Boon Tong Kee, Singapore
Boon Tong Kee is an established player in Singapore, offering Chicken Rice and Chinese dishes in several locations around the island.
What is Chicken Rice?
Steamed or roasted chicken, served with rice (cooked preferably in chicken broth as opposed to just water) and raw, sliced cucumber. The chicken is dipped in dark soy sauce or chilli sauce.
Since Boon Tong Kee is famous for its Chicken Rice, I mean, even Hong Kong and Taiwanese celebrities drop in for their chicken rice when they visit Singapore, I decided to drop in one day to their Katong outlet to see if the chicken rice lives up to its reputation. Katong is a foodie enclave in the east of Singapore, near the beach and the airport.
I ordered their steamed chicken portion for one person (SGD$4) and rice (SGD$0.50). The server was clever. I wanted some greens too, so I asked him if they have smaller portions of stir-fried vegetables. The smallest portion was SGD$7. He replied that the smallest portion was suited for one person. So I went ahead and ordered the smallest portion. When it arrived, It was more suited to be shared between 3-4 people around a table.
Frankly, the chicken was nothing extraordinary. It was not particularly tender or anything. Moreover, the chicken portion was not particularly generous. As for the rice, I definitely tasted better elsewhere, where the rice is really tasty and the taste of chicken stock in the rice is strong and thick. Here, the rice tasted plain and weak.
Chicken Rice is a very, very common dish in Singapore. It is even considered to be Singapore’s national dish. It is sold everywhere – you can easily consume it (chicken and rice) at air-conditioned food courts everywhere for SGD$4. In other words, Boon Tong Kee charges a slight premium, presumable because of its reputation.
Arguably, the most important part of Chicken Rice is the chilli sauce. It can make or break a dish of Chicken Rice. It has to be spicy, of course, and a certain je ne sais quoi to it. The chilli sauce here is run of the mill.
Boon Tong Kee also serves you a small plate of picked vegetables (SGD$1) and a wet towel (SGD$0.50). Feel free to ask the server to take these away when you first sit down if you do not intend to consume/ use these things and you will not be charged.
Despite the above misgivings about the Chicken Rice and the server’s “honesty”, it must be stated that service here is prompt. I was greeted and ushered to a table immediately upon stepping into the restaurant. Though a big name in Singapore, at least the staff still had the humility to greet the customers.
Exact address and contact details are not provided as you can easily consume comparable or even better chicken rice at food courts and hawker centres anywhere around the island.
