand opened by influencers including Youtuber KSI.

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Shuai Jiang Jun for a hotpot feast at Tiong Bahru Plaza.