Top notch broths and high quality ingredients at Thailand’s first luxury hotpot restaurant.
Located on the second floor of Bangkok’s Pathumwan Princess Hotel, Ping’s Hotpot is Thailand’s very first hotpot restaurant. Head Chef Saetia Hung Ping, or ‘Ah Ping’ as he is regularly known, has spent countless years working to perfect the broths and dishes at this establishment. Once the pots start to boil, you can tell his hard work has paid off.
The interior of the restaurant, which is connected to its sister restaurant, Ping’s Thai Teochew Seafood Restaurant, is complete with plenty of seating, four private rooms and Ping’s signature open working kitchens. The decor is a nice balance of a modern and traditional oriental decor with vibrant pops of red, yellow and black colors throughout.
The staff at Ping’s were very attentive, knowledgable and happy to serve. They were always subtly standing by to help top up the broths, discretely scoop away the top foam when necessary, or bring you another fresh young coconut to cool your palate.
As seen from Ping’s ‘wall of fame’, I am not the only one who enjoyed the ambiance, food and service offered at Ping’s Hotpot.
Now on to the good stuff. One thing I love most about hotpot is the ability to try so many different things in one meal – and trust me, we tried it all.
Ping’s hotpot is best known for its four outstanding broths – the same recipe they have been using for over 50 years. Each broth has a very bold and distinct taste. The liquid is boiled from kampong chicken to bring out each and every last taste and flavor note for your enjoyment.
The broth options are as follows: Superior Ping‘s Original Soup, Teochew Herbal Goodness Soup, Magnificent Mongolian Soup and Spicy Tom Yam with Coconut Soup (50 THB each).
The Spicy Tom Yam and Magnificent Mongolian soups carry the most heat and spice, while Ping‘s Original and the Teochew Herbal Soup are more mild, but still flavorful.
If I could only pick two, I was most keen on the overall taste and flavor of the Original and Tom Yam broths at Ping’s. The Mongolian soup had a very distinct flavor that may have been magical to some, but didn’t quite resonate with me personally.
We sampled a nice mix of fresh seafood, meat, pork and vegetables. The Mix Seafood Set (990 THB) was a nice addition inside the more spicy soups.
If you are still looking for more of a kick, Ping’s offers a complimentary section of chili sauces to help customize your hotpot experience. The green chili sauce is an excellent choice to pair with any and all of the seafood bites.
We also made sure and try some of the Homemade Shimp Balls (120 THB) and Homemade Pork Balls (80 THB). Both the fish and pork had nice flavor, a good juicy bite to it and were generous in size.
The Wagyu Ribeye set (492 THB) was my personal favorite dish of the meal. The meat – imported from the U.S.A. – was meticulously sliced very thin for quick cooking. The meat had a beautiful amount of fat and marbling, ready to soak up the juices of the boiling broth.
Don’t forget the pork for equal opportunity meat enjoyment. The Kurobuta Set (370 THB) had nice flavor, texture and minimal amounts of fat, but I left partial to the beef set.
Shrimp Wontons (80 THB) are great for sharing. The flour-based skin provides a welcome break from all the meat and vegetables.
The custom, made at your table, Thai chili sauce gives you a punch of Thailand in an otherwise Chinese driven meal.
Nearing the end of our meal, we shared a generous helping of Lobster with Vermicelli (800 THB). This dish can also be created with crab or prawns if you would prefer. The lobster meat was tender and fresh and the noodles were cooked with just the right amount of spice. I highly recommend ordering this dish for the table.
If you can possibly still be hungry after hotpot at Ping’s and you don’t want your meal to end, you can always turn your broth into porridge. We ordered the Porridge set with a side of rice, egg and green onions for our gooey, creamy creation.
And finally, a cold Coconut Jelly (120 THB) dessert was a welcome finish to an otherwise very hot and steamy meal.
One can tell Ping’s Hotpot was the first hotpot in Thailand because it is clear they know what they are doing. They are confident and proud of what they serve and enjoy seeing their guests smiling over a piping hot pot of broth.
Hotpot is a great meal to share with a group of friends or colleagues. At Ping’s you can be sure you are getting not only a great meal, but an enjoyable, smooth experience in an otherwise hectic city.
Expected damage: 700-1000 THB ($27-$40 SGD)
