I wrote this entry on a cool, rainy day, dreaming about having Claypot Bak Kut Teh with the hot, steaming soup providing much comfort and warmth.
Claypot dishes work well because the food inside the pot loses little to no moisture because it is surrounded by steam, creating a tender, flavorful dish. Also, less oil needs to be added with this cooking method.
Of course, claypot dishes really more time and patience to cook. Due to the fast-moving society where time is money, many stalls choose to cook the food separately first, THEN transport to a claypot. And still label it “Claypot”. Oh well.
10 Best Claypot Dishes In Singapore – So Hot, So Comforting
Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa (Bukit Merah Lane)
Blk 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1 #01-75, Alexandra Village, Singapore 150119 (nearest MRT Queenstown, but need to take a bus from there), Tel: +65 9088 9203
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 3:30 pm (Closed Mondays)
Claypot Laksa
This stall originated form the Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa near CMPB, and word has it that the old couple sold their recipe to its present owners. While the present version is said to be less sizzling hot, loyal customers would still say it is more or less than same.
Alexandra Village’s Claypot Laksa is really the best laksa I ever had – the gravy is spicy, lemak and so so tasty. Warning though: a bowl of lemak laksa is 696 calories according to HPB, so go easy on the gravy. (Read: Claypot Laksa Alexandra Village)
Kim Keat Hokkien Mee
Toa Payoh Lor 4, Blk 92 #01-264, Singapore 31009 (10-15 min walk from Bradell MRT)
Tel: +65 9456 0413
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm (Mon), 11:30am – 9:30pm (Wed-Sun), Closed Tues
Claypot Hokkien Mee with Sio Bak
This Hokkien Mee stall got into the radar last year partly because Dr Leslie Tay of ieatishootipost wrote about how the owner who was an ex-prisoner “turned over a new opeh leaf” after being baptized; and film producer Daniel Yun published an article how the hawker (whose family used to own Heng Heng Hokkien Mee) found redemption.
Fans of ’zup zup’ variants of Hokkien Mee will take pleasure in Kim Keat’s version, as you scoop the somewhat salty sauce (some say overly salty) at the bottom to pour over the noodles.
Cooking good Hokkien Noodles requires great skills and time. We thought that the noodles and sauce could have been better ‘fused’ together as one. (Read: Kim Keat Hokkien Mee Toa Payoh)
Hong Ji Claypot Bak Kut Teh
Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, St 11, Blk 107 #01-38 Singapore 560107
Opening Hours: 8:00am – 9:45pm
Claypot Bak Kut Teh
Their rendition reminds me of what I had in Kuala Lumpur. It turns out that the owner had bought the recipe from a Malaysian hawker for $10,000, and improved the formula to its current adaptation.
Hong Ji’s selling point is the aromatic hot piping broth which takes 6 hours to cook, made with herbs such as dang shen, dang gui and dried tangerine peel. Before it is served, you can already smell the fragrance a few metres away. The soup is light and not overly salty or overpowering, and I could easily finish two bowls of this. (Read: Hong Ji Bak Kut Teh AMK)
Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh
Good Good Eating House, 24 Sixth Avenue Singapore 276481
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm Daily
Other Outlets
302 Bedok Road “Simpang Bedok” Singapore 469460
11 Woodlands Close #01-46 Singapore 737853
Claypot Dry Bak Kut Teh
Other than the soupy Bak Kut Teh, a unique style offered here is the Dry version ($6.90) – pork ribs and lady fingers in dark gooey sauce, best to go with a bowl of fragrant rich.
Those crispy thin strips you see at the top? Dried cuttlefish.
Being a social enterprise, 80% of workers employed at Soon Huat are ex-offenders and the homeless, as owner Jabez wanted to help them build skills and reintegrate back into the community. (Read: Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh 6th Avenue)
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao
Holland Avenue 241 Singapore 278976 (Holland Village MRT)
Tel: +65 6463 0968
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Daily
Claypot Lion Head
This is called Braised Minced Pork Ball with Mushroom & Bamboo Shoot on the menu, inspired by the famous signature delicacy of Huaiyang China – Lion’s Head, better known as ‘shi zi tou’.
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Lao Bao’s meatballs come in smaller sizes, and thus easier to consume and not as richly-filling. The hand-beaten pork balls are skilfully cooked with a moist inner texture, braised with cabbage till steaming hot in a claypot. (Read: Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao)
Malaysia Boleh! Food Court
Jurong Point II, Level 3, 1 Jurong West Central 2, #03-28 Singapore 648886 (Boon Lay MRT)
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Claypot Rice
Malaysia Boleh! Is the one-stop space where you can get the best of authentic food offerings from Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh.
My must-order dish here is from Petaling Street Famous Claypot Chicken Rice, with generous servings of Chinese sausage and succulent well-marinated chicken pieces. (Though I know there are many, many good claypot rich stalls around too!)
Mellben Seafood
232 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, Singapore 560233 Tel: +65 6285 6762
Opening Hours: 4:30pm – 11:30pm (Reservations needed, except weekends when you have to queue)
Claypot Crab Bee Hoon
Service is almost atrocious but people still come in droves to queue during the weekends. After about an hour wait, we finally got a table. Quickly order the crabs because they may run out (yah, that sounds ridiculous for a crab place).
For their Crab Bee Hoon served in claypot, I am prepared to overlook all the trouble. The soup is richly flavoursome with a multi-layered creamy taste, and that is also when you can savour the sweetness of the crab meat. If you want more, just request to ‘jia tang’ – add beehoon with soup for a price without the crabs.
Good Chance Popiah
No. 1 Jalan Berseh #01-15 New World Centre Singapore 209037
Tel: +65 96229445
Opening Hours: 11.00am – 2:30pm, 6pm – 9.30pm
Blk 149 Silat Ave #01-58 Singapore 160149
Tel: +65 62710698
Opening hours: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 9.30pm. Closed Mon
Claypot ‘Popiah’
Being a first-timer, I asked auntie about the ‘bang kuang’ (yam bean) which came in a claypot, she quickly commented, “Not just bang kuang, okay?” Then I learnt there were more than 7 ingredients in the fillings which included cabbage, carrot, long beans, bamboo shoots, garlic and shrimps.
Wrapping your own may be more expensive than your usual hawker stall prices (or Qiji) outside – 4 rolls are at $16.80, 6 rolls at $22.80, 12 at $42.80, and 18 for $59.80.
Chinese sausage, prawns and crab meat at additional cost – $5.80, $7.80 and $7.80. If you throw in all ingredients, and using the 4-roll combination as a reference, it would have cost $38.20 to wrap your own popiah, almost $10 for one! (Read: Good Chance Popiah Jalan Besar)
Lau Wang Claypot Delights 老王砂煲小厨
Blk 263 Serangoon Central Drive, #01-43, Singapore 550263 (10 minute walk from Serangoon MRT), Tel: +65 9001 0814
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Claypot Kang Kong
Lau Wang Claypot Delights 老王砂煲小厨 has been serving claypot dishes since 1985, though it was just months back when the young boss took up the entire corner shop at this block.
Many of these dishes were homely and unassuming. It was like what some grandmothers would have cooked for family dinners such as Claypot Sesame Chicken, Frog Leg Herbal Soup, Ginger and Spring Onion Pig Organs, Gong Bao Frog Legs, and Spicy Pig Trotters. (Read: Lau Wang Claypot Delights Serangoon)
“Yes” to the Sambal Kang Kong ($4.00) as well.
Joyden Canton Kitchen
HillV2 Shopping Centre, 4 Hillview Rise #02-21 Singapore 667979
Tel: +65 64659988
Opening Hours: 1130am – 930pm (Daily), 1130am – 430pm (Dim Sum)
Claypot Glass Noodles
This is one Chinese restaurant that enjoys long queues every weekend, packed with families who go for their comforting appetizing Cantonese cuisine.
Other than the Signature Soy Sauce Chicken ($12/$18/$32), my other favourite dish is the Fish Maw and Prawns with Glass Noodles in Homemade XO Sauce ($18.80), flavoursome, packed with fresh ingredients and complete with wok hei. Please enjoy this piping hot.
Quick question: Claypot frog’s porridge. Where’s the best now?
Other Related Entries
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao
Kim Keat Hokkien Mee (Toa Payoh)
Hong Ji Bak Kut Teh (Ang Mo Kio)
Lau Wang Claypot Delights (Serangoon)
Good Chance Popiah (Jalan Besar)
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