Restoran Choong Kee Kampar Claypot Rice — Restaurant in Petaling Jaya

This restaurant is single-minded in their offering. Claypot chicken rice - in the style it originally acquired its fame a good 50-60 years ago. For those familiar with the culinary delights of the Kinta Valley from that period in time, Kampar was famous for chicken rice cooked to perfection in a claypot. Here in Choong Kee restaurant, we can relish a faithful taste of the past.

Your order of chicken rice arrives on your table in an almost too hot to touch claypot. The rice is taken off the fire just as its base is scorched thus exuding a teasing, smoky fragrance. A generous sprinkling of fresh spring onions sits over the drizzled trail of dark sauce (quite the proprietary concoction of the establishment). As you mix the rice to evenly distribute this sauce, you can see it is loaded with bite-sized pieces of chicken meat. It is not inaccurate to say that where this chicken rice is concerned 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts'. The embracing heat of the claypot, the well marinated chunks of chicken meat, the lightly sweet dark sauce, the fresh spring onions and the tantalising scent of singed rice all come together into a very tasteful crescendo in your mouth. A fitting accompaniment is a plate of oyster sauce, lightly blanched green vegetables and a bowl of double-boiled soup. Several varieties of both to choose from. A word of friendly advice - when placing your order with Irene, the proprietor, do not dither. Listen carefully as she guides you along. The queque is long especially at peak dining times n if you dither over your choices, you risk a bark from her. This claypot chicken rice is worth repeat enjoyment more so when the weather is cold n wet. Portions is ample - a big pot is sufficiently filling for 2 adults. And the prices is fair and reasonable. If you have not tried this yet,...

Choong Kee is famous for 2 things - the claypot chicken rice, of course, and the rude lady boss. So why do I still come back here after all these years? Firstly, I know what to do to avoid her wrath and secondly, I do believe she has mellowed down nowadays 😅

The claypot chicken rice here is cooked using charcoal stoves. The rice is fragrant and there is that crust at the bottom that adds a little crunch. Some may find the rice to be too dry but I prefer it this way.

You have the option to add salted fish and/or Chinese sausage. Besides the rice, you can also order side dishes of stir fried vegetables and double boil soup.

Last but not least, here are some tips to avoid getting ticked off by the lady boss. You need to order from the counter at the back and remember your table number when ordering. Be sure of what you want to order as hesitating might trigger her. Also be prepared to wait half an hour or longer for your order if the place is full. Also be prepared to be notified at the last minute that the vege or soup you ordered...

Claypot rice has never been my first choice, but after seeing about the popularity of Pudu's famous claypot rice, I couldn't resist trying it out. However, being a bit lazy to venture into the city center, I decided to just visit Choong Kee Kampar Claypot Chicken Rice located near Atria Shopping Mall in Damansara Jaya 😑

We opting for the chicken rice with Salted Fish & Sausage (RM28). The piping hot claypot rice was nicely cooked, striking the perfect balance between being neither too soggy nor too dry. The marinated chicken was tender and succulent, enhancing the overall flavor. I was pleased to find that the salted fish had a mild flavor, which I appreciated as I'm not particularly fond of its strong taste 🫣

Additionally, I ordered a bowl of Old Cucumber with Pork Ribs. The dish was flavorful, and surprisingly, it didn't leave me feeling thirsty after consumption—a testament for no MSG. My sister, on the other hand, chose the Peppercorn with Pork Stomach, noting that the soup had a satisfying level of spiciness...