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After visiting and sampling several best-rated food establishments on Google, I’ve come to a conclusion that even though a stall has a high rating, the food may not be that good. For the next instalment of our best-rated series, claypot rice takes the spotlight, and my investigative digging led me to Golden Chef SG (金师傅) at 256 Yishun Ring Road.
“Huh? Just a 1-month-old stall and it already has a 4.9 star rating out of 5 with a total of 153 reviews (at the time of writing)? Did they bribe the customers with free food?” That was exactly what I thought when I first discovered how new they were.
To test its authenticity, I was more discreet than usual. I revealed my camera only after I made payment and finished the food. Because, ahem, I was once a chef, and we tend to cook more carefully when we notice someone snapping photos of our dishes.
Golden Chef SG is setup by 3 young dudes from Johor Bahru: Yee Ann, 26, Huan Rong, 23 and Marcus, 23. Yee Ann and Huan Rong (pictured above) got to know each other while they were chefing at Jumbo Seafood for over 2 years.
Yee Ann not only wanted to sell his childhood-favourite claypot rice, but also wished to create something that no one else has ever attempted. They decided to venture on their own, and later roped in Marcus, who has experience in Western cuisine.
What I tried at Golden Chef SG
The JB Claypot Chicken Rice (S$7.80) had chunks of chicken, Chinese sausage slices and green veggies, with an artfully-drizzled dark soya sauce on top. On the side, a small saucer of homemade chilli was served.
After mixing everything, the white grains of rice gradually transformed into what my colleague calls a ‘milk tea’ shade. From the first mouthful, I was already sold. It had all the traits that a good claypot rice possesses: flavourful, smoky, aromatic and lots of charred crispy bits.
The chicken was not only tender, but the seasoning managed to penetrate the flesh thoroughly— definite plus points for that! My dining partner commented that the Chinese sausage served at other establishments sometimes has an unpleasant oily taste. Thankfully, the lap cheong here was delicious and got his approval.
There were also tiny but mighty pieces of salted fish which weren’t overly salty, but provided a gentle savoury kick that uplifted the dish.
As for the house-made chilli, it was a sneaky little ninja. It initially tasted like the typical lime-flavoured chilli dips often served with chicken rice. But nothing prepared me for the surprise burst of heat that made me cough a little.
Strangely, the overwhelming spiciness somehow urged me to keep going back for more. It was addictive and shiok. However, for those who can’t handle the heat, I strongly advise you to tread cautiously.
Final thoughts
The bulk of good reviews for Golden Chef SG comes from its good service, la la claypot and claypot rice.
These 3 guys not only manage to find the right balance between innovation and fusion, but also tackle the classics pretty well. After enjoying the claypot rice, I feel that they have the potential to go far. However, the 4.9 rating to me is a little too perfect, so I’d bring it down to a more reasonable 4.5.
If you’re on the hunt for a new claypot rice spot to check out, here’s a good place to start.
Expected damage: S$8.80 – S$9.80 per pax
Order delivery: Deliveroo
