I was once filming in China, somewhere in Kai Ping off Guangzhou (where all Seetohs hail), and I asked a restaurateur what was the most fascinating meal he ever had or knew of. He regaled this story about his grand dad’s friends and their makan perversions. They bought this little piggy from the market and set it free to roam about in their courtyard for a few days and gave it lots of fruits. Then they fed it with the best they can afford – nice greens mixed with minced chicken and some nuts. They also poured some honey down the gap. It was a big meal. (Skip this next paragraph if you suspect something amiss and cannot stomach old makan tales).

When that fat little piggy was stuffed and resting, it was off to the slaughterhouse. They went specifically to retrieve the gut. It was a “perfect pouch” of minced greens, chicken with nuts and it had a hint of sweetness from the honey. They stewed it in herbal soy, like how they do kway chap, cut it up and ate it. It was hard for me to stomach the story initially, then I realized these are hard core Cantonese foodies, they chow on anything that can’t outrun, out swim or out fox them – that’s why Guangdong is regarded as the food capital of China.

Their signature Chicken in Pig Stomach Soup - Cut and served at table side.

I was recalling this story as I munched on a slice of nicely soft and elastic pig stomach that the waitress was patiently cutting it off a claypot soup dish called Chicken in Pig Stomach. How could I not. It came in a huge claypot, and before you, she dredged this stuffed whole pig stomach sitting in a white milky soup. Then she proceeded to cut it up and it revealed a whole baby chicken (white or black version) inside. They soup has some mild herbs floating insignificantly about. Each of us were spooned a bowl of soup and a few slices of the soft chewy stomach which was soulfully paired with the white thick-ish collagen laced and peppery soup. Pig skin and tendons, boiled till it withered, gave it that sticky sensation. It was so smooth and thick, you can’t see the spoon right after it is lowered in. The black chicken, which we chose, was placed separately on a plate with a chunk of soft boiled almost disintegrated pork, all ready for the chilli and soy sauce dip. That $30 dish was good for a group of six feeders. It was the best double boiled soup I have had it a long while, and paired with a bowl of steamed rice, it just says “childhood comfort makan” although I have never had it before. It puts the Hokkien pepper ter tor(pig stomach) soup to shame. I realized that their simpleton Yummy Claypot shop name is fiercely deceiving.

Dual Style Baby Kai Lan - Making a simple thing difficultly

We did not need much other to complete this meal except for a plate of greens and a greedy side order of their Signature Chicken. The menu simply said Dual Style Baby Kai Lan and they stir fried the crunchy base in garlic and separately sliced the leaves thinly and deep fried it. It came looking like a bed of fluffy seaweed topped with fried whitebait.$8). Not so simple a dish. The side of their Signature Chicken came with sectioned wings deep fried and tossed in a soy caramelized with honey and dotted with sesame seeds ($10). Nice change from har cheong kai (prawn paste chicken)

If all that above does not sound satisfying, then attempt to unearthed stuff from their huge traditional urn, in the middle of the eatery, where they pile and stack a huge selection of steamed soups in little pots inside. I did not try any as I feared they may mar what I already had. Eat and perhaps enjoy at your own risk.