Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice : the continuity

Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice started at the already demolished Commonwealth Avenue Food Centre, off Margaret Drive by Mr Leong Fook Wing in 1971. Niven and Benson, his sons, continue his legacy after his passing. Niven started a stall at Ubi in July 2020. He used to man Uncle Chicken Rice in Alexandra Village Food Centre before moving to The Bedok Place. Benson, his brother has a stall in a coffee shop at Holland Drive.

We were there on a Sunday and there was a short queue during lunch. We decided to go with a set meal for 2 at $14 which includes 2 bowls of rice, a bowl of soup, a plate of vegetables, and the steamed chicken. There are also set meal for 1 pax at $4.50, set meal for 3 at $24, and set meal for 4 at $36.  

The chicken is chopped into chunky pieces with the bone still intact and drizzled lightly with their special sauce which complimented the natural flavor of the chicken. The chicken is nicely cooked to the desired tenderness and there is a nice jelly-like layer in between the skin and the meat. 

We did not like the fermented fried pork belly, the texture was not as tender as we liked it. It was recommended by the stall assistant and so decided to try it. The other option is the braised pork belly. 

The texture of the rice was grainy and not too greasy with a light chicken stock flavor. The chicken stock is used to cook the rice thus no soup is served. They also serve crispy lard upon request and the recommended way is to eat it is with dark soy sauce on rice. I did not like the chilli as much, it was not as spicy and slightly tangy. Their ginger paste is the drier version mixed with chopped scallion. My dining companion said, "This is better than that from Jiang Ji's. In fact, this is the only thing that is better."

Watercress Soup was alright but I would actually prefer the recommended Chicken Feet soup but was not available on that day. 

After tasting this and Jiang Ji Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice, my choice is the latter if they continue to maintain the standard. 

SIN KEE FAMOUS CHICKEN RICE

Block 304 Ubi Avenue 1 #01-95 Ubi DMQ Eating House SINGAPORE 400304

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 8.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Shi Xiang Satay : the decades old goodness

Young, the owner, 50, has taken over the stall and is running it with his mother, 75. The stall has been around for about 35 years since 1955, started by his parents and has been in this food centre for more than 2 decades, serving Hainanese style Satay. While waiting for the dishes from Claypot & Cooked Food Kitchen, we wanted to order some to share. The light of the signboard was still off then. Young was there and so I asked, "How much longer before it is ready?" He asked me to go back at about 1 pm. I went back at about 12.50 pm, the signboard was lighted up. I ordered 5 pieces of chicken satay and 5 pieces of pork satay at $0.60 each. He asked for my table number and offered to deliver later and he sent over about 8 minutes later.

It was served with wedges of red onions and chunks of cucumber accompanied by the peanut sauce in a disposable bowl. Each stick of pork satay consists of a piece of fat sandwiched between 2 chunks of meat. The meat was lightly marinated then grilled it over charcoal, charred it slightly without compromising its tenderness. It tasted different from those by Malay, mild-tasting, less sweet and the sauce is different too. The chicken satay is as good though using a leaner meat, still as flavorful with a nicely charred flavor.

There is usually a dollop of fresh pineapple puree added to the peanut dipping sauce for Hainanese satay, it added a hint of tanginess though the pineapple taste is not too distinct.

SHI XIANG SATAY

335 Smith Street #02-079 Chinatown Complex Food Centre SINGAPORE 050335

Operating Hours: 12.30 pm to 8.30 pm (Closed on Mondays)

Leong Yeow : the famous Waterloo Street Hainanse Chicken Rice

This chicken rice that has been around for more than 4 decades might not be listed in the Bib Gourmand and it might not be the best chicken rice but it is a personal favorite. It has been handed down from the mother to the son. And, I have been eating there for more than a decade. I was there often for lunch when I worked temporarily near there. Though I do not get to eat it often these days, I will still make an effort to drop by whenever I am in the vicinity.

I was excited when there was no queue at 11.40 pm on a weekday as the queue is usually long during lunch or even after lunch. The queue started to form when I finished and about to leave. The mother, who is likely to be in her 80s, was there. She took my order, I wanted the mixture of poached and roasted chicken with rice. She asked, "For 1 person?" I nodded my head. She said, "That will be $6." 

The poached and the roasted chicken are equally good though I prefer the latter a little more. The rice is grainy with a light fragrance of chicken stock and not too greasy. The chilli is spicy, not quite diluted with a slight garlicky taste. The portion is good and not "slightly insufficient for its price" as described in a certain blog.

This is, in my humble opinion, better than the other chicken rice that is listed in the Bib Gourmand. It is my comfort food. This is one of the affordable choices if you happen to be near City Hall MRT or Dhoby Ghaut MRT. 

LEONG YEOW 

FAMOUS WATERLOO ST HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

Block 261 Waterloo Street SINGAPORE 180261

Operating Hours: 11.30 am to 8.30 pm 

Good Year Local Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball at Toa Payoh

Mr Hoo, 72, took over the stall from his father-in-law about 60 years ago. This is one of the 2 stalls that are still serving chicken rice balls. It is located at Toa Payoh Lorong 1, right next to Braddell MRT. The other stall is Hainan Chicken Rice Ball located in a coffee shop along Dickson Road in Jalan Besar. There used to be around 10 stalls serving chicken rice balls along Jalan Besar. Mr Hoo and his wife are both Hainanese and their stall has been around for about 80 years. They were at Jalan Besar before moving to the current location for more than 30 years now and they are still using traditional cooking methods. The stall is named "Good Year" to symbolize "more good years." Traditional rice balls still serve to preserve the Hainanese culture and its authentic taste.

I was there at about 11.30 am on a weekday and there was no other customer at the stall. The lady boss was there to take my order. I asked, "Can I have the mix of white and roasted chicken with the rice balls?" She said, "Can. Do you want bean sprouts?" I nodded my head and asked, "Should be able to finish, right?" She just smiled. If I remember correctly, I paid $6.50 for everything. The condiments are available at the counter for self-service. I only took a saucer of chilli. It was ready in a bit and placed on the tray. 

I was served breast meat for both, it was tender and quite moist. The white chicken is a slightly better choice as it was more flavorful. 

The stir-fried bean sprouts was a good choice. There was a big plate of it on the shelf. The lady boss just scooped it from there and served on the plate before placing it on the tray.

The chicken rice balls are often eaten during special occasions like Lunar New Year, Qing Ming and birthdays. It is known as "Fan Zhen" (饭珍) in Hainanese, which represents family reunion. It is cook over a controlled fire with ingredients like chicken stock, ginger, pandan leaves. The rice ball is mold using hot rice into a round ball at about 120 grams, about the size of a tennis ball and using the combination of young rice and old rice for the texture and bounciness. They are still doing it by hand as the machine is not able to press the balls tight enough using a recipe that has been handed down from the first generation.

The traditional method of enjoying the rice ball is to eat it with hands as it is supposed to taste better. The rice balls were densely molded, the rice grains were partially mashed and it had a rather mild taste of the chicken broth, it did not crumble even when biting upon. It was moist and not greasy. They also serve the rice on the plates.

The chilli, as well as ginger paste, are still handmade. The texture of chilli is slightly runny to go better with the rice balls, the level of spiciness is rather mild with a hint of ginger.

The flavorful soup is served with groundnuts and chicken feet. 

It is delighted to see this elderly couple still have so much love for serving this authentic Hainanese dish and wanting to preserve the culture. 

GOOD YEAR LOCAL HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE BALL

Block 111 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 #01-366 Chang Cheng Mei Wah Coffee Shop SINGAPORE 310111

Operating Hours: 10.30 am to 7.30 pm (Closed on Fridays)

Chicky Fun : it could be better if the consistency is there

This is a chicken rice chain owned by the Kopitiam Group and this outlet is located at Bagus food court in Northpoint City, overseen by Chef Kiang. Chef Kiang, 81, is better known as Sergeant Kiang, he is a renowned Hainanese chef that started as a cook with the British Army. After discharge from the Army, he worked with The American Club before joining the Mandarin Hotel and was part of the pioneer team that created the most talked about Chatterbox Chicken Rice. He shared how did he convince the German boss to start selling the chicken rice in the 70s when I met him a few years ago.

Subsequently, he started Sergeant Chicken Rice at the Rasa Singapura and moved to a few places including Chevron before he sold it off to the BreakTalk Group that owned the Food Republic food courts. He worked as a Consultant to train the chefs in cooking the chicken and the rice with them. He even traveled to Taiwan and stayed there for 3 months when the food court first opened there. He left to start Jiang Ji Traditional Chicken Rice in a coffee shop along Havelock Road but was closed down when the coffee shop underwent renovation. He was invited by the Banquet Group to open Sergeant Kiang Kitchen at Jurong Point in December 2011 but closed in April 2012, he then started Chicky Fun chain with the Kopitiam Group. 

The friendly lady at the counter asked, "Roasted or poached chicken?" and I replied, "I like to have half of each." She said, "That will be an addition of $3." 

The chicken was nicely cooked, the meat was tender and smooth. Both portions were from the breast part and I would prefer the poached chicken to the roasted one as the latter was slightly dry. It did not serve with any sauce. 

The chilli is made using the chilli, lime, garlic and ginger. Sergeant Kiang ever mentioned no preservative is used in making the chilli. It is slightly spicier than the chilli from other chicken rice stalls. The most important factor to determine a good chicken rice is none other than the chilli. The ginger paste is finely grated, it is well-balanced and not overpowering. 

The rice was grainy and moist with a light chicken stock flavor. The lightly flavored soup is served with cabbage and garnished chopped scallion and fried shallots. 

There are more than 30 stalls of Chicky Fun in different Kopitiam food court and the standard can be quite inconsistent. 

Sergeant Kiang is one of the surviving legends. I still remember how his eyes sparkled when he talked about cooking and chicken rice. There are not many like him these days and he will always have my utmost respect.

CHICKY FUN

930 Yishun Avenue 2 #1-101/102/103 North City South Wing SINGAPORE 769098
Operating Hours: 10.30 am to 10.00 pm (Daily)

Yong Fa Hainanese Curry Rice & Curry Fish Head : homely taste

This stall is amongst those that have the longest queue in this food centre. I was there at about 1.30 pm on a weekday and there was still a short queue, I joined in and waited for about 15 minutes before ordering. The waiting time is expected to be longer during the peak period. They serve Hainanese-style curry rice, Curry Fish Head, Sambal Squid, Pork Chop and Braised Meat are their popular dishes. You would not need to queue if you are ordering their Fish Head.

I decided to go with Sambal Sotong. The young chap that was taking the order said, "Not cheap." I smiled and replied, "I still remember the article in the newspaper that someone complained about the price of the sotong at this stall." He nodded. It is actually good that they made an effort to inform you that certain items are more expensive at its seasonal prices.

I wanted to order Curry Vegetable but was told that they only have it on certain days and he suggested to go with the Braised Cabbage instead. I also added the Long Bean Omelette for $8.90 in total. I was asked whether I want to have gravy to be drizzled over the rice. I nodded. He asked, "You want the spicy or non-spicy gravy?" which I replied, "Spicy, please."

I was deciding in between Curry Fish and Sambal Sotong when ordering but decided to go with Sambal Sotong as the customer in front of me ordered it. I regretted it the moment when I took my first bite as its texture was too chewy for my liking, even my dining companion agreed so. The sambal sauce was nice though, slightly spicy but thick and fragrant. 

The Long Bean Omelette was another simple but done well. The Braised Cabbage was nicely stir-fried with black fungus and glass noodles. Both dishes have a homely taste that reminded me of my late Grandpa, he used to cook them at home. 

I could not find their operating hours on the net so if you do know, please leave me a comment. Sometimes I was there at about 3.30 pm, though the light of the signboard was still on, they did not want to serve.

This is the place to go for homely cooking, it has a motherly taste in it though simple but is so satisfying. 

YONG FA HAINANESE CURRY RICE & 

CURRY FISH HEAD

Block 448 Clementi Avenue 3 #01-25 Clementi Central Food Centre SINGAPORE 120448

Soon Lee Porridge : my comfort food

This stall has been one of the oldest stalls in this food centre for the longest time. I used to stay in Clementi for a while and this used to be one of those stalls that I patronized regularly at that time. If you ask for a recommendation when visiting this food centre, this Hainanese porridge stall is always amongst one of those stalls recommended. This stall is in the good hands of the next generation now and they are still serving the porridge in the traditional Hainanese-style. 

There are a total of 3 choices, the pork porridge, the chicken porridge and the fish porridge. You could choose between the $3.00 and $4.00, if you want it with an egg then it will be 0.30 cents extra. You just need to give your table number and they will serve it to you when it is ready. You are required to pay first though. 

I ordered through the Uncle that wore an old-fashioned singlet standing outside the stall. I wanted a small pork porridge with egg for $3.30. Uncle asked, "Do you eat pork liver?" which I replied, "I do." I pointed at the table where my dining companion at and said, "I sit right there." I waited for about 15 minutes for it to be delivered. 

There is a difference between the Hainanese-style and Cantonese-style porridge. As for the Hainanese-style, the texture of porridge is more grainy and not completely broken down whereas the Cantonese-style, the rice is usually boiled for a longer time to a smooth paste. The Hainanese-style porridge is only flavored upon order, a portion is then scooped from the bigger pot and cooked in an individual pot and then added the ingredients. A raw egg is cracked into an empty bowl, the cooked porridge is poured into the same bowl then garnished with chopped coriander, preserved vegetable (dong cai) and shallot oil. To start, give it a good mix and stir in the raw egg. The flavor could be adjusted by adding in the white pepper and light soya sauce that they usually bring along with the porridge. 

The porridge is thick and warm serving with fresh ingredients. What more could I ask? This is just the something that I would want to have on a cold day.

SOON LEE PORRIDGE

Block 448 Clementi Avenue 3 #01-50 Clementi Food Centre SINGAPORE 120448

Operating Hours: 6.00 am to 7.00 pm (Closed on Sundays)

Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice : Bib Gourmand Award

There are many Chicken Rice stalls in Singapore but this particular one at Tiong Bahru Food Centre is awarded Bib Gourmand by Michelin for 2016 and 2017. Cheong Weng Wah, 48, the owner, grew up in Tiong Bahru prior to starting his stall in 1988. He was only 20 years old then and just completed his National Service and he happened to know a friend that used to work as a cook at Chatterbox in Mandarin Hotel, cooking the legendary Hainanese Chicken Rice. This particular friend imparted the skills and given the recipe to him. He further improvised by experimenting and improved on the recipe. 

Other than the Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice ($3), there is also Roasted Chicken Rice ($3), Lemon Chicken Rice ($3) and side dishes like the Soya Sauce Vegetables ($3) and Bean Sprouts ($3) on their menu. I was there for a late lunch but there was just another customer right in front of me. I wanted the combination of blanched chicken and roasted chicken with a plate of rice for $5.00. 

The blanched chicken was smoother and juicier but the roasted chicken was more flavorful, both were equally good though I would prefer the roasted chicken a little more. It was served with a portion of salted vegetable, which is not quite common. Onion is added as the special ingredient to the rice apart of the usual garlic, ginger and spring onion, that making it different from the others. The texture of the rice was fluffy and not greasy. This might not be the best Chicken Rice that I have tasted but this is definitely above average.  Though, there were some negative reviews about this stall but I was honestly impressed with what I had eaten. 

There is also another outlet by the same name in Chinatown that is run by his elder brother and his other brother has another outlet at Changi Village. 

TIONG BAHRU HAINANESE BONELESS CHICKEN RICE

30 Seng Poh Road #02-82 Tiong Bahru Food Centre SINGAPORE 168898

Operating Hours: 10.00 am to 8.00 pm (Closed on Mondays)