restaurants

Kong Fu Spicy Hotpot

Malatang has to be one of the most trending foods in Melbourne at the moment, with more and more stores opening up every few months. Tang Huo Kung Fu is one of the newer stores in the CBD (with one store in Box Hill), and I was so stoked to be invited to try it. The venue is clean, spacious and organised. When you enter, a friendly staff member will give you a bowl and tongs, and you make your way to the enormous fridge to pick your own ingredients. There is a very nice variety here - from meat to seafood to various fish balls and types of noodles. After selecting your ingredients, you make your way to the counter and pay by weight ($3.00/100g - cheaper than most places!). You can choose between soup or dry, and your spice level (mild, medium, hot). I opted for the mild soup base, which was very pleasant. The mild level was perfect for me - not too spicy but still has a slight kick. The soup base itself is very savoury and light, yet super flavourful - it’s different to any other malatang I’ve had and I’d definitely recommend you give it a try. I love the topping of roasted crushed peanuts and chickpeas (I think?). There’s also a self-serve sauce bar which is very convenient! They also make their own fresh-brewed tea, which comes in a pretty bottle and would be the perfect accompaniment for malatang. Overall, it’s definitely a place that I’d recommend if you’re looking for some good malatang!