Szechuan cuisine has long been known for its spiciness and diverse use of natural ingredients like chilli, pepper and tropical spices. But few actually know of `ma` or the feeling of numbness in the mouth caused by the addition of a local peppercorn known as `huajiao` in certain Szechuan dishes.

One such specialty is the Mala Huoguo (Mala Hot Pot) where people actually tuck into a piping hot steamboat seasoned with drowned peppercorns, blood red chilli and chilli-oil. With so much forum discussion on the opening of the newly re-located Road Side Stall Hot Pot at Planet Marina, we felt we just had to pop by to give it a try.

When the steamboat arrives, your eyes may water and your scalp prickle just from catching a whiff of the coppery spiciness in the air. Fret not though, because proprietor Andrew Wong has kindly installed first-class air-conditioning and come up with three different ‘heat’ levels to cater to local tastes - mild, intermediate and the spicy hot version.

We gamely tried the intermediate level, and found it not half as intimidating as it looked. Sure, the spiciness took some getting used to but the soup was excellent base for the wide selection of fresh meat and vegetables that we dunked in - beef, mutton, tripe, pork belly strips, pig liver, chicken gizzard, fish ravioli, straw mushrooms, black fungus etc.

To ensure freshness, Andrew insists on slicing the meat only prior to serving. The meat itself is deliberately sliced thin so all you have to do is to dunk it in the boiling stock for 5-8 seconds before eating. For a few dollars more, customers can also order special ala carte items like ox tongue, cockles, oysters, and flower crabs. (Regular steamboat lovers will know what a difference a couple of prawns and a crab or two left boiling in the stock make!)

We also had the pleasure to preview a new dish to be launched after the lunar new year - the shao xing (Chinese rice wine) chicken steamboat. Chicken is stir-fried in a wok at your table, seasoned with shao xing, ginseng, oyster sauces etc, before being left to simmer for 3 minutes with the chicken stock. Once the wok was uncovered, the fragrant soup was sprinkled with garnishing and we were free to begin the steamboat.

The yaokwees amongst us couldn’t resist and immediately started whacking the tasty soup before being advised to make the best of the thick stock by simmering the rest of the ingredients in it first. In this way, the soup soon bubbled with body and lasted well throughout the dinner and countless topping-up of stock.

During the on-going promotional period, dinner buffet costs just an economical $13+++ per pax and the lunch equivalent at $11+++. Good food in a comfortable environment – all at an affordable price. We recommend it for family/social gatherings.