Heun Kee Claypot Chicken Rice, a long-time favourite in Kuala Lumpur’s food scene, has officially closed its Pudu outlet for good.
Heun Kee claypot chicken rice shuts its Pudu outlet
The Bib Gourmand-recognised eatery shared the news in a notice, thanking customers for decades of support and confirming that the Pudu location has ceased operations permanently.
“After many meaningful years serving the Pudu community, we have decided to end operations at this location,” the restaurant said in its message. “We are truly thankful for the memories, loyalty, and support you have shown us over the years. It has been an honour to serve you.”
Image credits: Heun Kee Claypot Chicken Rice (Facebook)
Fans of the iconic claypot chicken rice can still get their fix at Heun Kee’s Taman Connaught outlet in Cheras, which remains open and operational.
The story of Heun Kee dates back to 1985, when founder Madam Heun May Lan first started as a small claypot chicken rice stall in Pudu. The early days were challenging. Business was slow, and she openly admitted that the recipe was not quite right at the start. Determined to improve, she continued refining the flavours until she found the perfect balance.
Image credits: Michelin Guide
Bib Gourmand for 3 consecutive years
Her journey was anything but smooth. Over the next 16 years, the stall was forced to relocate six times, often after landlords asked her to move once the business began attracting steady crowds.
In 2001, Madam Heun finally secured a shoplot that became the permanent home of Heun Kee Claypot Chicken Rice. From there, the eatery steadily built a loyal following, eventually becoming one of KL’s most recognisable claypot chicken rice spots.
In recent years, the restaurant earned a spot in the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list for Kuala Lumpur and Penang, receiving the recognition consecutively from 2022 through 2025.
Image credits: Michelin Guide
Part of Heun Kee’s appeal lies in Madam Heun’s signature “two-heat charcoal cooking method”. Each claypot is cooked over charcoal from below, then finished with hot charcoal placed on top of the lid. This technique speeds up the cooking process while keeping the chicken tender and giving the rice its distinctive smoky fragrance.
Each claypot takes about 30 minutes to prepare and is rotated across multiple charcoal stoves at five-minute intervals. At its busiest, the restaurant reportedly burned through up to 700kg of redwood charcoal every week.
Image credits: Michelin Guide
The result is a deeply aromatic claypot rice with a crispy, fragrant crust that regulars could recognise the moment it arrives at the table.
Follow Wah Piang for more.
