Methyl (R)-o-chloromandelate ((R)-1), which is an intermediate for a platelet aggregation inhibitor named clopidogrel, was obtained in >99% ee by the asymmetric reduction of methyl o-chlorobenzoylformate (2) (up to 1.0 M) with recombinant E. coli overproducing a versatile carbonyl reductase. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.