MaLa Hot Pot – Affordable Ma La Xiang Guo In The Heart Of Ang Mo Kio

We aren’t ashamed to admit that we have been addicted to the recent fiery food trend that is Ma La Xiang Guo, having visited numerous Ma la food stalls in Singapore when we crave for something spicy. Since it’s popularity grew in the last year or so, you can now find countless restaurants, eateries and coffee shops offering this Chinese delight.

Despite our love for this spicy dish, it is undeniable that Ma La Xiang Guo do not come cheap, as the ingredients are sold by weight. So items such as broccoli, sold for a Low cost at supermarkets, are offered at a much higher price at a ma la stall. So you can imagine our delight when we stumbled across this hidden gem at Ang Mo Kio that offers delicious ma la—at an affordable price.

For all those who simply cannot get enough of this Chinese delicacy, it is worth visiting this humble Ma la stall.

Since this place is getting relatively well known among residents of Ang Mo Kio, you can expect a snaking queue to form during peak hours but do not let that deter you because the service is quick and you will get your order done in no time.

For what the stall lacks in presentation, they made it up with the large variety of ingredients diners can get. Choose your preferred ingredients—ranging from vegetables to meat and yong tau fu—and put them all in a metal plate.

Be careful of the spice level you are getting. On our first visit, we opted for the medium spice level which we felt served little to create that spicy kick.

When we decided to have the ‘da la’ (high spice level) on the following visit, we truly didn’t know what we were in for. Our tongues were numbed with black peppercorn and laced with flakes of chilli that made it almost unbearable to continue eating. Unless you are the champion of a spicy food challenge, we advise you to go easy on the spice level.

For S$30, you definitely get more bang for your buck with this huge bowl of Ma La Xiang Guo. We shared this among six of us and felt that the portion was adequate. Considering how you would have spent two times more at other Ma la stalls, this is going into our list of most value-for-money eats in Singapore.

As for the taste, you can expect this to be similar to decent Ma la dishes you can find in Singapore. Have the spicy ingredients together with hot steamed rice and you are ready to go!