Tony Johor Kaki Travels for Food · Heritage · Culture · History

Adventurous Culinary Traveler's Blog with 65 million+ reads 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com

Johor Bahru Masai Choy Kee Claypot Chicken Rice 財記瓦煲雞飯 @ Masai 大排档

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Recently Johor Bahru social media is abuzz about an old school charcoal claypot chicken rice stall in Masai shared by buddy Lee HY. We went to visit it as there are only a small handful of charcoal claypot rice in JB now - I know only 2 others.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

財記瓦煲雞飯 is in a makeshift hawker centre of sorts located behind a row of old shophouses directly opposite the Masai bus terminal. Locals call this place Masai 大排档.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Mr Cheng who hails from Ipoh has been selling claypot chicken rice in Masai for 28 years. He used to run a street side stall along the main street, Jalan Masai Lama. When the Masai bus terminal building opened, the old bus station was vacated and the street hawkers including Mr Cheng moved into the old bus parking bays (where they remained to this day).

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Mr. Cheng cooks his claypot chicken rice with a battery of small charcoal stoves. I counted 18 stoves 😱

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Mr. Cheng cooks the claypot rice from scratch with washed rice grains, each claypot taking about 20 minutes.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

We ordered a big serving for 2 of us to share.

The rice is cooked with light and dark soy sauce, oil, pieces of marinated chicken, and lup cheong (Cantonese waxed sausage) slices. The set includes salted fish, julienned ginger and chopped spring onion.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Toss and fold everything inside the claypot. Underneath, there were much well browned and some burnt crust.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

The average quality rice was tender, soft, moist with some brittle bits of caramelised browned crust here and there. The savoury taste from the dark and light soy sauces was mild, helped along a bit by the salted fish (which was almost soft like fermented bean curd). The slices of lup cheong added a lot of savoury flavour and aroma to the dish. Just a few bony pieces of chicken which were tender, juicy and savoury sweet (wish there were more).

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Simple blanched crunchy lettuce served with soy sauce and fried garlic and shallot

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Information for you 👌 If you are hungry around Masai in the evening, or if you are craving for charcoal cooked claypot chicken rice, you can give 財記瓦煲雞飯 a try. Flavours are relatively mild - we enjoyed our simple claypot rice meal. Prices are very competitive. We paid RM20 for all our food and drinks today (2020 price).

What else is nice at Masai 大排档? Please share in the comments.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

How to go to Masai 大排档? I had a bit of difficulty finding this place at first. Hope this helps.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Masai 大排档 is hidden behind a row of old shophouses directly across Masai bus terminal along Jalan Masai Lama.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Shops at the row of shophouses include Klinik Malaysia, Sha Fiyana Bundle clothing store etc.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

There are 2 entrances to Masai 大排档. At the west side is Hiap Seng tyre and battery shop.



My suggestion is to navigate here with the WAZE app and turn into the side road just beside Hiap Seng tyre and battery shop leading to Masai 大排档.

Masai-Claypot-Chicken-Rice-財記瓦煲雞飯-Masai-大排档

Restaurant name: Choy Kee Claypot Chicken Rice 財記瓦煲雞飯
Address: Masai 大排档 @ vacant lot behind shophouses opposite Masai bus terminal along Jalan Masai Lama
Hours: 6:00pm - 9:00pm (Mon off)


No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments submitted with genuine identities are published