It is not my first time having chicken rice at Shi Mei Hainanese Chicken Rice stall however, it is my first time writing about them.
Just a five minutes walk away from Bukit Gombak MRT station, the coffee shop is pretty close to where I stay so I would drop by for breakfast once every couple of months.
This time, I ordered the sesame chicken rice set at $4, which comes with a bowl of rice, a plate of chicken meat and a bowl of soup. I did not request for a specific chicken part.
This time, I ordered the sesame chicken rice set at $4, which comes with a bowl of rice, a plate of chicken meat and a bowl of soup. I did not request for a specific chicken part.
So, what exactly is sesame chicken (芝麻鸡)?
Now, don't confuse it with sesame oil chicken (麻油鸡) though. From my observations, it resembled roasted chicken except it has the additional coating of sesame seeds which covers the entire bird.
The sesame seeds exude a nutty flavor but wasn't too overwhelming, fortunately.
The chicken is served atop a pool of dark, gooey sauce that is both sweet and savory.
They are pretty generous with the portion of the sesame chicken. If they had just given me the chicken breast without the chicken wing, I would still think this is value for money.
My only gripe is the missing chicken skin on the breast. Without the skin, there would be no sesame seeds and you can hardly call this sesame chicken?
Or perhaps that is why they gave me a wing to make up for it? I don't know.
Now, don't confuse it with sesame oil chicken (麻油鸡) though. From my observations, it resembled roasted chicken except it has the additional coating of sesame seeds which covers the entire bird.
The sesame seeds exude a nutty flavor but wasn't too overwhelming, fortunately.
The chicken is served atop a pool of dark, gooey sauce that is both sweet and savory.
They are pretty generous with the portion of the sesame chicken. If they had just given me the chicken breast without the chicken wing, I would still think this is value for money.
My only gripe is the missing chicken skin on the breast. Without the skin, there would be no sesame seeds and you can hardly call this sesame chicken?
Or perhaps that is why they gave me a wing to make up for it? I don't know.
So, how does the sesame chicken fare?
Admittedly, the texture is smooth and tender but, I find the meat rather bland. There isn't much taste to speak of, be it the marinade or the chicken's own natural flavors.
Tasteless chicken is a pain to eat.
For most people, here is where the dark, gooey sauce come in. However, it does not appeal to me that much. Honestly, I prefer my chicken to be savory rather than sweet.
Admittedly, the texture is smooth and tender but, I find the meat rather bland. There isn't much taste to speak of, be it the marinade or the chicken's own natural flavors.
Tasteless chicken is a pain to eat.
For most people, here is where the dark, gooey sauce come in. However, it does not appeal to me that much. Honestly, I prefer my chicken to be savory rather than sweet.
As for the rice, it is not overly oily and just mildly fragrant. I actually enjoyed the rice more than the chicken itself.
I find the chicken rice here nothing to shout about but the stall attracts a constant queue everyday.
I find the chicken rice here nothing to shout about but the stall attracts a constant queue everyday.
SHI MEI HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE 实美芽菜鸡饭
Sin Huat Lee Restaurant
Blk 371 Bukit Batok Street 31
Singapore 650371
Business Hours
Mon - Sun: 9.30am - 7pm
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/VofZ84BRYsH2
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