It is time to write about this Happy Lamb that we had in December.
Been putting it off for far too long.
I have hesitated, not because I didn't like the meal or didn't want to write about it, but because I have missed it.
If you've never been to this place before, let me now tell you.
Happy Lamb has one of the best hotpots here on the island that I have had thus far.
I say this with no hesitation.
There's something about their offerings that leave such deep impression on you that you will still think about the meal long after your chopsticks are down and the bowls are washed.
What exactly that factor is, I don't know.
I guess I have always been struck by the way they present their food. They're not flippant when it comes to presentation, garnishing, and delivery, I tell you. Never has it been a time where their meats come out sloppy, untidy. flat and poorly arranged. No, it has always always neat, always beautifully rolled and always frozen chilled.
They way they bring out their meats- even for the buffet- is something I appreciate.
Very much.
Beyond the freshness of the meats, however, the thing about Happy Lamb is also the presence of their vegetables, their hotpot ingredients, and even their cooked food.
Actually their cooked food is something to be talked about.
To some people it might seem normal, regular, just plain finger food, nothing much of a big deal, but for some reason- maybe it's calibrated- it adds very good contrast to the boiled meat and vegetables of your meal.
There's never been a time where I don't appreciate the presence of them noodles, fried rice, spring rolls, fries, sweet potato fries, mantous, and onion rings.
No doubt, I don't take a lot- one cannot compromise stomach space with too much deep fried food- but I'm always up for onion rings, mantous, sweet potato fries and spring rolls.
People who don't fancy the fried can go for the braised.
There's always a pot of braised meat sitting at the side.
The most interesting part about the cooked food, however, has to be the condensed milk.
They're supposed to be meant for the mantous, but I like them with everything, especially since a light dip can turn any of them fried foods into a little dessert.
And who said onion rings and spring rolls can't go with thick condensed milk?
I might have been hungrier than I thought this afternoon.
Normally I'd just take a plate- a single serving- but today I helped myself to the onion rings- two separate plates, probably eight or nine altogether, but I didn't fill up with them, of course.
Not when at the counter there was an abundance of the vegetables I liked.
What's funny is that I don't actually remember the name.
I mean, I know it's a lettuce, but that's it.
I don't know anything else.
I don't know if it is an Iceberg or a Romaine or what the name it is.
All I know is that the leaves are a most gorgeous green, they soak up the soup perfectly well, and when fresh, look like a huge hydrangea blossom of bright cheerful green.
This afternoon I took what probably must have been four whole plates of lettuce, besides which, I also got a few pieces of cheese tofu, two lobster balls and a few strips of bean curd skins which I don't know what compelled me to take but I tonged them up anyway.
A bit savory, a bit sweet, it is the soup which gives them extra taste, making it for an even more appetizing meal.
These bean curd skins I take them not just with the meats, I take them with the vegetables too.
To my surprise, they actually do go really well with the meats.
Here at Happy Lamb we tend to favor two types.
The Beef, and the Lamb.
My friend prefers the lamb more than the beef.
According to him, theirs are remarkably fresh, no gamey taste, nothing, and there're very few places that offer lamb in their hotpot menu.
Me, well, I don't eat grilled lamb or stewed lamb very often- sometimes the meat gets too heavy for me- but these here, slices all cut thinly, all rolled up neatly, they're so good.
There's no worry that they'll be tough, meaty in smell, nope, nothing like that.
Instead, they have excellent marbling, the right amount of fat, and best of all, perfect when it comes to the chew.
So good are they that I don't need to have them with the sauce, even though I do take a bit of the sesame sauce mixed with sesame oil plus a load of parsley coriander dumped on top.
Not taking the sauce however doesn't mean that we eat our meats kosong without dipping them into anything.
We just make our own- a combination of Greek-style yogurt, miso, and garlic powder that we whip into the bowl
The thick yogurt makes for a great accompaniment to the meat, and best of all, the probiotics kick in quick even whilst I'm eating.
A meal here at Happy Lamb is pleasant- always very pleasant.
Not only is there a humongous variety of ingredients that I can so choose to have if I want to do it fun style, not only do I get introduced to the Mainland-style ingredients that I don't find when I'm at other local hotpots, I still get to try out new foods prepared in all manner of ethnic (sometimes provincial) styles.
Coming here is always an eye opener.
Next time I go I'll make sure to help myself to more of those chewy sweet potato strips that I can throw into the soup.
I've fallen in love with them.
And to close the meal, I'll try to make space for more than one cup of ice cream.
