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I’ve only ever seen Cashew MRT Station (DT2) flash across the train screen whenever I commute along the Downtown Line, but I never imagined actually alighting to check out Common Ground, a spot within Cashew Heights serving claypot rice with house-rendered pork lard. Yes, the eatery is located within a 44-year-old condominium and after a blood-pumping 9-minute walk from the train station, I finally arrived at the main gate.
If you’re like me and plan to come here by public transport, don’t forget to sign in at the guardhouse. There’ll be a mini map of the condominium’s layout that will lead you to Common Ground (just look out for block 105).
You’ll spot a large swimming pool right smack in the middle where the 100-seater eatery is located. For those who love karaoke, you’ll be glad to know that they even have a private dining room with no minimum charge.
Besides 5 preset claypot options priced at S$8.90 each, Common Ground also features a Build Your Own Claypot Rice (S$6.90 base price) where customers can mix-and-match various ingredients (S$1 – S$2.90 each) to create their own unique sha bao fan.
The owner, Tommy shared with us that he first chanced upon claypot rice with pork lard at Genting Highlands and instantly fell in love with it. Thus, he decided to bring the concept back to Singapore.
What to order at Common Ground
We got the ball rolling with the Chicken & Mushroom Pork Lard Rice (S$8.90). It features chicken chunks, sliced mushrooms, lup cheong, and baby bak choy.
Don’t feel cheated if there isn’t any pork lard on your rice when it arrives on your table. Every order comes with a small saucer of fried pork lard and their homemade chilli — we just poured the golden nuggets on top to make it more aesthetically pleasing (wink).
The chicken was tender and, more importantly, flavourful. The sliced mushrooms added an earthy hint while the bak choy gave the rice some crunch and mellowed down the overall richness.
The rice had crisp patches of charred rice or ‘guoba‘ that was stuck underneath which added a nice fragrance. Though the rice wasn’t heavily smoky, it was sufficiently fragrant and tasty with the added seasonings. I’m glad that the lup cheong was mellow but delicious, unlike the saltier ones that other establishments serve.
Next, we present to you: claypot rice a la Rachel, Esther, and Aaron… ahem, I mean, the Build Your Own Claypot Rice.
Here’s the total price breakdown:
- Base price — S$6.90
- Smoked Duck — S$2.90
- Black Bean Beef — S$2.90
- Chinese Sausage — S$2
Coming to a total of S$14.70, our deluxe bowl looked like a work of art with all the ingredients piled on top.
After emptying the entire saucer of pork lard into our wonderful creation, we tossed all the elements up. For those who want an even more sinful experience, you can top up S$1 for every additional saucer of pork fat. Trust me, it really takes the overall claypot rice flavour to the next level.
Tommy shared that the chef spends a gruelling 4 to 6 hours preparing a fresh batch of pork lard daily— mad respect.
I may trigger a few claypot rice purists with this, but the rich, fatty flavour of the smoked duck works surprisingly well with this dish. I was also taken aback at how tender the pieces of beef were. If I had one minor nitpick, I would’ve loved a bolder black bean flavour in the beef, or even a few whole black beans for an extra hit of savouriness.
The least expected option which ended up becoming my favourite was the Minced Pork & Salted Fish Rice (S$8.90). Rather than the loose crumbles of minced pork typical of bak chor mee, the meat arrived as a thick, massive patty crowned with savoury cubes of salted fish.
It was incredibly juicy and delicious and I couldn’t help but taste salted egg yolk inside the mixture (though there was none) — I couldn’t help going back for a third and fourth serving. Like the first dish, it came with shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage, and bak choy.
Oh, before I forget, the homemade chilli is a MUST-TRY — it’s tangy, spicy, and well balanced in flavour. I shamelessly slathered it on everything I could get my hands on.
If you love seafood with a spicy kick, kill two birds with one stone with the Mala Crayfish (S$28.90). Each crustacean is fresh and naturally sweet, bathed in the robust mala spices.
Feeling peckish and looking for something to munch whilst enjoying your claypot rice? Common Ground serves mini bites like Gai Ping (S$10.90), Luncheon Fries (S$8.90), and more.
Who Common Ground is best for
It’s perfect for those seeking a mini adventure by venturing into a condominium just to enjoy a claypot rice feast. Trust me, the claypot rice here is well executed with tender meats, fragrant rice and luscious pork lard. It was totally worth the long journey!
How to get there?
Take the MRT, alight at Cashew Station(DT2), and walk 9 minutes towards Cashew Heights. Though, after studying the map, the more efficient way would be to alight at Bukit Panjang Station (DT1) , board bus services 75 or 184, and alight at Cashew Pk Condo bus stop which is just a 3-minute walk away.
Do we recommend Common Ground?
Though Common Ground is tucked away inside a condominium and isn’t the easiest spot to reach, the quality and flavour of their claypot rice were well worth the walk. With authentic claypot rice becoming an increasingly rare find in Singapore, I’m thrilled to have discovered a new hidden gem I can confidently recommend to family and friends.
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