Singapore 2016: Chinatown Complex

Singapore 2016: Chinatown Complex

When I first started planning on my trip everyone I spoke to who travelled to Singapore in the past would rave about the hawker style food that this country’s come to be known for.  On a tip by one of my dragonboat teammates, I needed to check out Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle hawker food stall as it was awarded a Michelin star earlier this year.  So naturally, I went straight there and to my surprise, a long line of people snaked across the food court floor all waiting to place their order and get their hands on this Michelin star meal.  If this was Toronto, I probably wouldn’t have waited but there I was patiently waiting in line for an hour and eventually got my hands on the famous Hong Kong soya sauce chicken rice.  Trying to dissect why such a simple dish would be granted a Michelin star, I narrowed it down to 2 things:  the sauce they serve on the rice (which is probably the same sauce that the whole chicken is marinated in) and the sweet, thick, reduced soya sauce that you can dip the chicken into – I couldn’t get enough of that stuff!  Oh, and did I mention the cheap price?  $2 for the meal, what a steal!  A bit of warning, if you plan on visiting, go early as they shortly sold out after we got there.  Other worthwhile notables were the leek and pork dumplings ($5 for 10 dumplings) from Zhong Guo La Mian and the many juice stalls offering freshly blended tropical fruit juices (for $1.20) – its incredible how cheap it is to get such fresh fast food!  My total meal which I shared cost $8.20 (or $4.10 per person).

Chinatown Complex in Singapore.

Chinatown Complex in Singapore.

Inside the multi-floor outdoor food court hundreds of stalls.

Inside the multi-floor outdoor food court hundreds of stalls.

Liao Fan's Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle - where Michelin gave its first ever star to a hawker food stall.

Liao Fan’s Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle – where Michelin gave its first ever star to a hawker food stall.

Serving the long line of customers.

Serving the long line of customers.

Marinated chicken ready to be carved.

Marinated chicken ready to be carved.

Chef/Owner at work.

Chef/Owner at work.

I think this may be one of two reasons why the food is so good at this stall - the dark, thick and sweet soya sauce.

I think this may be one of two reasons why the food is so good at this stall – the dark, thick and sweet soya sauce.

The famous and classic dish: Soya Sauce Chicken Rice.

The famous and classic dish: Soya Sauce Chicken Rice.

The second reason why this dish is so good, the soya sauce that covers the rice.

The second reason why this dish is so good, the soya sauce that covers the rice.

Zhong Guo La Mian - the specialty here is dumplings.

Zhong Guo La Mian – the specialty here is dumplings.

10 Leek and pork dumplings for $5.

10 Leek and pork dumplings for $5.

Blenz Fruit Juice hawker stall.

Blenz Fruit Juice hawker stall.

Freshly blended pineapple juice, so sweet.

Freshly blended pineapple juice, so sweet.

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