Top Claypot Rice Restaurants in Hong Kong

It seems pretty simple: white rice with toppings, served in a clay pot. But claypot rice is so much more than that, a combination of wonderful, intense flavors which are the result of how it’s made. Traditionally cooked on a charcoal fire for a distinctive, smoky flavor, the process traps all the moisture inside, and so the rice soaks up all the flavors of the ingredients. Stove-cooking also leaves behind that distinctive layer of crispy burned rice at the bottom of the pot—the best part of any claypot meal.
 

Seasons Greetings

Four Seasons Claypot Rice is a Temple Street celebrity, complete with long lines. Expect a half-hour wait on busy days, or go in small numbers so there’s a chance of being ushered in to fill the odd spaces. Inside, find long rows of tables spread across a spacious, open-air room. On offer are four basic yummy essentials: claypot rice, soup, boiled veggies, and deep-fried oyster pancakes. BYOB from the nearby 7-Eleven and go wild: it’s not glamorous here, but the food is top-notch. The oyster pancakes ($30 for small, $60 for large) are justly famous: made with duck egg and filled with juicy baby oysters, they’re thicker and crispier than most others. Throw on chili sauce and dig in.

46-58 Arthur St., Yau Ma Tei.

Western Cooking

Kwun Kee’s famed claypot rice is cooked on a traditional charcoal grill and strikes the perfect balance between sweet and salty. They offer pretty much every claypot topping you can imagine, from the more standard options of preserved pork and duck and chinese sausage (starting from $60), to eel and frog. You’d think that with two Sai Ying Pun branches just around the corner from each other, there’d be room to spare, but nope: Kwun Kee is almost always busy. Book a table beforehand, unless you enjoy queuing.

Shop 1, Wo Yick Mansion, 263 Queen’s Rd. West,  Sai Ying Pun, 2803-7209 and 243-245 Des Voeux Rd. West, Sai Ying Pun, 2803-0215.
 

Oven-baked

Over 40 years old, Wing Hap Shing is one of the more popular cha chaan tengs in Sheung Wan, famous for its claypot rice options—especially the signature dish topped with a dense layer of hand-minced beef and a raw egg on top. The restaurant also offers claypot rice with radish and taro, a healthier twist on the conventionally meaty dish. Wing Hap Sing’s manager, Mr. Hui, explains that he bakes his claypot rice in an oven rather than over a stove, to cook the rice evenly. They close pretty early (Mon-Sat 6:30am-4pm; closed Sun) so go for lunch, not dinner.

G/F, 113-115 Jervois St., Sheung Wan, 2850-5723.
 

Posh Pots

If sitting on a wooden stool in the middle of the street is not your thing, Chuen Moon Kee serves up claypot rice with a touch of sophistication. You can even build your own, picking from fancy ingredients such as smoked duck breast or eel, or even try black truffle topped versions of your regular claypot toppings, such as chicken and mushrooms. Ordering a set (around $64-95) will also get you complimentary soup and veggies, and a portion of claypot that’s just big enough to share between two.

G/F, Man Fok Building, 419 Reclamation St., Mong Kok, 3760-8855.
 

Reptile Rice