I stumbled upon Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice 新記 Since 1971 at Mei Ling Street Food Centre.
Wait, another Sin Kee?
A little background: the Sin Kee lineage began in Chinatown, then Margaret Drive, under Mr Leong Fook Wing in the 1970s. (I actually ate Sin Kee a number of times during my childhood days as my family really liked it.)
Today, his sons run different “Sin Kee” stalls.
One of the most established outlets is the one at Holland Drive, inside Chang Chen Mee Wah coffee shop, bearing the Margaret Drive Sin Kee Chicken Rice branding.
There are also other “Sin Kee” chicken rice stalls here and there, as the recipe was once sold in 2016.
Back to Mei Ling. It was only after ordering that I realised the hawker was the other son, Niven Leong. He was once featured in Netflix’s Street Food Asia and therefore looked familiar.
However, regular diners who do not keep track might be confused as he has moved his operations a few times (last at Ubi), each with a slightly different brand name.
At Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice 新記 Since 1971, a basic one-person set costs $5.50, or $6.50 if you request non-breast meat.
Each set includes rice, vegetables of the day, and a small side.
For those who have never eaten this before, soup is not served together. But you can order a Soup of the Day separately at $1.80.
Taste-wise, some pieces of chicken were pleasantly tender, especially the ones closer to the thigh.
They had a soft, moist bite and that faint jelly layer under the skin that gives a nice texture.
But to be honest, there were a couple of pieces which felt a little dry for my liking.
The rice was lightly fragrant, cooked to a good texture, not clumpy, not too oily, leaning on the subtle side in terms of flavours.
I liked the chilli which added a bright kick and the ginger paste offered a gentle sting, both helping to wake up the plate.
Still, the stall has its loyal following, and for many, steeped in memory.
If you’re in the area and want a plate that tastes like old Singapore without embellishment, this one quietly delivers exactly that.
Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice 新記 Since 1971
Mei Ling Food Centre #02-33, Blk 159 Mei Chin Road, Singapore 140159 (Near Queenstown MRT)
Opening Hours: 10:45am – 2:30pm (Tue – Sun), Closed Mon
Other Related Entries
Margaret Drive Sin Kee Chicken Rice (Holland Drive Food Centre)
Today Kampung Chicken Rice Restaurant (Tiong Bahru)
Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (Golden Mile Food Centre)
Seng Heng Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (Bukit Timah Interim Hawker Centre)
Heng Long BBQ Chicken Rice (Mei Ling Food Centre)
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