I’ve always found it difficult to choose between sukiyaki and shabu-shabu – both are Japanese-style hotpots comprising thinly sliced meats and vegetables, with dipping sauces. The difference between the two is flavour. Shabu-shabu is savoury while sukiyaki leans towards the sweeter side. At Mo-Mo Paradise in Lot 10, you get to enjoy both shabu-shabu and sukiyaki for RM76 per person (all you can eat).
For those who want just one type of broth, it’s RM68 per person for an assortment of beef, pork and vegetables.
I took my time in checking out Mo-Mo Paradise, reason being they were constantly packed and getting a table reservation on a weekend was as good as finding a needle in a haystack. But Jien persevered and booked ahead – and was given the 6.45pm slot on a Sunday.
Kampung egg is used for the sukiyaki dipping sauce
Mo-Mo Paradise offers a buffet spread of Australian beef (shoulder blade, chuck roll and brisket) and Sakura pork (belly and shoulder loin) with an assortment of vegetables, rice and udon. Tea, water and ice cream are also included in the buffet package; soft drinks and coffee costs an additional RM4.50 per head.
Jien’s colleague insist that it’s the best hotpot buffet he’s eaten in town – one of the reasons why we braved the KL traffic for this. We decided to go with the sukiyaki and karamiso, the latter came recommended by the staff who attended to us.
Karamiso (left) and sukiyaki (right)
Vegetables and beancurd puff
The meat cuts at Mo-Mo Paradise is much better than the many hotpot buffet options around, though it’s also almost double the price per head. I do like the quality as you don’t need much dipping sauce to accentuate the flavours of the meat. That said, the limited option of dipping sauce means you also hit your maximum capacity faster as there’s not much to help cut through the richness of the meat.
Not that it bothered me – as you get to eat as much decent quality meats as possible for less than RM100. The broths are refilled in small carafes and the sukiyaki is very concentrated, so water needs to be added to dilute the broth every now and then.
Karamiso dipping sauce
I prefer the pork when dipped in karamiso as the spicy soup base offsets the fatty richness of the pork slices overall. Opt for the shoulder loin if you prefer leaner pork as the belly has quite a bit of fat to work through.
For the beef cuts, my favourite is the shoulder blade as it has the most flavour from the fat. The chuck roll and brisket slices are beefier and carry more bite so it’s a matter of preference – beefy or fatty. If you’re having sukiyaki, the meats are best dipped in egg dipping (kampung egg is used). For karamiso, you get a small container of thick spicy miso paste to go with the meats.
Towards the end, the broth tends to be thicker and concentrated from the amount of meats and vegetables dipped inside. Udon is best eaten around this time as the broth is most flavourful. That said, drinking the broth isn’t advisable as it is also at its most salty.
Udon is available upon request
Service is fairly decent as most of the staff are attentive. I only encountered two lackadaisical staff during my 100 minutes at Mo-Mo Paradise so I guess it boils down to who attends to you. There’s also an all-you-can-eat Wagyu beef option for RM128 per person if that’s up your alley.
As there wasn’t much option for dipping sauces, I couldn’t go through that many rounds of meat. At least, not at my usual pace. I reckon it’s a good thing as you get better quality meats overall. If you’re looking for a variety of dipping sauces (like most hotpot buffets offer), you won’t find it at Mo-Mo Paradise.
Four ice cream flavours available — green tea, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry
But if you’re looking for better quality shabu-shabu and sukiyaki within the all-you-can-eat category, then this is your best bet. Dinner came up to about RM180 for two of us, inclusive of tax and service charge. , I reckon. ;)
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Ambiance: 6.5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 6.5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Better quality meats overall, but variety is limited.
Mo-Mo Paradise
Lot P1, Unit P1-10, P1-11 Level 4,
Lot 10 Shopping Centre,
50, Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50250 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2110 3588
Business hours: 11am til 11pm
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