Must-try tender and juicy "Hainanese Chicken" in Singapore — perfectly paired with chicken rice!

Text & Photos byXiongmao Rudy

When it comes to must-try dishes in Singapore, Hainanese chicken rice is probably the first that comes to mind. Xiongmao’s first visit to Boon Tong Kee left a great impression — the chicken was Q (chewy), the skin tender, and the taste really good~ Before officially writing this post, Xiong has a little confession to make: this food review is actually about something that happened a very, very long time ago~ That trip to Singapore was actually a really fun little getaway for Xiong and Mao (along with Eldest Sister and Almost), but since there wasn’t much pressure to publish a post, by the time we realized this hadn’t been shared yet, a lot of time had already passed~

Generally speaking, if a food review is really months old, Xiong might not write it at all. But if it’s a trip Xiong really enjoyed, or the food tasted really good, then Xiong would choose to share it~ This Boon Tong Kee is the perfect example.. Basically, this Boon Tong Kee was established in 1979, starting as a small stall in Chinatown. It wasn’t until 1983 that it moved to Balestier Road (the branch that Xiongmao and Eldest Sister Almost visited), and the highlight of their Hainanese chicken rice is recognized as the best in Singapore. They currently have six outlets in Singapore, with the flagship store located on River Valley Road, while Taiwan’s Wenqing Chicken is also a branch of Boon Tong Kee!

And no matter which branch you go to, they all have quite long operating hours. Singaporeans actually have a habit of eating late-night meals, so going even a bit late is usually fine. We visited around 9 or 10 pm that day, and the business was still booming. Singaporean restaurants are actually a bit more enthusiastic than those in Hong Kong, but a bit cooler than in Taiwan. Often, you really have to keep asking for what you need, otherwise no one will really pay attention to you..

But compared to other Singaporean restaurants, Boon Tong Kee is just a tiny bit less indifferent than Song Fa.. Actually, frequent travelers can feel that Taiwan’s food culture and standards are already at a very high international level. Even compared to Japan, which is known for excellent service, Xiongmao personally thinks Taiwan has already started to surpass them.. Aside from service attitude, many dining essentials that are taken for granted in Taiwan are charged separately in Hong Kong and Singapore. For example, at Boon Tong Kee, wet wipes cost 0.3 SGD (about 7 TWD), and if you want the restaurant to provide drinking water, it’s also charged per person at 0.5 SGD (about 12 TWD).

The posters on the wall fully show Boon Tong Kee’s status in the hearts of many Asian celebrities. To be honest, the taste is really quite good.

Next up is the menu!! When dining at Boon Tong Kee, you naturally have to try their delicious steamed chicken (available in four price ranges: 5 SGD, 10 SGD, 15 SGD, and 30 SGD, with different portion sizes). If you’re alone, you can go for the 5 SGD option; for two or three people, the 15 SGD portion is more cost-effective (it’s about half a chicken).

Then, Xiong also ordered a plate of golden and silver egg amaranth (10 SGD, about 230 TWD). Of course, there are also many other good dishes here. It feels a bit like an upgraded version of Taiwan’s hundred-dollar hot pot — portions aren’t super large, but the taste is on par with Taiwan’s standards. Singaporean food is pretty tasty too!! We also added a plate of crispy tofu (6 SGD, about 138 TWD). This place is great for a group of young friends to come for a late-night meal, chat, and enjoy a wide variety of dishes.

Even though it was quite a while ago, it still makes your mouth water.. Since it’s Hainanese chicken rice, of course we had to order a bowl of chicken rice (0.6 SGD, about 13.8 TWD). There were also drinks and desserts, and they sell various sauces here too..

After waiting a little while, the dishes started arriving one by one. Since this meal was strictly speaking the second meal of the evening, we didn’t order too much. The first dish was the golden and silver egg amaranth (10 SGD, about 230 TWD). The texture was delicate, with the savory and Q texture of salted egg and century egg, plus the amaranth was super tender. This dish tasted even better than expected.

Next came the crispy tofu (6 SGD, about 138 TWD), which also suited Xiongmao and Eldest Sister Almost’s tastes perfectly. The crispy outside and super tender inside made us talk about it many times even after returning to Taiwan~

And this bowl of chicken rice (0.6 SGD, about 13.8 TWD) is one of the reasons Xiongmao came here. The rich, layered aroma and the full, smooth texture really gave off that comforting vibe of a popular street snack.

Delicious steamed chicken (available in four price ranges: 5 SGD, 10 SGD, 15 SGD, and 30 SGD, with different portion sizes). For this one, Xiong remembers it was the 15 SGD portion — the shiny, fragrant steamed chicken looked amazing just to look at!! Honestly, the flavor of the chicken was sweet and fresh enough to eat as is with just the dipping sauce. Adding some chili sauce made it even tastier. Overall, Boon Tong Kee is definitely a truly delicious restaurant (and well worth a visit).

Boon Tong Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice (Balestier Branch)
Address: 399, 401 & 403 Balestier Road, Balestier Outlet, Balestier Road
Singapore 329801 ( From Toa Payoh MRT Station Board SBS Bus No.145 )
Phone: 62543937
Business Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 11:40 AM – 4:45 PM (last order at 4:30 PM)
5:30 PM – 4:30 AM (last order at 4:00 AM)
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 4:45 PM (last order at 4:30 PM)
5:30 PM – 3:00 AM (last order at 2:30 AM)

Author: Xiongmao Rudy — a couple who love food, occasionally go wild spending big on eating and playing, but generally live by the motto “money is limited, appetite is endless.” Their blog “Xiongmao Eats the World” is updated simultaneously; fan page. Xiongmao. Food Sharing.