Have a Rice Day

It’s cold and chilly outside now (well, mostly), and what better way to stay warm than by keeping yourself well fed? This winter, we seek out the ultimate Asian comfort food in its many tummy-warming forms.

Traditional Clay Pot

Wing Hap Sing has been catering to the Sheung Wan neighborhood for over 20 years with its famed clay pot rice. The eatery boasts about 10 varieties (ranging from $40-$48), including ones topped with the traditional mishmash of preserved meats and some newfangled efforts such as the Chinese-style eel rice. Wing Hap Sing’s owner Mr. Hui, emphasizes that the rice is the soul of the dish, and insists on rinsing the rice grains first in hot water in order to pre-cook each granule surface and prevent the rice from sticking together during boiling. The clay pots are then baked in the oven so that every rice grain is evenly cooked and the individual pots are then brought piping hot to the customer’s table. The end product of this cooking method is absolutely beautiful—order the clay pot rice topped with their hand-chopped beef shoulder and a freshly cracked egg and you’ll see what we mean. Wing Hap Sing, G/F, 113-115 Jervois St., Sheung Wan, 2850-5723.

Oishii Kamameshi

Humble rice gets all glammed up at the modern Japanese joint, Sushi Kuu. Chef Satoru’s luxurious seasonal kamameshi translates into a beautiful pot of rice, cooked in an iron pot with fresh abalone and crabmeat in a flavorful seafood broth. And as if that wasn’t ooh-worthy enough already, chef Satoru adds uni and briny pearls of ikura to the rice to create an unctuous pot of seafoody goodness. The sea urchin and fish roe are lightly cooked by the hot rice and broth but remain slightly raw in the center, making for a wonderful mixture of flavors in one single dish. And yes, it really does taste as good as it sounds. Sushi Kuu, 1/F Wellington Place, 2-8 Wellington St., Central, 2971-0180.

Kickass K-rice

Bibimbap shines at the semi-fastfood restaurant Myung Dong Express in Tsim Sha Tsui’s K-town. This popular Korean dish consists of fluffy white rice served in a big sizzling black stone pot, topped with an assortment of meats and greens before being mixed altogether into one big messy-but-tasty mass. There are a number of bibimbaps on the big picture menu, and you can choose to have your rice topped with seafood, chicken or beef. Add the pièce de résistance—a raw egg to slowly cook in the mixing rice and enjoy. Myung Dong Express, 8 Observatory Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2730-1962.