Food Review : Chicken Rice in SG

[toffeesthings]

Hi Bros and fellow food lovers,
Tried this so-called famous chicken rice at their 38 Commonwealth Ave branch today and was very disappointed by the food and service standard.
Went in around 5.30pm for early dinner with my better half as we were ravenous and placed our order with an uncle for 3 plates of rice and 3 servings of chicken thighs.

When the food arrived, we were very bemused to find a chicken wing and breast meat and deduced we were served half a chicken instead. Told the server we actually ordered 3 thighs and sent back the order.

After a few minutes of waiting, the uncle who took the order came out again to confirm our order and we told him 3 chicken thighs.

Off he went. Waited for several minutes. To our chargin, out came the 'boss' to clarify the order, asking if we wanted drumsticks with the chicken thighs or without drumsticks!

We quickly told him it was just thigh and thigh alone that we want and off he went.

You'd think that any experienced chicken rice business would know that customers can place orders for specific chicken parts!

When the correct order finally arrived, the dish was just plonked at our table and after we paid, the change was also unceremoniously dumped on the table without a word of thanks.

Still, we rationalized, the food should be the focal point but it just turned out to be above average at best. The accompanying soy-sesame oil sauce that was poured over the chicken was bare and scarce which meant that the steamed chicken ended up tasting bland and while tender, lacked the all important savory omph.
To give due credit, the ginger sauce was good but the chilli sauce was too sweet.

But the best was yet to come. Halfway through our meal, we heard loud shouting coming from the stall (probably from the chap in charge of chopping the chickens) in dialect about getting orders right and other things in strong language, definitely directed at us.

This utter disregard of basic service (I wasn't expecting a red carpet but just decent, knowledgeable service) thoroughly marred the dining experience.

The only saving grace was the friendly drink auntie who greeted us with a sincere smile and served her drinks with warmth.

So Chicken Rice loving Bros and Sisters, just order carefully at this 'infamous' chicken rice place if you crave over-rated chicken rice.

For me and my wife, we'll stick to Meng Kee in Bishan, that's still one of the best chicken rice around.

[Darkangel]

Hi Bros and fellow food lovers,
Tried this so-called famous chicken rice at their 38 Commonwealth Ave branch today and was very disappointed by the food and service standard.
Went in around 5.30pm for early dinner with my better half as we were ravenous and placed our order with an uncle for 3 plates of rice and 3 servings of chicken thighs.

When the food arrived, we were very bemused to find a chicken wing and breast meat and deduced we were served half a chicken instead. Told the server we actually ordered 3 thighs and sent back the order.

After a few minutes of waiting, the uncle who took the order came out again to confirm our order and we told him 3 chicken thighs.

Off he went. Waited for several minutes. To our chargin, out came the 'boss' to clarify the order, asking if we wanted drumsticks with the chicken thighs or without drumsticks!

We quickly told him it was just thigh and thigh alone that we want and off he went.

You'd think that any experienced chicken rice business would know that customers can place orders for specific chicken parts!

When the correct order finally arrived, the dish was just plonked at our table and after we paid, the change was also unceremoniously dumped on the table without a word of thanks.

Still, we rationalized, the food should be the focal point but it just turned out to be above average at best. The accompanying soy-sesame oil sauce that was poured over the chicken was bare and scarce which meant that the steamed chicken ended up tasting bland and while tender, lacked the all important savory omph.
To give due credit, the ginger sauce was good but the chilli sauce was too sweet.

But the best was yet to come. Halfway through our meal, we heard loud shouting coming from the stall (probably from the chap in charge of chopping the chickens) in dialect about getting orders right and other things in strong language, definitely directed at us.

This utter disregard of basic service (I wasn't expecting a red carpet but just decent, knowledgeable service) thoroughly marred the dining experience.

The only saving grace was the friendly drink auntie who greeted us with a sincere smile and served her drinks with warmth.

So Chicken Rice loving Bros and Sisters, just order carefully at this 'infamous' chicken rice place if you crave over-rated chicken rice.

For me and my wife, we'll stick to Meng Kee in Bishan, that's still one of the best chicken rice around.

Bro I think we have very similar taste...I love Meng Kee @ Bishan too

Must have a makan outing for SGROC soon eh...hehehe

[toffeesthings]

Bro I think we have very similar taste...I love Meng Kee @ Bishan too

Must have a makan outing for SGROC soon eh...hehehe

Haha, great idea Bro Darkie! If there is one other thing I am passionate about besides watches and movies, its hawker food.
Basket, I should drag the Sin Kee Boss to Meng Kee to show him how a good chicken rice business is run efficiently.
Meng Kee's chicken rice servings are big, yet tender and their sauce is sinfully savory and fragrant. The bearded uncle at Meng Kee always tries his best to smile even when the stall is crazily busy.

[honestdeal]

Try the chicken rice at beach road army market. Basement, chinese stall just next to the staircase.

[Darkangel]

Haha, great idea Bro Darkie! If there is one other thing I am passionate about besides watches and movies, its hawker food.
Basket, I should drag the Sin Kee Boss to Meng Kee to show him how a good chicken rice business is run efficiently.
Meng Kee's chicken rice servings are big, yet tender and their sauce is sinfully savory and fragrant. The bearded uncle at Meng Kee always tries his best to smile even when the stall is crazily busy.

Same here, I love hawker food! Meng Kee's queues are always long but despite waiting for 15-20 mins at times...I will still queue for it! Worth waiting for!

[pegasi]

Bros mind sharing the address of Meng Kee? Both my son and I are a big fan of good chicken rice

[exxondus]

Hokey, will avoid S(t)inKee Chickent Rice from now

its amazing how horrible some peeps can be sigh..the last time I met such rude peeps was when they were still operating at geylang, Must have chemistry de mah, else how to eat....er nm, different story altogether

anyway, back to chicken rice..wait, wasnt I talking about chicken above? ah, nm.......

I like the ones at Maxwell food court, think called tong feng or something. Another one thts not too bad is ABC food court. Another not too bad is at ayer rajah food court.

Never had the chance to go bishan for chick rice cos too far but think have to go try at least one time haha...

btw, at novena think one of the shopping mall, theres this chicken rice store that serves their chicken rice in balls. anyway tried it before?

[m33pok]

wah toffee bro your experience is really bad
served you so many times still can get the wrong order... if not happy with the service you can always dun pay the service charge
cheers!

[triton]

Try the chicken rice at beach road army market. Basement, chinese stall just next to the staircase.

ok lah. i find it so-so.

honestly, i have yet to find a a truly nice chicken rice stall in sg in a long while. the last time i tasted really nice chicken rice was probably 30 years ago. the stall no longer around.

either the rice not fragrant enough or chicken not tender enough.

i wont say my chicken rice is nice. but i believe it is good enough to serve my family and friends. no one has complained about it so far.

in order to cook nice tender chicken, the chicken need to be marinated lightly before boiling. highest part to cook is usually the drum/thigh joint area. cause it is the thickest. i have yet to master the art to cook till you dont see it bloody and keep the rest of the chicken soft and tender constantly. maybe out of 4 times, once that particular area will be undercooked. after boiling the chicken, you need to soak it in cold water for about 1 minute. take it out and put it back into the boiling water for another 20seconds or so. then soak it in cold water for another 1 minute.

as for the rice, you need to fry the rice first. then cook the rice and add your usual ingredient such as pandan leaves, ginger, +++++. use the stock for chicken rice to cook your rice also.

when you serve the chicken, separate the cucumber and tomato if you use from the chicken. this is to avoid the chicken 'soaking in' the vegetable taste. you may also add salted vegetables * teochew* style. some will add some 'achar'. to top it off, thick dark soya sauce and chilli. if you dont like dark soya sauce, then mix light soya sauce with seseame oil *not too much*

[m33pok]

exxondus bro for the one at maxwell i went there to eat before even the breast meat(bought the last plate of chicken rice hehe) also taste good but have long queue with lots of tourists.
cheers!

[toffeesthings]

Bros mind sharing the address of Meng Kee? Both my son and I are a big fan of good chicken rice

Dunno the exact Blk number but Meng Kee is at the closest coffeeshop right next to the Bishan Bus Interchange and NTUC Fairprice. Can't miss!

[honestdeal]

ok lah. i find it so-so.

honestly, i have yet to find a a truly nice chicken rice stall in sg in a long while. the last time i tasted really nice chicken rice was probably 30 years ago. the stall no longer around.

either the rice not fragrant enough or chicken not tender enough.

i wont say my chicken rice is nice. but i believe it is good enough to serve my family and friends. no one has complained about it so far.

in order to cook nice tender chicken, the chicken need to be marinated lightly before boiling. highest part to cook is usually the drum/thigh joint area. cause it is the thickest. i have yet to master the art to cook till you dont see it bloody and keep the rest of the chicken soft and tender constantly. maybe out of 4 times, once that particular area will be undercooked. after boiling the chicken, you need to soak it in cold water for about 1 minute. take it out and put it back into the boiling water for another 20seconds or so. then soak it in cold water for another 1 minute.

as for the rice, you need to fry the rice first. then cook the rice and add your usual ingredient such as pandan leaves, ginger, +++++. use the stock for chicken rice to cook your rice also.

when you serve the chicken, separate the cucumber and tomato if you use from the chicken. this is to avoid the chicken 'soaking in' the vegetable taste. you may also add salted vegetables * teochew* style. some will add some 'achar'. to top it off, thick dark soya sauce and chilli. if you dont like dark soya sauce, then mix light soya sauce with seseame oil *not too much*

bro u operating a stall ?

[toffeesthings]

Hokey, will avoid S(t)inKee Chickent Rice from now

its amazing how horrible some peeps can be sigh..the last time I met such rude peeps was when they were still operating at geylang, Must have chemistry de mah, else how to eat....er nm, different story altogether

anyway, back to chicken rice..wait, wasnt I talking about chicken above? ah, nm.......

I like the ones at Maxwell food court, think called tong feng or something. Another one thts not too bad is ABC food court. Another not too bad is at ayer rajah food court.

Never had the chance to go bishan for chick rice cos too far but think have to go try at least one time haha...

btw, at novena think one of the shopping mall, theres this chicken rice store that serves their chicken rice in balls. anyway tried it before?

Bro Exondus, looks like you're quite the foodie too eh?
Seriously, the service lapse and inneptness I encountered yesterday is really unbelievable. While I appreciate the effort taken to confirm the order, in the local chicken rice culture, where got people order thigh that come with drumstick? If I wanted both parts, I would have asked for both!
Anyways enough ranting from me, I'll bear in mind your recommendations. Haha, Meng Kee Chicken rice is really something else, all the allegedly 'famous' Loy Kee, Boon Tong Kee and of course, S(t)in Kee, while all decent, pale in comparison to it.
If Bishan too far, the coffeeshop opposite Bukit Gombak MRT station is also very good. Smaller servings but very tender white chicken soaked in oyster based thick sauce with a powerful chilli dip. My mum thinks its even better than Meng Kee!
One other good, succulent and tender chicken rice is in Ghim Moh area, Blk21 hawker centre or something. But be forewarned that the sauce is very generous (Stinkee should learn from them) and very salty but still quite shiok. Just be prepared to drop a few strands of hair after eating, haha!

[pegasi]

Dunno the exact Blk number but Meng Kee is at the closest coffeeshop right next to the Bishan Bus Interchange and NTUC Fairprice. Can't miss!

Got it, tks bro!

[triton]

bro u operating a stall ?

no lah. just like to cook.