Four Seasons Claypot Pot Rice 四季煲仔飯, in Yaumatei (廟街, 油麻地) Hongkong

the queue during 7 pm

the menu says it all

rows of claypots waiting to be served

The oyster are big

Oyster cake in duck egg batter, delicious!!

They say that if you want a good dining experience, follow where the locals eat. I have read good reviews of the claypot rice in HK, but I never thought this one was near our hotel. If you're in the Yaumatei, make sure to visit Four Seasons Claypot Rice at Arthur Street. I've even read that the great Anthony Bourdain even ate here and loved it.

But... this place looks like a hole-in-the-wall and the tables are cramped.
But judging from the fragrant smell of claypot rice wafting in the air, and the people patiently waiting for their turn, it looks like its worth the wait.

Spareribs and Sausage Claypot rice

Chicken and Salted Fish Claypot rice... yummy

Claypot rice is literally toppings like chicken or sausage over fragrant rice and cooked in the famous stoneware originating from the southern regions of China and Malaysia. Four seasons offer you a no-frills setup in their menu, there's an English Menu but most of the stuff they serve are already in the wall.

You add the soy sauce last then mix the rice

Surprisingly, turnover is pretty fast and we already have a table in 10 minutes (well its communal). After scanning the menu, we settled with the classics -

Spareribs and Chinese Sausage Claypot rice HK $32
Chicken and Salted Fish Claypot Rice HK $ 32
Duck Egg Oyster Cake (2pcs) HK $25

First to be served were the Oyster cake since the claypot rice took 20 minutes to cook.
This was absolutely one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted.
It was fried perfectly, and the batter was crunchy and not over-oily. The oysters were big and my tastebuds were excited. This indeed is a must-order in their menu, and there goes my cholesterol level.

Then came the claypot rice. When I opened the lid, the fragrant aroma immediately seduced my appetite, the spareribs and sausage balanced each other out. It was delicious. But one difference I noticed is that they don't cook it with the the soy sauce and let you add it to your desire. Tip: You have to mix the rice immediately when you open the lid, to prevent the bottom from getting burned, but that was the burnt rice best part for me, in Tagalog we call it "tutong"The chicken with salted fish was even better, this is one of my unforgettable meals in HK. Try this just in case you're in HK.

4 out of 5 spoons 

Four Seasons Claypot Pot Rice 四季煲仔飯
46-58 Arthur Street , Yaumatei