Lian He Ben Ji Review: Famous Claypot Rice At Chinatown Complex Since 1979

Lian He Ben Ji has famous claypot rice at Chinatown Complex

Chinatown Complex Food Centre is widely regarded as one of Singapore’s best hawker centres, celebrated for its incredible variety of affordable and highly regarded eats. As the largest hawker centre in the country, it houses over 200 stalls spread across colour-coded zones to help diners navigate the sprawling space. Yet amid the sea of options, few stalls command as much respect as Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice, famed for its freshly prepared claypot rice cooked to order. 

Having occupied the same corner of the complex for more than 40 years, the stall has practically staked its claim on the space, with its bottles of sauce marking the surrounding tables. It has also retained its Michelin Bib Gourmand accolade since 2018. 

The stall is led by Madam Lim Siew Lee, who began working there at just 16 years old. Together with her sisters and cousins, she continues to run the family business, earning the stall the affectionate nickname “Three Sisters Claypot Rice”.

The lengthy wait is a reflection of Madam Lim’s meticulous attention to detail, with every claypot prepared from scratch. The rice is cooked over charcoal fire rather than being pre-steamed, and the ingredients are ladled on top to sizzle and cook once the rice is done. Each pot is expertly handled, pulled off the fire when ready and swiftly replaced with a brand new order.

This process may take up to an hour, so we recommend arriving early before the store opens, as you might get a chance at placing your order slightly in advance. 

Food at Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice

There are three types of claypot rice to choose from: Mixed Rice, Sausage Rice, and Chicken Rice ($8/$10/$12/$15/$20). We opted for the $15 Mixed Rice, and its generous portion was more than enough for two diners. 

The claypot arrived looking like a work of art, with a vibrant medley of ingredients layered neatly atop the rice. Before digging in, we followed the ritual of drizzling in the accompanying soya sauce and shallot oil, allowing us to control how rich and savoury we wanted the dish to be.

The claypot worked with the charcoal fire to impart that distinctive wok hei character to the rice. Every mouthful carried a satisfying char, while the grains remained light and fluffy. The real highlight, however, was the rice that had crisped up into crunchy bits at the bottom of the pot, which added a nice textural contrast to the dish.

The chicken was also served in generously sized chunks, each deeply marinated with comforting flavours. Having also absorbed the rich flavours of the dark soya sauce, each bite was especially tender and savoury.

That said, we felt the chicken could have been a little juicier. We also had to navigate through quite a few bones, and a slightly more generous amount of meat would have better matched the size of the claypot.

The lap cheong AKA Chinese sausage was a standout component. Plump and flavourful, it delivered a pleasant savouriness alongside a distinct sweetness that helped balance the richness of the dish. They softened slightly as they cooked in the claypot, carrying the same smoky wok hei infused throughout the dish and complementing the other ingredients nicely. Small slivers of salted fish were scattered throughout the claypot, lending an extra layer of umami.

There were a few stalks of chye sim mixed into the claypot rice, but we also ordered the Oyster Vegetables ($3), which came with a generous serving of gai lan drenched in oyster sauce. The vegetables retained a satisfying crunch, while the rich sauce, enhanced with savoury soy notes, coated each stalk beautifully.

Ambience at Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice

Lian He Ben Ji is tucked away in a far corner of Chinatown Complex, and its rustic signboards and rows of sauce bottles occupying the surrounding tables make it hard to miss. Despite the constant bustle and the heat from the charcoal stoves, the stall’s location near the open-air perimeter of the hawker centre makes the area decently ventilated.

Lian He Ben Ji is a five-minute walk from Chinatown MRT.

Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice – Eatbook review

So does Lian He Ben Ji still hold up today? It certainly does, and if I could use one word to describe the meal, it would be nostalgia. Everything from the old storefront, the claypot, to the flavours in the meal, makes it feel extremely homely and comforting. Once you get past the long wait, it is certainly a worthwhile experience. 

If you are looking for other famous eats, check out our Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle review and our Come Daily Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee review for two Michelin-approved stalls. 

Address: 335 Smith Street, #02-197/198, Chinatown Complex, Singapore 050335
Opening hours: Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun 3pm to 9pm
Tel: 6227 2470
Lian He Ben Ji is not halal-certified.

Photos taken by Nathania Ng.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.