[HONG KONG TRAVEL 2] EATS, PLAY 2016: FOUR SEASONS CLAYPOT RICE 四季煲仔飯 ( YAU MA TEI 油麻地) and CHECK IN TOKYO JAPANESE SOFT SERVE (MONGKOK 旺角 )
煲仔飯. Claypot Rice .
This renowned claypot rice in Hong Kong, is within walking distance from Yau Ma Tei MTR and sees long queue in the evening dinner time starting from 5pm. Huge crowds of diners gathered hurdled over their table and hungrily tucking into hot pots of steaming rice brewed from the fire stoves.
This is where you can experience the local’s “hospitality” in a typical eatery, which, is basically- none.
Okay, in such settings, do not expect friendly services. We stepped in and was ushered in, hurriedly into the corner with 2 seats sharing a table with another couple. As the shop was tremendously filled up, there were no spaces or extra chairs to even put your bags aside. So it’s either the greasy floor or hug it, your choice.
You then wave (Hard) to get someone’s attention and place your orders.
北菇滑鸡饭. Chinese Mushroom and Chicken with Rice.
There are plenty of varieties available from cured liver sausages, preserved duck legs, to chicken feet, beef or salted fish etc. The choices are endless. Then again, if you compare to Singapore’s version as we often had, you will be disappointed? Weird-ed out? Because in Singapore, all the ingredients are thrown into the claypot rice and you get a mix of everything from chicken, to salted fish and cured sausages. In Hong Kong, you can only have a single option in every pot. Limited choices? Yes.
I love my claypot rice but their version is slightly different from ours.
Perhaps I didn’t pour in enough sauce before stirring but there wasn’t much 锅巴guo ba, which was quite upsetting. Their store used a lighter version of soy sauce rather than the dark sauce that we are used to.
For our Chinese Mushroom and Chicken with Rice $45 HKD, that were no cured sausages and salted fish- common in Singapore's claypot rice. Fragrance was negligible as a result as these 2 condiments play a big role in the chemistry of claypot rice. Plenty of rice though.
It was not very impressive and was more like having steamed rice with chicken over a cooker. Chicken was tender but too few, personal opinion.
The type of rice used was a kind of long husk rice which has no stickiness as compared to the version we had in Singapore. Patrons also have to remove their own claypot lid and it's HOT. So be careful!
TIP: Wait first till it cools down before you open the lid to pour in the sauce. Let the sauce simmer into the rice and chicken for a while more before tucking in.
蠔餅. Oyster Egg Omelette.
蠔餅. Oyster Egg Omelette.
Another highlight form the shop. You can see practically every non-local-tables ordering. Recommended? A SMALL portion costs $40 ( I read that it was $25 previously, that was 3 years ago). Anyway, 'small' is an understatement as it was, on the contrary, really HUGE. In fact there is no way 1 person can finish it, you need at least 2 pax and above. Even for the 2 of us we didn't finish it in the end because we were full and for me, it was simply TOO OILY.
There is really nothing special as it's just egg soaked in oil with a few pieces of oysters. Sorry.
There is really nothing special as it's just egg soaked in oil with a few pieces of oysters. Sorry.
Waiting time was around 15 minutes.
And there are plenty of choices albeit all in mandarin with no pictures. The menu are all plastered up on the wall, so take your pick
Shop front
And a mini station by the side where the Oyster Omelette is made
Facing Four Season directly opposite is another Claypot rice stall- Hing Kee Restaurant, but visibly lesser crowd. Isn't it quite an irony to have a shop of the same kind just facing the more famous cousin?
Conclusion
If you have had Singapore's version of claypot rice, I meant those at the authentic claypot speciality stalls and not at the food courts, I would not recommend Four Seasons. In my opinion, Singapore's version tastes so much better and fulfilling. Even from the reviews I have read from Taiwanese visitors, many did not recommend this store and preferred their own local version.
Still, it was a gastronomy experience :)
If you have had Singapore's version of claypot rice, I meant those at the authentic claypot speciality stalls and not at the food courts, I would not recommend Four Seasons. In my opinion, Singapore's version tastes so much better and fulfilling. Even from the reviews I have read from Taiwanese visitors, many did not recommend this store and preferred their own local version.
Still, it was a gastronomy experience :)
***
5 mins walk from Yu Ma Tei MTR
Operation from 5pm onwards till late
Desserts? Check In Tokyo
Just a short walk round the corner from Arthur St and we were able to arrive to Check In Tokyo- a new-age hip soft serve store especially well loved by youngsters, judging from the queuing crowd. The store is just along the streets of The Ladies Street Market and there are plenty of shops around to visit come night time.
波子汽水味. Soda Flavour Kola Bear Soft Serve.
Rich and strong soda taste, and smooth and milky. The highlight is of course of it’s fun and cute appearance in the form of a kola!
The only qualms however would be that it melts really fast and was a tad too sweet.
Otherwise, good for sharing!
The only qualms however would be that it melts really fast and was a tad too sweet.
Otherwise, good for sharing!
Amazingly this is a very small store front with a huge popularity!
The crowd was snaking when we visited at night, so be prepared to wait for about 10-15mins.
The crowd was snaking when we visited at night, so be prepared to wait for about 10-15mins.
Within walking distance nearest Mongkok MTR:
43P-43S Dundas St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
1pm-11pm
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