Not just claypot chicken rice!

Venue: Restoran Gafan, Taman Connaught, Cheras
Occasion: Dinner & catch-up with good friends
Overall comment: Interesting variety of claypot rice (not just the usual chicken!) at an affordable price.
Halal: No

Gafan (add rice?) has been around for a rather long time. It's one of the more famous claypot rice places, yet I have never tried it 'til of late. My friend, Mary, who lives nearby the Cheras Gafan outlet (there's apparently another outlet at Paramount Garden) was the one who suggested this restaurant for dinner. It's one of her family's favourite places for dinner & she was very pleased to introduce me to this place. Frankly speaking, I rarely go to Cheras unless I have anything important that I've to do or unless I've to meet up with friends who live in that area.

Gafan @ Cheras has 10 different types of claypot rice (who says that only claypot chicken rice exists?)! A small claypot of rice ranges from RM7.00/pot - RM10.00/pot, while a large claypot of rice costs RM13.00/pot - RM19.00/pot, all depending on the main ingredients of the rice dish.

The 10 different types of claypot chicken rice available are:

• Drunken Chicken Rice
• Salted Fish Chicken Rice
• Sausage Chicken Rice
• Black Pepper Chicken Rice
• Bean Curd Sauce Chicken Rice
• Thai Chicken Rice
• Mutton Rice
• Prawn Rice
• Black Pepper Steak Rice
• Fish Rice

I had the opportunity to try out 3 of Mary's family's favourite :)

Salted Fish Chicken Rice (RM7.00/small, RM13.00/large)

I find this okay only. I remember digging into better salted fish chicken rice at PJ Old Town & Damansara Jaya. Somehow this rice dish isn't as fragrant & aromatic...but I have to say that the claypot here looks rather clean & new! Hahaha...maybe it's all in the pot. The other restaurants/roadside stalls have quite 'seasoned' claypots, which probably gives the "extra kick" to the rice dish!

Black Pepper Steak Rice (RM9.00/small, RM16.00/large)

This was by far my favourite among the three that we ordered that evening. I enjoyed the pungent taste & smell of the black pepper, & I think the beef was tender & "juicy" too!

Prawn & Fish Rice

This was quite interesting. It's not on the menu as it's a special request by Mary's mum. She said that the rice tastes nicer with both the fish & prawns together. I believe what she said is true. By having both the fish & prawns in the same claypot, the rice dish seems "sweeter" & more "seafood-ish". This was my 2nd preference...hahaha...

Choy Sum (RM6.00/small, RM9.00/large)

Map to Restoran Gafan

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If you're adventerous & wouldn't mind trying out new ideas with claypot rice, Gafan may be a good place to start ;)

Restoran Gafan

40, Jalan Cerdas

Taman Connaught

56000 Cheras

Kuala Lumpur

Tel: (+603) 9101 4024

Ratings:
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Price: * * *
Environment: * * * 1/2
Taste: * * * 1/2
Service: * * * 1/2


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