There has been much talk on social media about a newly-opened dining establishment named That Place on social media in recent times — these folks are located at Morse Road that is within a short walk’s distance from Harbourfront MRT Station; they had taken over the former location of the now-defunct Fuel Plus+ which was run by the folks behind Refuel Cafe, Refuel II and Fuel X. That Place does seem to have injected quite a bit of character to the space; there is definitely a mix of industrialism and rustic charm within the space that it operates — all that matched with some whimsical decor that adds to a hint of playfulness to the establishment that defines their branding a little. Operating somewhat as a cafe that also seems to carry a little bit of a gastrobar element to it, That Place does mention on its social media pages that the food menu features dishes curated by Michelin chefs — the food menu is being split into categories such as For The Whole Kampung, Makan Time, Go Atas and Little Treats, while the drinks menu features sections such as The Daily Traditional Ritual (i.e. local-style Hainanese brews), Her Trip to Italy (i.e. espresso-based specialty coffee), Ah Mah’s Zen Era (i.e. matcha-based beverages), Special (i.e. specially curated concoctions) and Alcohol.

The Claypot Rice 2.0 is an item that is listed under the Go Atas section of the menu — this is essentially an item that features a fusion of both local and western elements; a dish in which That Place envisions to be the modern version of the local classic claypot rice. The menu at That Place describes Claypot Rice 2.0 to feature elements such as risotto, fried chicken cubes, Chinese Lupcheong, dark soya sauce and bonito flakes. Going straight for the risotto itself, we must commend that the risotto is actually very well executed here — the risotto itself was not too dry nor too wet; just the right consistency that one can feel each individual grain whilst there was a light savouriness from the cheese that gives it sufficient flavour. As with what one would expect for claypot rice, it does get drizzled with a little bit of oil and also dark soya sauce which gives it a smoother consistency and a slight hint of sweetness — the claypot itself here seemingly being more for aesthetics though it does probably help in keeping the dish warm. The fried chicken cubes does feel no different from popcorn chicken bites and does come crisp on the exterior; carries a peppery note within as well while the Chinese Lupcheong does give another dimension of sweetness with a bite. The inclusion of Ramen Egg here is a nice touch with its soft egg whites and jammy yolks, while the inclusion of bonito flakes adds a hint of umami to the dish as well.