Food: De Hunan Hotpot @ Fahrenheit 88, Bukit Bintang

Hunan is a mountainous province in China which is also the hometown of the famous Mao Zedong. Recently, I've had the opportunity to try out some authentic Hunan cuisine at De Hunan Hotpot, Fahrenheit 88. Since Hunan is a place with high agricultural output, the ingredients used in their cooking is of a high variety, and perhaps some which we've never seen before here in Malaysia. At the mere mention of Hunan cuisine, one can imagine hot spicy dishes which is a definite favourite among chilli lovers or those who would like to challenge themselves once in a while. 

Ample dining space for those who wish to hold private functions here. Besides that, they have a designated area where you can just chill while enjoying the beautiful view of the bustling Bukit Bintang streets.

Great view taken from the window of De Hunan Hotpot.

SIDE DISHES

When we arrived, they dished out some really unique side dishes. It reminds me of Korean cuisine where side dishes are a must at each meal. Well, I guess it applies here as well with the respective side dishes; pickled cucumber, seaweed, foo chok and pickled pig ears. 

HOT POT

Fish Head Soup (Small Pot - RM 15 (per pax) , Big Pot - RM 40 for 4 pax)

The soup is prepared from ling fish head, which is boiled together with pork bones, chicken bones and scallop for approximately 3 to 4 hours. Three types of chilli is used to make the broth which gives it its distinct yellow colour.

Duck Soup (Small Pot - RM 15 (per pax) , Big Pot - RM 40 for 4 pax)

The duck soup comes with chunky pieces of duck meat and was very spicy in comparison to the pork bone soup. This broth is made mainly from herbs such as mandarin peel and star anise. The duck meat is firstly fried to remove its gamy smell which may essentially affect the taste of the broth.

Some of the 'star' ingredients which can be added into the hot pot!

MAIN DISHES

Hunan Farmer Style Fried Pork (RM 22)

Stir fried green chilies with pork belly and lean meat which is delicious when eaten together with a bowl of steaming hot white rice. I find this really appetizing and uniquely flavorful with a hint of nutty aftertaste which comes from the special green chilies seed used in making this dish.

Spicy Skewered Prawns in Hunan style (RM 33)

This may look quite spicy in terms of appearance, however don't be fooled, it is great for faint-hearted chili eaters like myself. The sauce which is poured over the deep fried prawns is made out of fermented bean paste, some dried chilies, sesame seed, green chilies (xiao mi jiao 小米椒 ) ginger and garlic too.

 The crispy prawns are very addictive, one stick will not be enough!

Fried Homemade Beancurd with Salted Egg (RM 18)

A home cooked style dish made from two simple ingredients; beancurd and salted egg. The texture is sandy because of the minced salted egg yolk and I love how runny it is. I can guarantee that kids will love this for sure!

Uncle Mao Special Braised Pork (RM 30)

This dish is Mao Zedong's favourite dish, therefore it was named after him. This specialty dish requires some skills and I find that the pork was braised to perfection with the meat so tender and the skin still chewy. According to the chef, the pork is left in a pressure cooker filled with herbs for 10 to 15 mins to attain that great texture. They even import their pork from China as the pigs are bigger there compared to the ones in Malaysia.

Sizzling Skewered Lamb (RM 28)

I was actually pretty surprised when they served this because Chinese cuisine don't really have lamb in the menu. Here, their Australian striploin is marinated before frying and the sauce is home made from several ingredients such as garlic, onion, fresh red chilies and the signature green chilies (xiao mi jiao 小米椒 ).

Deep fried Spicy Chicken with Dried Chili (RM 30)

Many people are afraid of ordering this dish because of the enormous amount of dried chilies added into it. Fear not, this dish isn't as intimidatingly spicy as it looks. In fact, the chicken cubes were well marinated with beer, special rice wine (Hua Diao wine), salt and then deep fried till perfection. 

Hunan Yuen & Yang Steamed Fish Head - Ling (RM 60)

This one is a real killer and be prepared to embark on the spiciest adventure ever when you take a bite of these noodles. Instead of a brain freeze, this was an immediate burning sensation inside your mouth and around your lips. It was like they were on fire! A signature must try Hunan dish for the daredevils.

The sauce on the fish is made up of green chilies which is imported from Hunan and red chilies which is self preserved or home made.

Stir Fried Beijing Cabbage (RM 20)

Although this looks like a simple dish, it requires quite a lot of manual work as the cabbage is hand plucked one by one. This should be eaten immediately when its served to prevent it from getting soggy.

DESSERTS

Potato Pancake (RM 10 for 4 pcs)

I am your ultimate potato lover, so this was my favourite dessert as it is crispy on the outside but soft, literally melting in your mouth on the inside. Made from a mix of glutinous rice flour and potato, you can enjoy it with a sweet dip of condensed milk too.

Golden Sweet Potatoes with Honey (RM 22)

You can pull it on and on! Sweet potatoes coated with tapioca flour and custard powder mix which is then fried till golden brown. The pulling caramel you see in the picture is made from a little oil and sugar. Although this is the way they serve it, you have to dip it into water first before eating as it is too hot. Lovely sweet ending to our dinner!

De Hunan is a definite must try for adventurous food seekers! Here's the details you need to get yourself there:

DeHunan Hotpot

Lot 2.05, Level 2 Fahrenheit88, 
No 179, Jalan Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur

Phone: 03-2141 3469

Website: http://dehunan.com/