The food is just the beginning. FU Pot in the TS Law Tower in KL turns a meal into an event, with private rooms, personal bars, and even karaoke. Communities gather, stories are shared, and the crab hotpot is award-winning.
Words: Rachelle Gan Photos: Han Sen Hau
Above the sleek marble countertop of the circular bar, wine glasses glint from the glow of arched, low-lit lamps and sunlight coming through floor-to-ceiling windows with a skyline view of Kuala Lumpur that’ll make you believe today might just be something special. As the elevator doors slide close behind me, I think to myself, “This is a hotpot place?”
FU Pot is a home-grown brand established by a group of friends who were seeking a more refined hotpot experience to indulge in with their loved ones. Somewhere they could hang out and enjoy good food without sacrificing the distinction of exclusivity. Now, three years into its run, FU Pot is one of only four Malaysian restaurants to receive a prestigious Black Pearl Dish Award from the Black Pearl Guide, China’s equivalent to the Michelin guide. And, the friends still gather at the restaurant weekly to catch up.
FU Pot Menu
“FU” or “釜” means cauldron in Chinese. A name inspired by old stories of communities banding together to share and cook ingredients in a cauldron. Their collective acts of giving resulting in a flavourful broth they could all enjoy. At its core, this communal aspect remains central to the hotpot dining experience. It’s what makes it such a great choice for get-togethers or business meetings, because what better way to bond than to partake in the sharing and cooking of food?
FU Pot’s menu certainly offers plenty to share. With 10 signature soups and an assortment of high-quality meats, vegetables, live seafood, and house-made meat and seafood pastes to savour, there’s no shortage of flavour customisation. Adding to the variety is a good selection of classic stir-fried dishes for a smoky touch of ‘wok hei’ to complement the nourishing profiles of the soups.
The Soup Bases
Past the bar and dining room with swanky diner booths, a series of private dining rooms with individual karaoke systems awaits. We settle into the largest of them all. It’s cosy, like I’m in someone’s fancy living room. There is a couch, a coffee table, a personal bar, a TV screen that can be utilised for karaoke sessions or to broadcast presentation decks, and two long dining tables overlooking an enviable view of the city’s horizon.
It is at one of these dining tables that we are wowed by our first spoonfuls of the Pork Tripe Stuffed with Chicken Soup (RM168). A hearty combination of savoury and herbal spice with just the right hint of heat from the peppercorns lingering in the best way. Bonus points for entertainment value when the Russian doll construction of the pork tripe containing the free-range chicken containing the Chinese herbs is deconstructed for serving.
A must for first-time diners is the award-winning Crab King Pot (RM301.80). Every bit as grandiose as its name suggests. The broth is unbelievably rich. A no-holds-barred flavour bomb that delivers its profiles in delightful layers of buttery umami from the formidable assortment of shellfish and a warm, sharp sweetness reminiscent of the rice wine-infused sauce of lobster noodles.
The Hotpot Ingredients
Enriching both broths as the meal progresses is a series of meat platters. Slices from the FU Wagyu Beef Platter (RM388), which includes Miyazaki A5 Wagyu Beef (Gooseneck and Chuck Rib) and Australian M8/9 Wagyu Beef, as well as slices from the platter of Spanish Iberico Pork (RM32), paired well with the soups. Vibrant in colour and tender and silky in texture, they are enhanced by an aromatic dipping sauce of chilli, garlic, spring onion, vinegar, and soy sauce, amongst other ingredients that FU Pot has calibrated to a perfect secret ratio for an extra kick of seasoning.
We indulge in the offerings from the Meatball Platter (RM60) next. A selection of handmade meat and seafood balls in varying combinations, such as Handmade Mentaiko Squid Balls, Handmade Pork & Plums Balls, and Handmade Black Truffle Shrimp Paste Balls. Each of the ones I try has the desired soft yet springy al-dente ‘QQ’ texture emblematic of a good Asian meat or seafood ball, providing a good bite with every chew.
The Green Bamboo Shoots (RM18) and Hong Kong Spinach (RM15) added to the soups at this point provide a delicately sweet welcome lightness to counter the lushness of the other components. We throw in a few Crispy Beancurd Rolls (RM15 half plate/RM30 full plate) as well, finding them a great accompaniment as they soak up the flavours of the soup due to their porous texture.
From The Wok
Also on the table: a plate of Tycoon Fried Rice (RM48). Named as such because there is so much seafood folded into the rice, you’ll get some in every mouthful. Personally, I’ve never met someone who doesn’t like an egg fried rice. And this truth, seemingly universally acknowledged, is validated here once again, aided by a good subtle char across the grains and a generous portion of prawns, abalone, and mini scallops.
The Braised Yee Mee with Black Truffle (RM58) is no wallflower either. Vying for an equal amount of attention with rich notes of truffle, it combines well with the earthiness of mushrooms and a slight punch of pepperiness. Rounding things out with a nice crunch in texture without overpowering the rest of the robust spread is the Crispy Fried Pork (RM32).
Dessert
The Mango Pomelo Sago (RM28) is a refreshing end to the meal. There’s a creamy natural sweetness to the pudding base that’s offset by pops of pomelo and the faint bounce of the mini sago pearls.
FU Pot Review
As we wrap up our meal, sunlight filters through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and it feels like today was something special. Good dining experiences have a way of shifting the mundane into something more. This is a hotpot place. A really good one.
Reasons to visit FU Pot: The varied menu has something for everyone. The Crab King Pot and Pork Tripe Stuffed with Chicken Soup were particularly great, decadent, and comforting, respectively. The former is well deserving of its Black Pearl Dish Award. The FU Wagyu Beef Platter and Spanish Iberico Pork Sliced were wonderful complements to the soups. A premium ambience with a skyline view evocative of a higher-end Hong Kong dining experience. Private dining rooms with individual karaoke systems are excellent choices for personal and professional functions.
FU Pot
Level 13, TS Law Tower, No 39 Jalan Kemuning, Imbi
55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Link to FU Pot on Google Maps
+6011 5353 6333 hello@fupot.com.my
@Fu_pot_malaysia
*Vegetarian options available
**Recommended parking across the road at TSLAW Open Car Parking
FU Pot Opening Hours
Daily: 12 pm – 1:30 am
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