Chairman Fu Hotpot Bar is Made for Hardcore Hotpot Lovers

If you thought Newport World Resorts couldn’t get any more luxurious, Chairman Fu Hotpot Bar promises the grandeur of Szechuanese hotpot at a range of prices everyone can enjoy. Gone are the big hotpots where you have to compromise and share the entire broth; this restaurant offers each diner a small golden pot to cook their hotpot in. 

Thankfully, we got to try the restaurant’s menu during an exclusive press launch. Kicking off the chairman’s offerings were the Fried Beef Skewers, which were tender at first bite and aptly spiced with cumin and garlic. Meanwhile, the Sichuan Fried Chicken had a crunch similar to Japanese karaage, but had spicy notes thanks to the blend of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. Other choices include the savory Stir-fried Tito, which uses cow stomach, a staple Chinese protein due to its chewy and meaty feature while the creamy Baked Slipper Lobster pleased the palate with their familiar flavors lemon and cheese. Even the cold appetizer Century Egg with Peppers did not disappoint as the pungent flavors of the century egg melded splendidly with the roasted bell peppers. Overall, these tasty appetizers are reminiscent of food one can find within busy alleyways in China and Taiwan, exactly what the restaurant aims to achieve. 

Given its personalized hotpot experience, each broth is served in a different manner. Of the four presented, the mellow Sweet Corn and Chicken Collagen Broth was served as aspic cubes melting in the pot, evident of the rich collagen present that formed the broth into  gelatin. While the Wild Mushroom Collagen and Satay bases were poured as broths, they still delivered in terms of satisfying those craving for saltier flavors. Perhaps the most complex of the four was the Mala Beef Cube Broth, delivering a spicy yet flavorful soup, perfect for dipping in meat.These soups are best served with your choice of meat—including Japanese Wagyu Rib-Eye A5 and US Angus Beef—vegetables, and various hotpot balls. 

However, those are not the only menu items Chairman Fu will offer when they officially open in March. “We want a lot of popular dishes, we want a lot of things,” one of the owner notes. “So actually, it’s still a work in progress ‘yung menu and eventually we’ll have off-menu items also.” Chinese-inspired cocktails, desserts, their signature broth, and other base flavors will be introduced soon; even a spicier version of the mala beef broth is currently in development, saying the one served at the event was “toned down” according to Chef Francis Lim. 

As of the moment, Lim shared that the prices are still under discussion. “We’re targeting maybe P1000 to P1500 per head,” the latter explained. What they are eyeing for is what Collings Del-Moro describes as “affordable luxury”, due to the presence of high quality and fresh ingredients at a considerably lower price compared to other hotpot restaurants.

Chairman Fu Hotpot Bar celebrates the bold and intense flavors Szechuanese cuisine has to offer. Of course, only its grand opening will dictate how far Chairman Fu can run. But with precise research, innovative ideas, and time on their side, they’re confident that the hotpot restaurant is a success. After all, Chef Francis attested that an immense love for food will always keep them going. “Diamonds are made under pressure,” he ended.