Hot stuff

For true Hongkongers, the weather is never too hot for hotpot. Lucky Group has just opened a second branch of Megan's Kitchen, in Jordan. The original, in Wan Chai, is known for its creative soup bases for hot pot - such as the tom yum koong cappuccino.

The storefront (above right) resembles a fast-food outlet but a glass case to the left of the entrance displays wines from Australia, the US and France (including the Chateau Lynch Bages 1999 for HK$1,388). Also displayed are well-known Chinese rice wines (such as hua diao from Yue Zhou [Shaoxing], bottle-aged for five years, HK$88) and spirits. The dining space can seat up to 60 people.

Unlike the Wan Chai outlet, the branch in Jordan is open only in the evenings, from 6pm to 3am, making it a good spot for siuw yeh (late-night snacking).

To celebrate the opening, the restaurant has created a soup (above left) called 'Buddha jumps over the wall'. The soup, which doubles as a hotpot base, is made with more than 25 ingredients, including abalone, chicken, fish maw, Chinese ham and dried scallops, simmered together for more than five hours. Until the end of August, an order for four or more costs HK$388 (HK$488 after the promotional period). House soup bases are more moderately priced at HK$38 to HK$68 for flavours such as Japanese miso and Malay satay.

For dipping into the simmering broths, the folks at Megan's Kitchen recommend handmade chicken and prawn balls with ginseng (HK$48 for an order of 10). Other choices include 18 different cuts of beef, such as Australian Wagyu cheek (HK$138) and local tongue (HK$88), and seafood selections such as green carp belly (HK$38), Japanese sea clams (HK$68) and sliced eel (HK$38). Vegetables are HK$18 to HK$38 and include green bamboo, white cabbage, deep-fried taro, choi sum and sweet potato greens.

Megan's Kitchen is at Cyber Plaza, G/F, 237 Temple Street, Jordan, tel: 3188 5223. The original branch is at 5/F, Lucky Centre, 165 Wan Chai Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2529 0160.