Before, if we think about Singaporean food, we think Chilli Crabs. But I later discovered that along with Chilli Crabs, there is another popular dish Singaporean's are known for: Chicken Rice. It is even safe to say that Chicken Rice is Singapore's national food.
Initially when I first tried it in a hawker centre, I wasn't that impress. Actually I hated it. But I realised I just going to wrong hawker centres.
After trying out other Chicken Rice places and most of which are recommended by my Singaporean friend, I am now a convert---- and an addict, a chicken rice addict. My fiancé even calls me , Miss Chicken Rice because every time he ask me what I am having for my breakfast/lunch/dinner, it was always chicken rice.
Chicken Rice is either cooked steamed or roasted with a light soy-sauce dressing on top of an oily fragrant rice garnished with cilantro and cucumber. It also comes with a hot chicken broth. And you have three types of dips to choose from: the chilli, the dark soy sauce and ginger paste. My fave is always the sweet dark soy sauce. My chicken rice is incomplete without that sauce.
5 Best Chicken Rice Places in Singapore:
1. FIVE STAR KAMPONG CHICKEN
This place was highly recommended and I would like to say,"Amen". I ordered both the steamed & roasted and both are equally good. They perfected how to cook the Hainanese chicken to make it melt-in-you-mouth tender. The roasted chicken has its crispy parts especially on the wings and the skin doesn't slide off easily unlike some roasted chicken.
6/7 Cheong Chin Nam Road Singapore 599732
191/193 East Coast Singapore 428897
419 River Valley Singapore 248318
2. WEE NAM KEE CHICKEN RICE
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The place is packed with people went I went there. When I went there, I ordered the roasted one. I was surprised that they asked me for the part of chicken I want unlike other chicken rice places. I always like the thigh part of the chicken so I said thigh. But I realised that was not a good idea because I felt the that chicken part had more bones than meat which left me so little to enjoy my chicken. For the teeny part of Wee Nam Kee chicken that I have tasted, I could tell that it was really good. It was tender and succulent. I also love their broth.
275 Thomson Road #01-05 Novena Ville,
Singapore 307645 (opposite Novena Church)
Telephone: +65 6255 6396
Fax: +65 6252 9858
3. TIAN-TIAN HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE
This Chicken Rice is claimed to be the best Chicken Rice in Singapore, thanks to the famous chef and author, Anthony Bourdain who raves about this chicken rice. This has been what tourists seek out when they travel to Singapore. But I am also surprised that while this is a popular, a much sought-after dish by the tourists, some locals haven't heard of it. But you can tell that it is indeed popular because it got longer queues than other stalls in the hawker centre. It can be served as a regular chicken rice or extra chicken rice which means more chicken on the rice. I got the extra chicken rice, of course but I realised it was more than what my little stomach can handle. I understand why this dish is given two-thumbs up because it has a distinct sauce over the meaty chicken. However, i think it was cut in such big chunks that it is less soft compared to other chicken rice I tasted. I also love their broth here.
Stall 10 Maxwell Center
Tanjong Pajar, Singapore
4. BOON TONG KEE
Boon Tong Kee is the a little upper scale version of Tian Tian or Five Star. If you want a proper restaurant rather than a hawker type of atmosphere, Boon Tong Kee is the way to go. They serve their chicken rice in the steamed version swimming in a light sweet soy sauce. I like their chicken too but I am not really loving their rice that is sprinkled with ginger. I am not quite fond with ginger. And also they don't have a broth to go with it. For Filipinos, it is good to know that Boon Tong Kee has its branch now in Manila.
199 East Coast Singapore 428902
Blk 233 Ang Mo Kio #01-1194 Singapore 560233
399/401/403 Balestier Road Singapore 329801
5. COFFEE EXPRESS 2000 CHICKEN RICE
Okay, this might not be one of the most popular chicken rice here in Singapore but I can't help adding it to the list. It is nearby my flat & my workplace and this is where I buy if I feel lazy in choosing what to eat for the day or I am just plain hungry. I like how they cut the chicken to tiny strips which make it more "digestible". Here in the picture above, I asked for extra chicken but the regular chicken rice usually have less chicken strips and more rice. I don't like their broth because it taste so bland. But overall, their chicken rice is not that bad which make them worthy to be in my top 5 list.
444 Pasir Ris Drive 6 #01-102
Singapore 510444
There you have it-- My chicken rice favourites. Have you tried all of these? Tell me you favourites too... Love to hear from you... We can even make a Chicken Rice Club...hehe.... What ya say?
i first had a taste of the chicken rice during my first stay in Singapore about 20 years ago. it's either at the hawker centres or the canteen where i took a short course at the Singapore Poly. when we went there last year, my daughter had chicken rice in almost every meal. she preferred the roasted one though. her first taste was at the Lucky Plaza coz it was the one nearest where we stayed
ReplyDeleteI hope you daughter tried some of the chicken rice on my lists... They are very good.... I just love chicken rice, hehe....
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