After so many years of listing Boon Tong Kee as MICHELIN Selected, the MICHELIN inspectors shifted the Balestier flagship to the Bib Gourmand category.
Did the restaurant raise its game to earn this new recognition? Or has it managed to evolve while holding onto its roots?
Boon Tong Kee at Balestier IS a Singapore Chicken Rice institution (definitely Top 5 in terms of brand recall if you ask people about chicken rice here).
It opened as a humble street stall in the late 1970s before setting up shop here in 1983.
You will find no frills in the dining room, just bright lights, brown checked tablecloths, and the sound of quick-moving servers taking orders with efficiency.
Highlights include the Signature Boiled Kampong Chicken ($7 for a portion), Signature Boiled Kampong Chicken (half, $14), Signature Boiled Kampong Chicken (whole, $27), and the crowd-pleasing Platter on Chicken Rice ($19).
Other options feature Sweet and Sour Pork ($18), Paper Wrapped Chicken (4 pieces, $11.40), Stewed Pork Belly with “Mui Choy” ($16), Braised Pork Belly served with Bun ($24), Deep-Fried Prawn Toast ($16.90), Braised Yi Mian with Prawns ($33), and Crispy Beancurd ($10). Just to name a few.
The main event is, of course, the Signature Boiled Kampong Chicken.
It arrives sliced and neatly plated, skin glossy, meat tender and warm. On a good day, the chicken is silky and savoury, soaking up the light soy dressing that is poured just before serving.
The texture feels smooth, not rubbery. On some visits, though, the meat may be drier than ideal (I strangely prefer the River Valley outlet).
The rice comes plump and glistening, never too oily, though I wish it could be more fragrant.
No plate of chicken rice is complete without the standard sauces. The chilli sauce here is certainly one of my favourites, which brings a mild, well-balanced heat, with more tang than punch.
Though I wondered what happened to the ginger paste during a recent visit.
Prices reflect the restaurant’s standing. Expect to pay a little more than the average chicken rice shop.
The recent Bib Gourmand recognition feels earned, not just for the chicken and rice, but for the brand reputation and honest delivery of Singapore comfort food.
Boon Tong Kee Restaurant
399, 401 & 403 Balestier Road, Singapore 329801
Opening Hours: 11am – 3pm, 5pm – 11pm (Mon – Fri), 11am – 11pm (Sat), 11am – 10:30pm (Sun)
Read: Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore – Other DFD Reviews
Other Related Entries
Margaret Drive Sin Kee Chicken Rice (Holland Drive Food Centre)
Today Kampung Chicken Rice Restaurant (Tiong Bahru)
Hai Ge Ji Hainanese Chicken Rice (North Bridge Road)
Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (Golden Mile Food Centre)
Seng Heng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (Bukit Timah Interim Hawker Centre)
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