Today, I revisited the Food Place food court, located at Pavilion Mall. The food court is located beside the Oriental Kopi Restaurant. It is time to try another stall.
This time, I ordered Sliced Pork Teppan Pepper rice from the Mr Peppery rice stall, which cost RM18.90 per plate.
This is a simple but very satisfying hotplate dish served on a sizzling iron plate. In the centre is a mound of white rice topped with corn, spring onions, and a generous amount of black pepper, with thin slices of pork placed around it. The heat from the plate continues to cook the pork and toast the rice as you mix everything.
Once mixed, the rice absorbs the meat juices and sauce, turning slightly brown and fragrant. The bottom layer crisps up against the hotplate, giving that nice slightly charred, crunchy texture, while the pork becomes tender with some caramelised edges. It ends up somewhere between fried rice and a sizzling meat rice bowl, with strong peppery and savoury flavours.
This style of dish is inspired by the Japanese hotplate concept popularised by Pepper Lunch, where food is served on a very hot iron plate, and diners finish cooking it themselves. It became popular because of the sizzling presentation, strong aroma, and interactive experience.
For sauces, the Honey Soy Sauce gives a slightly sweet and more balanced flavour that helps the rice caramelise nicely, while the Garlic Soy Sauce is more savoury and stronger in taste with a noticeable garlic kick. Most people mix both for a fuller flavour.
