“Is it gonna rain?”, I asked my lunch buddy as we headed to Toa Payoh Industrial Park on an uneventful Friday afternoon.
The sky was getting dark and based on my knowledge of industrial areas, there aren’t many sheltered walkways. If it were to suddenly rain cats and dogs, we were screwed.
Well, it did eventually rain but fortunately, we already took a seat at our destination — Woodlands Claypot Prawn @ Toa Payoh. And it turns out the rain had worked in our favour by creating the perfect weather for a charcoal hotpot.
Woodlands Claypot Prawn’s latest venture at Toa Payoh marks their third and first-ever halal outlet, joining their original spots at Marsiling and Tampines. Now, our Muslim friends can join us in digging into Singapore’s first halal charcoal claypot prawns.
You’ll start off by ordering the Speciality Prawn Broth (S$32.80) that has been brewed for hours to impart an incredibly aromatic and umami-rich flavour. In fact, the prawn flavour was so intense that I felt like my cholesterol levels had risen tenfold at the end of the meal.
Each claypot caters to three to four people but if you’re coming along with more or you and your dining pals are big eaters, you can top up an additional 500g of prawns for S$15.80.
Next, it’s time to choose the ingredients. What’s a hotpot without putting in a variety of meats and vegetables, am I right? Choose from over 50 ingredients, including Lamb Shabu Shabu (S$10.80), Fish Ball with Cheese ($8.80) and Soybean Roll (S$6.80), to compliment your broth.
If you’re seeking a seafood overdose, the Crab Claw (S$10.80), Fish Fillet (S$8.80) and Squid Flower (S$6.80) are considerable options.
As we waited for our prawn broth to come to a boil, we headed to the free-flow sauce station to concoct our dipping sauce. Nacho Cheese is not exactly a common condiment for hotpot, so, of course, we had to bring it to our table.
While my dining partner took the Hot Chicken Korean Sauce (which is just a fancier word for Samyang sauce), I went for my go-to: Chilli Padi, Coriander and Soya Sauce.
The first sips of the prawn broth are simply delightful — brimming with prawn sweetness. However, as we incorporated more ingredients along the way and time went on, the soup became extra gao (thick).
You can request a refill (it’s unlimited!) to reduce that jelak feeling or add water to dilute the salty broth.
Don’t get me wrong, I was impressed by the generous amount of prawns we got but I wish they were fresher. The prawns we had were rather tough and mushy. Hopefully, we just chose the wrong day to come down.
Another item on their menu is the Hokkien Mee (S$8.80), which is inspired by the classic moonlight hor fun. Despite being halal, their Hokkien mee retains the distinctive taste and aroma usually brought out by pork and lard, so you won’t be missing out on anything.
All in all, I can totally see myself coming here if I’m craving a hearty prawn hotpot. Due to the larger serving sizes, I’ll no doubt bring a friend or two.
Will you too?
Woodlands Claypot Prawn @ Toa Payoh
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📍9 Toa Payoh Industrial Park, Singapore 319061
🕐 12pm–10pm (Tue to Sun), Closed on Mon
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Photos by Sheree Chua
