Exceedingly popular in JB, the appeal of claypot lala is readily apparent, especially when considering its sweet, nourishing broth that seeps warmth down into the soul. If you happen to be craving for it in Singapore, here are seven spots to get your fix.
Claypot lala is a hotpot-style dish with lala clams. As the name hints, it comes in a ceramic bowl and sits on top of burning charcoal wood to keep it warm. Typical side dishes include meat, seafood, and vegetables, which are cooked in the broth and eaten with dipping sauces. The soup is also topped with fried garlic and a Chinese rice wine called hua diao jiu, with many places in Singapore offering unlimited refills of both.
Until recently, diners had to flock to Johor Bahru for their fix, but more eateries in Singapore are now offering claypot lala. Ubi Claypot Lala claims to be the first in town to bring it in, which they serve in a beer garden. Supermarket Claypot Lala combines the dish with a grocery store concept and has a spicy mala broth.
At Lok Fu, the soup comes packed with fish, prawns, lotus root, cabbage, black fungus, and plenty of clams, while Hobee lets you douse the stock with an entire bottle of Chinese rice wine. Cook smoked duck in Lao Lala’s rendition, and savour Kallang Claypot Lala’s take with giant clams. At Ang Mo Kio Lala Claypot, the broth is simmered with shark bones for a collagen-rich flavour. Discover the best below.
(Hero and featured images credit: @lokfu_lalapot/Instagram and Hobee Claypot Lala/Facebook)
Where to eat the popular JB charcoal claypot lala in Singapore
1 /7
Apart from the signature clam stock (from S$22.80), this stall offers a collagen-rich broth (from S$28.80) simmered for five hours with shark bones, pork, and chicken. They have over 50 ingredients (from S$2.80 each) such as grouper fillet, tiger prawns, beef, and black pork belly, and 10 dipping sauces from satay to homemade sambal belacan.
Monday – Friday, 4.30pm – 10pm
Saturday & Sunday, 12.30pm – 10pm
(Image credit: @amklalaclaypot5036 / Instagram)
2 /7
Hobee’s lala claypot soup (from S$22) is thick and savoury, and the stall leaves an entire bottle of Chinese rice wine on each table to doctor it to your taste. Enjoy it with over 50 ingredients (from S$2.80) including Australian Wagyu, pork collar, ang ka prawns, and handmade Teochew meatballs.
Daily, 10.30am – 10pm
(Image credit: Hobee Claypot Lala / Facebook)
3 /7
The star at Kallang Claypot Lala is the broth with giant clams (S$22.80), which greedily soak up the sweet and creamy stock. Pair it with over 50 dishes (from S$2.80) including seafood like Hokkaido scallop and snow crab, meats like Australian beef and pork skin, as well as cheese tofu and bee hoon.
Tuesday – Sunday, 12pm – 10pm (closed on Monday)
(Image credit: @jackxiaozhi / Instagram)
4 /7
Lao Lala’s soup stock (from S$13.90) is generously peppery and fragrant. Complementing it are sides of smoked duck, pork shabu shabu, toman fish, and abalone, with prices starting from S$2.90.
Daily, 11am – 10pm
(Image credit: Lao Lala Charcoal Hotpot / Facebook)
5 /7
Lok Fu offers lala claypot (from S$9.80) either with meat or seafood, and the latter comes packed with fish, prawns, lotus root, cabbage, black fungus, and plenty of clams. Pair with with over 40 dishes (from S$2.80) including freshly-made fishballs, Hokkaido scallops, beef shabu shabu, and pork belly, and don’t skip out on the free-flow condiments, especially the fried garlic. WhatApp them to book.
Tuesday – Sunday, 4.30pm – 1.30am (closed on Monday)
(Image credit: @lokfu_lalapot / Instagram)
6 /7
Supermarket Claypot Lala combines two concepts by allowing diners to shop for ingredients as if they were in a grocery store, and have them cooked in a claypot soup. The eatery serves both regular (S$21.90) and mala (S$22.90) stock, as well as more than 40 dishes starting from S$0.99. The snacks are free-flow.
S$21.90
Monday – Friday, 11am – 10pm
Saturday & Sunday, 12pm – 11pm
(Image credit: Simon Ng / Facebook)
7 /7
Ubi Claypot Lala claims to be the first eatery here to bring the popular JB dish to Singapore, which they serve in a beer garden. Their soup (from S$13.80) comes with a heaping of clams, and they provide unlimited refills of fried garlic and Chinese rice wine. Eat it with over 40 ingredients (from S$2.80) including Taiwanese sausage, cheese balls, and pork shabu shabu.
Daily, 11am – 10pm
(Image credit: @ubiclaypotlala / Instagram)