The Dead Cockroach: Yan Ji Steamed Pot Rice & Soups @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

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I am not entirely sure if Yan Ji Steamed Pot Rice at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre is a new stall but I do not recall seeing it during my previous visits to the food centre (or maybe I was just not paying enough attention).

I tried searching online but could not find anything about it so, I took the liberty to submit the stall's information to Google. I am now awaiting for their approval (Okay, it has gone 'live' now).

The stall is located at the yellow section where the cluster of stalls serving Chinese soups are congregated.

Yan Ji serves steamed pot rice, or what we normally called 盅仔飯.

Their steamed pot rice menu is as follows:

Black Soya Sauce Pork Ribs Steamed Pot Rice (豉汁蒸排骨盅仔飯)
Sausage with Mushroom Chicken Steamed Pot Rice (臘腸香菇滑雞盅仔飯)
Salted Fish Minced Pork Steamed Pot Rice (鹹魚肉餅盅仔飯)
Salted Egg Minced Pork Steamed Pot Rice (鹹蛋肉餅盅仔飯)
Salted Vege Minced Pork Steamed Pot Rice (梅菜肉餅盅仔飯)

I could not make up my mind which to order as they all seemed so good in the photos. In the end, I decided to have the first item - black soya sauce pork ribs.

There is actually the choice to top up $2 for a side dish with purchase of every steamed pot rice.

These are the options that you can add on for just $2:

Hot Soup (老火湯)
Oyster Veg (蠔油青菜)
Steamed Egg (蒸水蛋)
Chicken Floss/Pepper Salted Dried Tofu (雞松/椒鹽炸豆腐)
Chicken Floss/Pepper Salted Dried Eggplant (雞松/椒鹽炸茄子)
Peanut & Braised Egg (花生鹵蛋)
Peanut & Braised Tofu (花生鹵豆乾)
Black Pepper & Dried Tofu (黑胡椒炸豆乾)

I opt for a hot, steaming bowl of lotus root pork ribs soup.

When my steamed pot rice was taken out from the steamer, I confess that I was a tad disappointed as the rice did not fill to the brim as shown in the photo. #照骗

Also, at one glance, the pork ribs were more bones than meat.

However, looks can be deceiving. Although the rice is just slightly more than half-filled, the portion is quite filling, as the pot is deeper than it seems.

As for the pork ribs, the tiny morsel of meat clinging to the bone was tender and easy to tear off. Moreover, there were more pieces underneath hence, what it lacked in, was actually made up in numbers.

Taste wise, the pork ribs were delectable and most of that appetizing marinade had collected at the bottom of the pot, rendering the rice equally delightful.

I am not sure if my bowl of add-on soup is any different from the ala carte $3.80 version but I have to say, for $2, the portion is pretty generous with lots of spare ribs and slices of lotus roots.

Taste wise, it is as comforting as Cantonese soups can get.

My only gripe is that it turns cold fast. It would be good if it is also served in a steamed pot which can retain heat better.

These are the daily stewed soups at $3.80 (inclusive of a bowl of rice):