Famed Global Hot Pot Chain The Dolar Shop Has Opened its First Australian Store

If you've heard all the fuss about The Dolar Shop, you'll be happy to know the Chinese/Macanese hot pot empire has finally made it to our shores. With 53 global restaurants under its belt, the group has just opened its Aussie flagship venue within Market City's new 1909 Dining Precinct.

Joining fellow newcomers Chongqing noodle hot-spot Mr Meng and DIY Korean barbecue joint Kogi, the 200-seat eatery is serving up an authentic taste of Macanese fare. For the uninitiated, that's a bold blend of Portuguese and Cantonese cuisines.

It's a venue primed for big share feasts, with the menu filled with options for customising your ideal hot pot banquet. Once you've selected the various elements, a pot of stock arrives at your table, to then simmer on the hot plate while you cook your chosen ingredients.

Base broth varieties run from a light chicken consommé, to the gutsy Szchuan 'hot & spicy' number, both to be teamed with various cuts of premium meats, fresh seafood and vegetables. You'll find top-quality wagyu, fresh noodles, signature dumplings and just about every type of mushroom you've ever heard of. And the seafood offering is huge, with options like Tasmanian red lobster, blue swimmer crab, live prawns and local greenlip abalone making for some pretty pimped-out seafood hot pots.

Before you start cooking, hit the dedicated sauce bar to get creative with the condiments, or let the menu guide you towards one of the suggested sauce pairings.

The space itself is elegant, decked out with a healthy dose of marble and metallics, and there's even a trio of sleek private dining rooms for those who want to take their hot pot experience to the next level.

Find The Dolar Shop at Level 3 Market City Shopping Centre, 9-13 Hay Street, Haymarket.

Image Credit: Anna Kucera