While trying to locate a Pontian wanton mee shop, I chanced upon Yi Sheng claypot chicken rice. The shop was doing a brisk business on a Sunday morning. I drove past the bustling shop twice, while circling the town for good food finds, and finally allowed myself to be waylaid when I passed Yi Sheng for the 3rd time.
I was curious about what could make people get up on a Sunday morning in sleepy Pontian and go eat claypot chicken rice in droves .
Like most shops in Johor, the food preparation is done out in front and in the open. So I was able to observe the entire cooking process – starting from these pre-soaked rice grains.
When an order is made, the soaked rice is scooped into a claypot and boiled over high heat.
Marinated chicken chunks are added to the partially cooked rice and returned to the hot stove.
When the rice and chicken are nearly done, ground salted fish and a special sauce is stirred into the claypot. It is returned to the stove one more time.
Once done and while the rice is still piping hot, lup cheong (Cantonese style pork sausage) and cut spring onions are added to the steaming claypot. It is then covered and heated one final time.
Here the sizzling claypot is finally presented to the customer.
The charred bits clinging to the base and wall of the claypot – marks of good claypot chicken rice.
The pot of piping hot fragrant rice were dyed an inviting brown colour by the soy sauce. The rice grains were sweet and subtly salty with the taste buds occassionally delighted by chance encounters with salted fish bits. The crunchy bits of crispy browned rice gave this claypot rice its characteristic tender and slightly gritty texture. The tasty thick chicken chunks were tender and sweet.
Putting all these together, this is a very likable claypot chicken rice. Add in the enthusiastic and sincere service - the lady boss commands the battery of claypots and proactively seeks and is attentive to customer feedback - and we begin to see why Yi Sheng is drawing in the crowds.
The pot of piping hot fragrant rice were dyed an inviting brown colour by the soy sauce. The rice grains were sweet and subtly salty with the taste buds occassionally delighted by chance encounters with salted fish bits. The crunchy bits of crispy browned rice gave this claypot rice its characteristic tender and slightly gritty texture. The tasty thick chicken chunks were tender and sweet.
Putting all these together, this is a very likable claypot chicken rice. Add in the enthusiastic and sincere service - the lady boss commands the battery of claypots and proactively seeks and is attentive to customer feedback - and we begin to see why Yi Sheng is drawing in the crowds.
Restaurant name: Yi Sheng Chicken Rice Pot
Address: 884, Jalan Bakek, Taman Tahiti , Pontian
Hours: (closed on Tues)
Non Halal
Date visited: 16 Apr 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment