Super Cheesy Western Claypot Pasta: Unique claypot cheesy pasta with 6 sauces by celeb chef
The term ‘claypot’ seems to be everywhere in Singapore. From claypot rice, to claypot hotpot or claypot bak kut teh, creative owners are putting their own spin on traditional dishes. That’s exactly the case with Chef Rafi of Super Cheesy Western Claypot Pasta at Lepak One Corner food court.
This is apparently Singapore’s first pasta in a claypot.
A third-generation chef from Brunei, Chef Rafi was exposed to cooking at a very young age, following in the footsteps of his father. Formerly enrolled in SHATEC, he obtained his culinary diploma in 2017.
After graduating, he began his culinary adventure working in various hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants across Indonesia and Singapore.
Chef Rafi would go on to appear on various TV programs, most notably Mediacorp’s King of Culinary as a mentee chef. Chef Rafi returned to SHATEC as a senior trainer, passing on his knowledge to the next generation of cooks.
It was only this year that Chef Rafi made the transition to becoming a restaurant owner. Along with Super Cheesy Western Claypot Pasta, he currently has another restaurant in Havelock and is set to open another one in October.
What I tried at Super Cheesy Western Claypot Pasta
Entering Lepak One Corner, you can’t miss their big yellow signage. Their simple, customisable menu gives you a choice of 6 sauces ranging from Tomato Pomodoro (S$6.50), Creamy Mentaiko (S$8) and Thai Tom Yum (S$7). Your sauce is then paired with either Cheesy Claypot Pasta or Cheesy Claypot Rice.
You also have a choice of proteins including Chicken (S$2), Prawn (S$3), Duck (S$3) and Crab (S$4). With a variety of side dishes to choose from, you can opt to upgrade to a Set Meal for S$5.90 which includes a Soup of the Day and sides such as Calamari Rings (3 pcs), Chicken Karaage (3 pcs) and Mozzarella Sticks (3 pcs).
My scrumptious set meal choice was their Cheesy Claypot Tom Yum Prawn Rice and an order of the signature Cheesy Claypot Mentaiko Duck Pasta. The claypots were served with lids on and upon removing them, I was greeted with a thick layer of cheese and mentaiko covering my food. I knew I should have skipped lunch that day.
I first took a stab at the mentaiko duck pasta. As I dug my fork in to get a good mix, I found the noodles covered in a thick, glossy layer of cheese sauce. The pasta was the perfect bite of al dente. The cheese sauce was incredibly flavourful and incredibly rich, having absorbed the mentaiko sauce. The duck was very well seasoned, with a slight smoky note that added a good texture to the dish.
I then moved on to the sides and soup from the set meal, which are the only areas of critique I had during this tasting. I had the Mushroom Soup which had a slightly weak mushroom flavour that could have been stronger. I could taste the bits of mushroom in the soup but would have preferred a thicker and slightly richer consistency.
The first side dish I tried was the chicken karaage. While crispy and well seasoned, the karaage reminded me of a chunkier version of popcorn chicken.
I have always been a huge fan of mozzarella sticks, and I was very much looking forward to savouring this. With any mozzarella stick, the first thing one would expect is the cheese-pull, and this version certainly passed the test. It was the perfect crispy and cheesy bite that anybody would expect.
My one critique would be that the mozzarella stick should be paired with some hot sauce.
The calamari was quite light in colour. I thought a darker hue would be a sign of a crispy calamari, and I wasn’t wrong. Although it was well seasoned, the calamari lacked crispiness.
I was quite sceptical about the idea of tom yum and cheese, but this flavour profile blew my mind. Spicy and filled with flavour, I got a lot of umami through the rice. Unlike the pasta, there was a layer of scorched rice at the bottom – I was scraping it off to add another layer of charred goodness to the dish.
Prior to my meal, I had the opportunity to watch Chef Rafi in action as he talked me through the surprisingly simple process behind constructing his claypot pastas and rice. He first takes 3 scoops of the chosen sauce which he reduces. Next, he adds the protein and follows with the pre-cooked pasta.
Once the dish is cooked, it is dressed with 1 and a half scoops of the cheese sauce and garnished with parsley.
From start to finish, Chef Rafi says that each dish leaves the window in less than 90 seconds, which astonished me. He even says that even on busy days, just one staff member can run the show. After seeing his mise en place, I could see why.
It was unlike anything I have ever seen, truly reflecting his hotel and Michelin restaurant experiences all those years ago. The pasta, rice and proteins were all placed in individual bags, prepped and measured to perfection with everything labelled.
Diners get 180g of pasta or rice, 80g of protein and 5 pieces of prawns, keeping it consistent throughout.
Final thoughts
The claypot dishes were ‘super cheesy’, something one should expect when coming to Super Cheesy Western Claypot Pasta.
Chef Rafi’s love for claypot is truly displayed in every dish. Couple that with his exceptional organisation and you are in for a unique dining experience.
The location does make it a bit far of a commute. But if I ever find myself near Sengkang, I will return with more hungry bellies.
Expected damage: S$8 – S$20 per pax
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