PETALING JAYA, Jan 24 — The shophouses surrounding the office buildings in PJ Uptown mean those who work there are spoiled for choice when it comes to food.

Eateries around the area are in a constant flux, where only the fittest survive the brutal realities of the F&B industry.

Opened late last year, Chat Hei Claypot Restaurant is always packed from the moment the clock strikes noon to signal lunchtime.

With bright red signage and a prime position located right opposite the back of Starling Mall, it’s hard to miss.

Inside, the place pulls inspiration from Hong Kong with its Cantonese tunes and their tagline "Sik faan jui gan yiu hoi sam!” that literally translates to "When you’re eating rice, the most important thing is to be happy!”

Everyone is certainly happy with the choices here, judging by the crowd who prefer to share the claypots for better value.

Solo diners may be restricted for variety though, making it better to order some of the noodle items.

One definitely needs a bowl of rice to enjoy their numerous claypot dishes as most of them come with gravy. It’s served piping hot, as seen from the smoke billowing from the black claypots.

It’s quite easy to whittle down what to order here as they have their star dishes like the Signature Sweet & Sour Egg (RM13) highlighted.

This was a winner as that tangy, sweet medley of tomato and egg is reminiscent of home-cooked meals.

Here, they take it a notch higher with a fluffy omelette drenched with that sweet, sourish sauce with sliced tomatoes. Variations with beancurd (RM15) and fish can also be ordered.

For protein, look no further than the Kung Pao Chicken (RM15.50) with the smooth, tender boneless chicken thigh cooked in a dark, savoury sauce with hints of dried red chillies.

You won’t complain the dish is dry as it’s almost overflowing with gravy, allowing you to liberally flood your bowl of rice with it.

Another time, it was Steamed Egg with Minced Meat (RM18) that delivered fluffy, piping hot cloud-like comfort with a sprinkle of minced meat.

Under their "Skip the Rice” section, Claypot Minced Meat Loh Shu Fun (RM14) stands out.

It’s got that ugly brown food look but who cares as you dig inside to discover rat tail noodles, minced meat and an egg.

It feeds a hungry diner well and a group of office ladies who shared bowls of it with another protein choice made it wallet friendly.

Not every item works though. Like the classic rendition of Eggplant with Minced Meat (RM12). Here, the liberal use of oil to fry the eggplant kills the dish.

Otherwise the taste is good, if one can fight through that thick layer of oil to get to the soft eggplants and minced meat.