Help the Small Businesses: Stone Pot Kitchen

SeeFoon gets a brain tune-up 

Finding fresh pig’s brain is almost a rare occurrence these days. Most of the younger folk are squeamish about it and it’s only oldies like myself and some of my friends who appreciate its taste and texture which is like soft Tofu when cooked. 

So when I found out Stone Pot Kitchen had brains on the menu, I went with alacrity to eat a delicacy whose taste memory has been relegated to the recesses of my mind. RM18 (order at least a day in advance). 

I grew up with the Chinese belief that eating organ meat helps the particular organ in one’s body and therefore Pig’s brains are highly prized. So I did some research: 

According to Medical News Today brain meat contains omega 3 fatty acids and nutrients. The latter include phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine, which are good for the nervous system. The antioxidants obtained by eating brain meat are also helpful in protecting the human brain and spinal cord from damage.

Organ meats are sometimes referred to as “super foods” because they are dense sources of vitamins and nutrients, including: vitamin B, iron, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K. 

And there are organ meats galore on Stone Pot Kitchen’s menu. Items like Duck Tongue (very hard to come by); Duck’s blood; Duck intestines; Chicken kidneys; chicken testicles (rare!!); pig’s tripe—altogether 9 items of offal on the menu, not to mention a very unusual item, Yoke Ngan Gun or pork fillet tendon. 

As its name implies, Stone Pot Kitchen serves all its soups in large stone pots imported from China, which boils fast and keeps its warmth well and very evenly. They are touted to bring out the flavours of the various ingredients.

Aside from the stone pots, the main attraction of this restaurant is its soup base: Pure coconut water. Huge piles of young coconuts in the back testify to the freshness and purity of this “soup” base. 

Studies show that  coconut water acts as a digestive. It helps in quick digestion and prevents bloating after meals. Regular consumption of coconut water also helps in maintaining the electrolyte balance in your body and thus, keeps your blood pressure under control. It is also brimming with potassium and magnesium, acting as a natural sports drink. It is a brilliant idea to use it as a soup base.

There are 13 soup bases to choose from, 6 of which use coconut water. The rest are made with chicken stock. Our group had the Chicken with coconut water base (RM49). Herbs are added to the raw chicken in the stone pot, then followed by the coconut water. This is then brought to a rolling boil, and once it can be turned down to slowly simmer, it is time to eat the chicken pieces first before adding in other ingredients.

The soup can be topped-up regularly as it cooks down, and if the coconut water becomes concentrated and may become too sweet, ask for the chicken soup top-up which is what I did. 

The usual ingredients are available including Iberico pork, Wagyu beef slices and seafood, though these must be pre-ordered before your visit as Stone Pot Kitchen only serves them fresh. 

On the daily menu, on the other hand, the list is endless with many health-giving dried mushrooms (12 types). The most interesting part of this is their homegrown mushrooms with a good range of different types to choose from. These are grown in the shop and range in colour from woodsy to yellow and pink. Presently blooming are their Oyster mushrooms, with the common Abalone mushroom being the cheapest (RM12), followed by the yellow variety at RM20 and the rarer and more delicate pink variety at RM22. 

Vegetables are also abundantly (25 items) on offer, ranging from RM5-RM7 with the most expensive being Asparagus at RM10 and Crystalline iceplant at RM12.

The handmade meatballs were tasty at RM12 for 8 pieces. But my favourite was the Handmade Pork paste which came on a plate topped with a raw egg. Water chestnuts, wood ear fungus and scallion livened up the delicious meat mixture with crunch. RM12 and a must have.

More prepared pastes, this time the minced prawn, came in delicate bamboo holders which you then scoop into the broth, spoon by spoon. RM15 for two bamboo ladles-full. 

The handmade dumplings were large and flavourful at RM10 for 6 pieces, and by this time after adding in the mixture of vegetables we were stuffed to the gills.

I must also commend them on their sauces on offer. A homemade chilli sauce is served for every person but there is also a combination which you can mix yourself. 3 small tubs of minced chillies; chopped kencur or Sah Geong (sand ginger), an aromatic ginger belonging to the Galangal family; and a full tub of Calamansi or Limau Kasturi are provided for you to make a sauce to your taste with the soya sauce. I loved the inclusion of the kencur which is not sufficiently appreciated here and not used as often as the other gingers. There is also a sweet and sour mustard sauce for those looking for less heat. 

I will definitely be back for more especially now that their mushrooms are blooming. This is definitely a first for a restaurant in Ipoh. Fresh off the “mother” (whatever is the name of the medium on which they grow), these mushrooms have to be better than the store bought variety and I want to taste them. The mushrooms were not blooming when I was there last.

 

Address:
8 Jalan Seenivasagam, 30450 Ipoh, Perak

Business hours:
11am-11pm, opens daily
Takeaways available

For inquiries and reservations:
017-3280782 | 012-4678999