KL Chinatown Part 1-Hong Kee Claypot Chicken Rice

KL Chinatown or better known as 'Chi Chong Kai' to many locals, has many things to offer other than cheap bargains for watches, luggage's, etc. One could find many hawker food and traditional dishes or eateries that have been there for generations.

We came across one claypot chicken rice stall in Chinatown during our October Trip down there. There are a few stalls offering the same thing along this road, and we have tried 1 or 2 before but have left us unsatisfied. During our recent trip, we came across Hong Kee. It is just opposite the the entrance to the Chinatown night market area. As like many of the claypot chicken rice stalls there, the dish is still cooked on charcoal flames. Charcoal flames in Chinese cooking is considered as 'Sang For', roughly translated to live fire, that give the dishes cooked on this type flames the unique taste. Even 'Char Koay Teow'(fried flat rice noodles) cooked on this flames tastes better than those fried on gas stoves.

Like any other stall in Chinatown, Hong Kee prepares and sells everything one needs for a proper dinner. It caters to those who wants to have steaming hot soup to quench and cleanse their pallets, have a balance diet with lots of vegetables, fish, meats and carbohydrates.

Rows of flaming hot charcoal powered stoves are ever ready to serve the cook at a moments order. The claypots would be filled with the washed rice, cooked till it is half done then add in the marinated chicken.and preserved Chinese sausages. If the chicken is put in at the beginning, the meat would be overcooked and dry. Thus, loosing its juices and smooth texture.

After the rice and chicken are cooked, the cook would drench the pot of rice with their dark sauce and let it sit for a while to let the rice absorb it. Then he would sprinkle the salted fish meat and spring onions, and its ready to be served.

The pot of rice hit me at just the right spot. All the ingredients harmonised into one piece of art ready for my digestive track. The taste was better than average, but it lack the Chinese liqueur(Siu Heng in Cantonese) taste that is always synonymous to claypot rice.

The price or cost of the meal is already out of my mind. It add up to something near RM 100 for four pax. I think it is a common for KLite.

On average, I would give this place:

• 2.8/5 for value
• 3.3/5 for taste & texture
• 2.5/5 for service
• 2/5 for cleanliness
• 3/5 for atmosphere(eating amongst the buzzling night activities like a tourist)