Boon Tong Kee
Boon Tong Kee
401 Balestier Road
425 River Valley Road
Ratings: 4.5/5.0 (based more on the Balestier Branch)
I went to have my meal at River Valley Branch of “Boon Tong Kee” after watching “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at the nearby Great World City. “Boon Tong Kee” is one of the famous Hainanese Chicken Rice Stall in Singapore. This fact is clearly illustrated the moment you step into the stall, as photos of famous singers and actors (esp. the overseas ones from Hong Kong and Taiwan) who had patronised their stall are all displayed proudly on the walls.
Hainanese Chicken Rice is also the must-eat dish in Singapore. This is one of the local cuisine that’s recommended to all the foreigners who have ever stepped foot in Singapore, and it is also one of the most-loved local cuisine in Singapore. And this is also a dish that will be mentioned in the gossip news. For example, some Hong Kong or Taiwan starlets, despite how busy their schedule are, will still ask their nannies to get for them this delicious local dish that they had during their previous visits, or perhaps a certain female actress who will request for the skin of the chicken to be removed, only to be told that the skin of the chicken is the best part of the entire meal.
That was my first time eating at their River Valley Branch. Usually, I’ll have my chicken rice fix at my favourite “Boon Tong Kee” stall along Balestier Road.
I was pleasantly surprised upon stepping into the place. The stall reminded me of some small-scale Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong. This is greatly different the not air-conditioned and “coffee-shop-liked” environment of its Balestier Branch.
On the whole, it’s slightly more expensive to dine at the River Valley Branch of “Boon Tong Kee”, probably because of the more “restaurant-style” of the place. The thing that most amused me the most was when the waiter served us pyramidal-shaped chicken rice:
This is in contrast to the bowl and chopsticks that are used at their Balestier Road Branch.
Some other dishes that we ordered:
Kang Kong with cuttlefish
Fried Tofu
And definitely not forgetting the signature dish there:
Chicken
The chicken rice is the signature dish of “Boon Tong Kee. The chicken meat is very tender and succulent, and the skin of the chicken tastes absolutely sinful. The rice is very aromatic. The combination of the chicken and the rice is one reason why I love “Boon Tong Kee” so much. Basically, the rating that it got, 4.5 stars out of 5.0 stars, is awarded mostly due to its delectable chicken.
Personally, I don’t really like the food at the River Valley Branch as much as those that I usually have at the Balestier Branch of “Boon Tong Kee”. There was too much sweet sauce in the “Kang Kong with Cuttlefish” dish, and the chicken wasn’t as succulent as those that I usually had, and the portion seems smaller. Luckily, the fried Tofu tasted just as great, with its crispy outer layer and the soft and tender tofu in it that melts in your mouth on your first bite.
I didn’t like the atmosphere of the River Valley Branch of Boon Tong Kee. Somehow, I missed eating at the Balestier Road Branch, where I can eat my food with the usual bowl and chopsticks (in contrast to the fork and spoon used at the River Valley Branch). Everything just fits at the Balestier Branch, as I can just wear my shorts and t-shirt, sweat it out (no air con), and enjoy my favourite local cuisine, while the auntie serving the food continues to shout across the entire stall with her booming voice.
To give my favourite chicken rice place a proper rating, the food is actually rated according to what I usually had at the Balestier Branch. It’s still my favourite place to have chicken rice in Singapore after all.
