Chuan Fu – Mankhool

Chuan Fu is a value for money, all you can eat and drink Chinese hot pot buffet. Located on the mezzanine floor of the Rainbow Hotel on Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road (next door the Four Points by Sheraton) in Mankhool, the restaurant’s red brick walls and décor give it a far more trendy and presentable appearance that the hotel itself (which looks like a real dive). Chuan Fu has an extensive buffet which covers condiments for hotpot, barbeque as well as readymade food.

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I chose the AED54 hotpot/BBQ combo. I think most people do. It’s amazing value. Imagine, all you can eat hot pot, barbeque and readymade for Dirhams 54. And whilst the condiments are not quite 5-star quality, they aren’t bargain basement either and include quite a lot of seafood. The hotpot broth (I only ordered spicy) was flavoursome and authentic. The readymade section covers five or six items including a beef stir fry, crab, noodles and fried rice. I liked the noodles but not the beef. All in all the food was okay.

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A young Filipino lad was the only representative of the restaurant the lunchtime I visited. He showed me (and the others who came after me) to my table which had separate hotpot and BBQ burners, and then walked me around the buffet pointing out what was where – nice guy. There are signed everywhere asking diners to only take what they can eat – it is obvious people get carried away and end up wasting.

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This restaurant is very popular with the Filipino community. In fact, I was the only non-Filipino there. Although there are many hotpot restaurants which offer similar deals, there are very few which include BBQ and readymade as well, and that’s where Chuan Fu stands out. Worth a visit if VFM, all you can eat is your thing.

Hey! Now read this –
Xerxes physically dines at, or orders from, each and every venue he reviews. He pays in full for whatever he and his companions eat, drink, take away or occasionally throw at each other. Xerxes accepts no money, gifts, discounts or free meals in return for reviews or favouritism. What you have read was NOT influenced in any way by the venue. Join me on Instagram @ravenousxerxes or email me on xerxes@dellara.com.