A trip to Singapore is never complete without indulging in a meal of chicken rice – it is their national dish after all. I did my homework prior to coming and Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice was one of the places we ended up eating at.
Wee Nam Kee is also probably the most successful chicken rice chain in the world. Besides Singapore, their branches can also be found in Japan, Philippines and Indonesia. I guess it’s only a matter of time they venture into the Malaysian market as well.
We had the poached chicken only and a lower quarter portion for two was priced at $8.50. As soon as you take a bite, you can tell that the poached chicken was done right.
The skin was slippery smooth and despite being well-done, the meat was tender and juicy. While I eat ‘siu gai fan’ (roast chicken rice) almost exclusively, I have to admit this was equally as gratifying.
The main reason why Singapore’s chicken rice is superior than ours – they use high quality grains and the texture really makes a difference in the taste. You will be hard pressed to find a chicken rice stall in Singapore that serves lumpy and broken rice grains.
It’s a tough race for us because if our hawkers were to use more expensive ingredients, it will ultimately increase the price and that’s not economically viable.
Overall it was a delicious lunch which also felt easy on our wallets, as we only spent $12 for this meal. If there was anything worth nit-picking I would say it’s the chicken soup which tasted a tad sweet for our liking.
Although Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice remains my top choice for chicken rice in Singapore, at least you don’t have to queue here and you get to enjoy an air-conditioned environment too.
Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice @ United Square
#01-08 United Square, 101 Thomson Road, Singapore
