CLAY POT KING

Stephen, Alivia and I have been slowly exploring our new neighbourhood. From splash pads to libraries to restaurants, we’re getting to know Richmond Hill and looking for our new favourite eats, I had read good things about Clay Pot King on Instagram and decided to have lunch there with my parents for my mom’s birthday. While our lobster pot was impressively plated and service was phenomenal, we weren’t as taken by the flavour of our dishes.

Atmosphere: Claypot King is one of the newer Asian restaurants in Richmond Hill with an elegant decor including crystal chandeliers, tufted leather benches and a mirror wall. We arrived at 5pm for an early dinner and was one of two occupied tables. Keep in mind that there are lots of restaurants in the plaza and parking can fill up quickly.

Service: This was one of our first dinners out with Alivia and I was nervous. I had prepped my parents that there was a good chance we’d have to make a quick exit. We settled into our corner seat with Alivia in her booster and some books to keep her entertained. Our server was very friendly, giving her lots of smiles and waves even after helping us pick up the many utensils Alivia dropped. Dishes were served quickly and arranged away from tiny grabby hands.

Food: The word claypot usually brings to mind crispy, crunchy rice topped with flavourful proteins like Chinese sausage and braised chicken. At Claypot King, the word describes a stew/casserole-like dish that’s served in a black metal pot and kept warm using a circular ring stand.

The main dish I wanted to try was their Lobster special. To round out the meal, we also ordered a duck congee pot and some side dishes, Shanghai style fried fish, green onion pancakes and fried dough fritters. Compared to other restaurants serving the same dish, Clay Pot King’s fried fish was good. It had a tasty sauce and good texture. The green onion pancake meanwhile was underwhelming, plain.

Between the Lobster pot and Congee, it was actually the duck congee that was my favourite (and Alivia’s!). The congee had a good thick texture, was savoury and well seasoned. The lobster was disappointing on a few points. First, for the price the quantity of lobster was low. There were lots of filler ingredients like rice cakes and tofu sheets. Second, the flavour of the dish was very one dimensional. Every bite tasted the same, there was no depth in the flavour and there was a lack of acidity. We did order the dish with no spice and I wonder if this impacted the taste of the dish.

Overall, although our meal wasn’t amazing I would give Clay Pot King a second chance based on the friendly service and promising side dishes.