Good Year Local Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball

A friend of mine from the Philippines once mentioned that Singapore is famous for its chicken rice ball but I had absolutely no idea. That was about two years ago when I was not so crazy about good food and have not started this blog yet. Today I finally made my way to Jalan Besar to try Good Year Local Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball.


Located in a coffee shop behind Lavender Food Square, Good Year serves delicious chicken rice that is specially hand moulded into appetizing rice balls. A set meal for one person, which comes with two rice balls and a plate of chicken, costs only $3.50. Compared to the usual chicken rice that is more robust, the unique rice ball is soft and mushy, retaining the authentic flavour of chicken stock and the desired fragrance of pandan leaves. The steamed white chicken is fresh and tasty and served in a generous portion for its price.

Good Year Local Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball (and its branch in Toa Payoh) is the one and only chicken rice ball in Singapore. If you have not tasted chicken rice balls before, come down and try it for yourself.

7.5/10

Good Year Local Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball
30 Foch Road #01-02 Singapore 209276
Off on Fridays except Public Holidays

Hougang Hainanese Curry Rice

When I went to Bendemeer Food Centre for lunch last weekend, I saw a long queue in front of Hougang Hainanese Curry Rice and decided to give it a try.


I ordered a plate of rice with a curry chicken drumstick and curry vegetables which cost $3 in total. You might ask, "Why everything curry?" Well, if I have to choose some dishes to gauge the standard of Hainanese curry rice, my obvious choices will be the curry dishes. More sweet and savory than spicy, the flavorful curry is somewhat reminiscent of that of the famous Redhill curry rice. The curry vegetables, however, are slightly too salty for my liking.

I guess I still prefer Nyonya curry over Hainanese curry because Nyonya curry is more spicy, less sweet and less sticky. Nevertheless, Hougang Hainanese Curry Rice is still a must-try for Hainanese curry fans in Singapore.

7/10

Hougang Hainanese Curry Rice
Bendemeer Market and Food Centre
Blk 29 Bendemeer Road
#01-59

Lam's Special Abalone Noodle

When I was at Bendemeer for dinner, I had intended to try Fatty Fried Kway Teow but didn't know that it was closed on Sunday. So I wandered around the area and found Lam's special abalone noodles instead.


For $6 a bowl, I really had very high expectations of Lam's special abalone noodle. After all, Tang Ren Jie and Chai Chee abalone noodles cost only $3. Coated with a savory sauce that is sweet and spicy, the noodles are served with minced meat, pig's liver, fish cake, meat ball and crispy pork lard, similar to any other minced meat noodle. The distinguishing feature of Lam's special abalone noodle is the abalone stick with two appetizing pieces of fresh and juicy abalone.

I am not a big fan of abalone hence my review will be biased. I was certainly not impressed spending $6 on a bowl of ordinary minced meat noodle with an abalone stick. However the coffee shop was filled with customers enjoying Lam's noodles. Come down and judge for yourself.

6.5/10

Lam's Noodle House
460 Race Course Road
Singapore 218700
Closed on Mondays

Che Jian Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee

Just as Changi Village has 3 famous nasi lemak, Chomp Chomp has 3 fried hokkien mee, Ah Hock Che Jian and Kim's. Having tried Kim's a few months back, I was disappointed that the fried hokkien mee was nowhere as fantastic as that from its main restaurant at Joo Chiat. Today I decided to try Che Jian instead.


I ordered a plate of fried hokkien mee which costs $3. The first thing about Che Jian hokkien mee that catches my attention is the use of thin bee hoon which absorbs the savory gravy really well. Topped with crispy pork lard and spicy sambal belacan (instead of the usual sambal tumis), the delicious noodles are well-fried with a subtle charred aroma.

In the face of strong competition from the other stalls, Che Jian certainly commands a steady stream of customers with its impressive fried hokkien mee.

7/10

Che Jian Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee
Chomp Chomp Food Centre
20 Kensington Park Road

Big Bird Chicken Rice

I remembered having Big Bird chicken rice at Peace Centre in Selegie many years ago and was amazed by its super hot chilli sauce. Since then, it has moved out of Selegie and I have no idea where it went until recently, when I read that it is now at Balmoral Plaza in Bukit Timah.


The chicken rice set for one person which cost $5 comes with a bowl of chicken rice and a plate of steamed white chicken. I was impressed with the golden yellow rice which is marvellously fragrant and flavorful. The special chilli sauce has not changed over the years, still extraordinarily scorching and spicy with a strong peppery taste. The steamed white chicken is fresh and fleshy and goes very well with the rice and chilli.

Big Bird Chicken Rice is indeed praiseworthy for its unbeatable chilli sauce. If you are a chilli lover, you must come down to Balmoral Plaza and try it for yourself.

7.5/10

Big Bird Chicken Rice
Balmoral Plaza
271 Bukit Timah Road
#01-07

Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wanton Noodle

What makes a great wanton noodle? For Hong Mao at Joo Chiat, it is the special chilli. For Kok Kee at Lavender, it is the special sauce. But for Zhong Yu Yuan Wei at Tiong Bahru, it is the special char siew.

Even though I used to visit Tiong Bahru Market frequently, I only managed to try Zhong Yu Yuan Wei wanton noodle when I went there for lunch today.


I ordered a plate of wanton mee which cost $2.50. Somewhat similar to Kok Kee, the delicious noodles are topped with a sweet and savory sauce that enhances its flavour.

To the delight of char siew lovers, the well-marinated char siew is tasty, tender and exceptionally fleshy.

The outstanding char siew is certainly the highlight of Zhong Yu Yuan Wei wanton mee. Nowhere else in Singapore can you find a better grade char siew. Come and try it for yourself today.

7.5/10

Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wanton Noodle
Tiong Bahru Market
Seng Poh Road #02-30
Singapore 168897

Sri Sujana Nasi Lemak

Changi Village is well-known for its nasi lemak, not one but three stalls. Besides the famous International nasi lemak, two other stalls Mizzy's Corner and Sri Sujana have found their way into the Makansutra forums and stolen some customers from the long queue of International.

I have intended to have International nasi lemak but it was closed on a Saturday night, so I settled on Sri Sujana instead.


The standard chicken nasi lemak set which costs $3, comes with a fried chicken wing, a fried egg and ikan bilis. Adequately coated with a layer of coconut milk, every grain of rice has a distinctive aroma and flavour and goes very well with the sweet sambal chilli. The fried chicken wing is delightfully crispy and tasty with a spicy coating.

In terms of standard, Sri Sujana is definitely comparable to International and Mizzy's Corner. I certainly find it difficult to pick up the subtle differences among the three. Come down to Changi Village, try for yourself and decide which one you prefer.

7/10

Sri Sujana Nasi Lemak
Changi Village Hawker Centre
#01-54
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Yusof A Mee Kuah

I first found out Yusof A mee kuah when I was at Haig Road Food Centre on the first day of Chinese New Year when most of the Chinese stalls were closed. Fortunately for me, Yusof A was open and I became a fan of the mee kuah since then.


I usually order the bee hoon version of mee kuah instead of the mee version because I feel that bee hoon can absorb the savory gravy better. A bowl of bee hoon kuah which costs $3 comes in a reasonably satisfactory portion of bee hoon topped with an egg, green peas, cabbage and mutton pieces. What is so special about Yusof A mee kuah is its spicy and flavorful gravy which coats the noodles extremely well.

This is undoubtedly one of the more impressive mee kuah I have tasted in Singapore. Come down to Haig Road Food Centre and try it for yourself today.

7.5/10

Yusof A Mee Kuah
Haig Road Food Centre
Blk 14 Haig Road

Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice

When I was working at Novena yesterday, I had the craving for chicken rice and was contemplating between Wee Nam Kee opposite Novena Square and Boon Tong Kee in Balestier. After all, these are two famous Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore which I have not tried.


I finally settled for Wee Nam Kee because of proximity and it was indeed impressive. Reasonably priced at $4, the chicken rice set for one person comes with a plate of steamed white chicken, a bowl of rice and a bowl of soup. The authentic chilli paste, which is sufficiently savory and spicy, is definitely one of the best chicken rice chilli I have tasted. It complements the golden yellow chicken rice which is delightfully fragrant and flavorful. The steamed white chicken, though tasty and tender, would have been more appetizing if it were more fatty and fleshy. Filled with the essence of chicken broth and the sweetness of yellow beans, the delicious soup readily quenches the flames of the scorching chilli paste.

Along the likes of Five Star, Sin Kee and Pow Sing, Wee Nam Kee certainly qualifies as one of the best Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore. Besides chicken rice, Wee Nam Kee also has a variety of cze char dishes that are worth trying.

7.5/10

Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice
275 Thomson Road
#01-05 Novena Ville

Cai Ji Boneless Duck Rice

Cai Ji Boneless Duck Rice often caught my attention when I patronised Seah Im Food Centre for dinner because of its long queue. Although I am not a fan of braised duck rice, I still felt curious enough to try it.


I ordered a plate of braised duck rice and a braised egg which cost only $3 in total. The delicious yam rice is remarkably fragrant and flavorful. The braised duck is tender, tasty and truly boneless as its name suggests. What is most impressive about Cai Ji Duck Rice that it comes with a bowl of savory herbal soup which complements the yam rice really well.

Cai Ji Boneless Duck Rice is not only impressive in quality but also value for money. It is definitely worthwhile queuing up for.

7.5/10

Cai Ji Boneless Duck Rice
Seah Im Food Centre
2 Seah Im Road #01-58

Lai Ji Fried Kway Teow

Having tried and blogged about almost all the famous fried kway teow in Singapore eg Hill Street fried kway teow at Bedok North, Outram fried kway teow at Hong Lim, Zion fried kway teow at Riverside, Apollo fried kway teow at Marine Parade and Newton Circus fried kway teow at Serangoon Gardens, I now look forward to trying the less-known neighborhood fried kway teow that are delicious and have the potential to become famous one day. Lai Ji fried kway teow at Kovan Food Centre is one of them.


A plate of Lai Ji fried kway teow which costs $3, comes in a satisfactory portion. Marvellously fried to a slightly wet consistency, the flavorful kway teow is coated with a layer of sweet and savory gravy. Enjoy the tasty kway teow with delightful servings of sausage, fish cake and fresh cockles.

Despite its impressive standard, Lai Ji's business does not seem as outstanding as expected. Perhaps Kovan Food Centre just has too many stalls with delicious food eg fish ball noodles, chicken rice, economic rice etc. Nevertheless don't miss this fantastic fried kway teow.

7.5/10

Lai Ji Fried Kway Teow
Kovan Food Centre
Blk 209 Hougang St 21
#01-39

Wang Wang Curry Seafood Soup

I first read about this stall named Wang Wang which serves sumptuous set meals at economical prices on the Sunday Times but never had the opportunity to try it. When I finally went down to Beauty World Centre to try it last weekend, it certainly didn't disappoint.


I ordered the curry seafood soup which costs $5.50. I was puzzled by the actual name of the dish which is 'curry seafood monster' but after trying it, I guess I can understand why. Served piping hot in a mini wok, the curry seafood soup comes with an impressive variety of dishes, ranging from prawns to fish, sotong, mussels and clams. Shimmering with the distinctive aroma of coconut milk and topped with generous servings of potato, the mouthwatering gravy is sufficiently thick, spicy and flavorful. Seafood lovers like me will be extremely delighted by the tasty prawns, sweet mussels and fresh clams.

This is definitely the best seafood curry soup that I have tasted in Singapore. I will certainly return to try the other recommended dishes of Wang Wang eg fish soup, herbal chicken soup etc.

8/10

Wang Wang Curry Seafood Soup
Beauty World Centre
144 Upper Bukit Timah Road
#04-65

Sing Ho Hainan Chicken Rice

Short of Boon Tong Kee, Loy Kee and Sing Ho, I have tried and blogged on almost all the best Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore. Today I decided to try Sing Ho Hainan chicken rice located at Middle Road.


I ordered the $6.50 chicken rice set which comes with a plate of steamed white chicken, a plate of oyster sauce vegetables, a bowl of rice and a bowl of dumpling soup. Fragrant and flavorful, the golden yellow rice goes very well with the savory chilli sauce and tasty white steamed chicken. What is most impressive about the chicken rice set is the delicious dumpling soup with two delightfully large and fresh prawn dumplings.

Compared with the other Hainanese chicken rice, I still prefer Five Star and Sin Kee over Sing Ho. Nevertheless the fantastic prawn dumpling soup is the highlight of Sing Ho Hainanese chicken rice and will certainly keep customers coming back for more.

7/10

Sing Ho Hainan Chicken Rice
266 Middle Road Singapore 188991

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh

According to wikipedia, bak kut teh (which is literally translated as "meat bone tea") is a complex broth of herbs and spices boiled with pork ribs for hours. Thus the essence of this dish lies in the flavour of the soup and the fingerlicking goodness of the pork ribs.

The famous Song Fa Bak Kut Teh is located directly opposite The Central at Clarke Quay. When I went there on a Saturday night, the place was filled with customers.


I ordered a bowl of bak kut teh and a bowl of rice which cost $6 together. Concentrated with the distinctive aroma of spices and the delightful sweetness of pork ribs, the mouthwatering soup is savory but not overly spicy or bitter. The pork ribs, though not the highlight of the dish, could have been more meaty and tasty.

My mum makes delicious bak kut teh too but of course, compared with the famous Song Fa, hers is less savory, more peppery and more bitter. Nevertheless, since I am not a big fan of bak kut teh, I really don't mind the difference.

7/10

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
11 New Bridge Road
#01-01

Sims Place Prawn Noodle

If you prefer the traditional kind of prawn noodle soup with simple deshelled prawns, Sims Place prawn noodle, located in Bendemeer Market and Food Centre, will definitely appeal to you.


A bowl of pork rib prawn noodles which comes with 2 pieces of pork ribs and 3 halved deshelled prawns, costs only $3. The special soup, which is sufficiently flavorful with the essence of prawn and pork rib, goes very well with the noodles.

Compared with the famous prawn noodles eg Wah Kee, Hoe Nam and Adam Road, Sims Place prawn noodle may not have giant prawns but is certainly authentic and tasty enough to draw you back for more.

7/10

Sims Place Prawn Noodle
Bendemeer Market and Food Centre
Blk 29 Bendemeer Road
#01-39

Hong Kong Street Family Restaurant Seafood Hor Fun

Not to be mistaken for Hong Kong Street Chun Kee which has multiple restaurants and franchises all over the island, Hong Kong Street Family Restaurant has only 3 restaurants in Singapore. I tried the one in Novena Gardens after it was recommended on a forum to have one of the best hor fun in Singapore.


A small plate of seafood hor fun which costs $6 comes in a portion that is satisfactory for two persons. Well-fried with rich wok hei aroma, the delicious hor fun is topped with thick savory gravy that is reminiscent of the black bean gravy of beef hor fun. Enjoy the flavorful hor fun with delightful servings of fresh prawns, sotong and meat.

The seafood hor fun from Hong Kong Street Family Restaurant is certainly outstanding for its unique black bean gravy and wok hei. Do come down and try its other signature dishes too eg san lao hor fun and prawn paste chicken.

7/10

Hong Kong Street Family Restaurant Seafood Hor Fun
Novena Gardens
273 Thomson Road #01-01
S(307644)

Chin Chin Hainanese Chicken Rice

The second part of the chicken rice war at Purvis Street brought me to Chin Chin which is located directly opposite the famous Yet Con. Both restaurants serve Hainanese chicken rice and cze char (Chinese cooked dishes): Yet Con is air-conditioned but Chin Chin is not.


I ordered the chicken drumstick rice set which costs $4. The flavorful rice is thoroughly coated with irresistable chicken essence and blends delightfully with the savory chilli sauce. Sprinkled with light soya sauce, the steamed white chicken is tender and tasty but not overly fat or oily. What is most outstanding about Chin Chin is the mouthwatering soup which is highly addictive.

Compared with Yet Con, Chin Chin's chicken and soup are impressive but Yet Con's rice is more fragrant. However I still prefer Chin Chin because it is more value-for-money.

7.5/10

Chin Chin Hainanese Chicken Rice
19 Purvis Street

Jiang Nan Salmon Rice

Being a fan of salmon teriyaki, I was delighted when I found out that this cze char stall at Hougang by the name of Jiang Nan has salmon rice set.


Reasonably priced at $5, the salmon rice set comes with plain rice, fried egg and fried salmon pieces. Expertly fried to a crispy consistency on the outside, the tasty salmon is topped with mouthwatering teriyaki sauce which accentuates its irresistable flavour.

Besides salmon rice set, Jiang Nan also has a wide variety of cze char dishes which I will certainly return to try someday.

7.5/10

Jiang Nan Seafood
Blk 681 Hougang Ave 8
#01-853
Singapore 530681

Shun Xing Qing Tian Desserts

Located at the old Tanglin Halt Food Centre behind Commonwealth MRT station, Shun Xing Qing Tian Desserts has the cheapest desserts in Singapore.


Common desserts like cheng tng, chendol, ice kachang, ice jelly, green bean soup, sweet potato soup etc cost only 80 cents. If you prefer something more delightful, you can try dessert combinations eg ice jelly with cocktail, ice cocktail with sea coconut, ice cocktail with nata de coco etc at only $1.

After a sumptuous lunch at Tanglin Halt Food Centre, a bowl of refreshing Shun Xing Qing Tian dessert is certainly thirst-quenching.

8/10

Shun Xing Qing Tian Desserts
Tanglin Halt Food Centre (Old)
Blk 3 Commonwealth Drive
#01-324

Song Kee Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle

Lavender Food Centre is well-known for its wanton mee which some food critics commented that it has recently deteriorated in standard. Today when I was there for dinner, I decided to try Song Kee Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle instead.


I ordered the mini wok noodle (xiao wan mian) which costs $4. The mini wok comes with a generous variety of dishes eg minced meat, sliced meat, meat balls, pig's liver, fish cake and egg. The flavorful soup is filled with the delightful essence of minced meat and complements the tasty noodles very well. Cooked to a semi-wet consistency, the delicious noodles are coated with savory chilli sauce and topped with fresh mushrooms.

Compared with other mini wok noodles, I was very impressed with Song Kee for the wide range of ingredients and the superior flavour of the soup. Do try it for yourself today.

7.5/10

Song Kee Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle
Lavender Food Square #01-02
380 Jalan Besar

Zhen Zhen Porridge

A friend once told me that Zhen Zhen Porridge at Maxwell Food Centre is the best that she has tasted in Singapore. When I went there and queued for half an hour, I thought to myself that she better be right.


A bowl of mixed porridge with egg, chicken, fish and century egg costs only $3. Well-cooked to a paste-like consistency where the grains are indistinguishable, the mouthwatering porridge is sprinkled with chye poh, spring onions, fried shallots and sesame seeds to further enhance its flavour. The most impressive feature of Zhen Zhen porridge is its generous servings of ingredients. There is so much fish, chicken and century egg to satisfy the appetite of any porridge lover.

Although I am not an avid porridge lover, I still feel that Zhen Zhen is the best porridge in Singapore. Come down to Maxwell Food Centre and try it today.

8/10

Zhen Zhen Porridge
Maxwell Road Food Centre
#01-54
Closed on Tuesdays

Yet Con Hainanese Chicken Rice

Located at Purvis Street near Raffles Hotel are two famous chicken rice eateries directly facing each other. Yet Con versus Chin Chin. It must be here that the chicken rice war began. I decided to try Yet Con first.

When I entered the air-conditioned restaurant on a Sunday evening, it was already full of people having chicken rice and steamboat. The nostalgic atmosphere was somewhat similar to that of Thien Kee Steamboat at Golden Mile Tower.


I ordered the chicken rice set for one which comes with a plate of steamed white chicken, a bowl of rice and a bowl of soup. Coated with a layer of chicken broth, every grain of rice is delightfully fragrant and tasty. Gently topped with light soya sauce, the steamed white chicken appears plain and mediocre but tastes flavorful and delicious. The savory chilli sauce tastes more salty than spicy, lacking in the scorching aftertaste that is characteristic of other famous chicken rice chilli.

For a meal that costs around $5, Yet Con Hainanese chicken rice may not be the best but certainly worthwhile trying. Besides chicken rice, you can try its sumptuous steamboat too.

7.5/10

Yet Con Hainanese Chicken Rice
25 Purvis St
Singapore 188602

Xin Sheng Huo Seafood Hor Fun

Better known as the hor fun stall in the middle of Alexandra Village Food Centre, I never noticed Xin Sheng Huo until I read about it on the Makansutra forum.


A plate of seafood hor fun which costs only $3 comes with a generous variety of ingredients eg prawns, sotong, fish and mussels. The delicious hor fun is marvellously fried with a distinctive wok hei flavour. The mouthwatering gravy is remarkably savory and complements the tasty hor fun very well. What is most special is its fresh sotong and juicy mussels makes Xin Sheng Huo seafood truly outstanding.

To all hor fun lovers in Singapore, this is certainly one of the best seafood hor fun I have ever tasted. Even the seafood hor fun from famous restaurants and cze char stalls somehow pale in comparison with Xin Sheng Huo. Come down and try it for yourself today.

8/10

Xin Sheng Huo Seafood Hor Fun
Alexandra Village Food Centre
#01-26

Update 19/5/2009 - This stall has closed down.

Golden Shoe Nasi Lemak

Even before I knew where Golden Shoe Car Park was, I already read about this nasi lemak that was described as cheap and delicious on our local food blogs.


A plate of Golden Shoe Nasi Lemak which comes with a fried chicken drumstick, fried egg and fried cabbage, costs only $2.50. The pandan flavoured rice appears really appetizing but lacking in coconut fragrance. The fried chicken drumstick is impressive, crispy and fingerlicking good.

Golden Shoe Nasi Lemak is certainly a hot favorite for the lunch time crowd in CBD with its inexpensive prices and delicious side dishes.

7/10

Golden Shoe Nasi Lemak
Golden Shoe Food Centre
50 Market Street
S(048940)

Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee

Located at Whampoa Drive Food Centre, Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee vaguely reminds me of Hainan Fried Hokkien Mee at Golden Mile Food Centre and Nam Sing Fried Hokkien Mee at Old Airport Road Food Centre.


A plate of Singapore fried hokkien mee which costs $3 comes in a reasonable portion fried with prawns, sotong and egg. Fragrantly fried to a semi-dry consistency, the delicious noodles absorb the savory gravy very well. The remarkable feature about this fried hokkien mee is its authentic chilli paste which is spicy, sweet and subtly bitter.

Besides fried hokkien mee, Whampoa Food Centre also has other delicious foodstuff eg fried oyster and steamboat. Don't miss them.

7.5/10

Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee
Whampoa Food Market
Block 90 Whampoa Drive