Ma Li Ya Virgin Chicken @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

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Ma Li Ya Virgin Chicken at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre needs no further introduction but, unless you have eaten it before, you would never have guessed that what I had here is a plate of chicken rice because frankly, it does not even remotely resemble one.

It is not my first time having their chicken rice but it is my first time having it there hence I was rather taken aback by the presentation. In the past, my family always chose to pack a bird home for dinner.

Despite having patronized them for years, I did not realize that they actually sell two kinds of chickens with different pricing. There is the Hong Kong-styled soya sauce chicken (half $7/whole $14) and signature soya sauce chicken (half $10/whole $20).

Well, I guess I would not have taken such a close look at their signboard if not for doing this review. In fact, I wonder why it took me so long to write about them?

I initially ordered just a plate of soya sauce chicken rice ($4) to have on the spot. When the proprietor asked if I wanted to add-on anything, I decided on the tofu which is my first time having it. My order of chicken rice with added tofu came up to $5.40.

The plate of rice came piled with chicken meat, vegetables and tofu drizzled in their secret soya sauce concoction.

While most chicken rice stalls offer either braised or fried tau kwa, Ma Li Ya Virgin Chicken served tofu instead which was braised in the same lip smacking soya sauce as their chicken.

I was actually surprised to see two halves of one huge tofu! The texture is so jiggly soft that it is almost pudding-like. Not only that, I am most mesmerized but its soya fragrance.

I could not resist taking one bite after another and before I knew it, I had finished the whole thing before the rice! I wished I had ordered two!

You really should not give their tofu a miss! The only thing I could not get used to is that the tofu is served cold.

As for the vegetable, there is not one but two types such as bean sprouts and cabbage with carrot. I remembered during my last visit, the stall served kailan instead.

Instead of plain white rice, they served chicken rice here. The grains are firm, have a nice garlic and ginger flavor yet not too greasy.

My only disappointment would be the skinless breast meat that I was served with. The texture is tender alright but I still want my chicken skin as that is where all the essence of the soya sauce is.

Without the skin, how different is this from having poached chicken? I should have requested for a drumstick or wings.

The accompanying bowl of sze chuan vegetable soup is alarmingly bland though it did fulfill its purpose in washing the food down from my throat.

I love my chicken rice chili so much I would add a lot to my plate till friends would tease me that I am having chili rice instead. However, the chili sauce on this particular day is a bit 'sng' but it is not from vinegar or lime.

With her impressive culinary background (you can read all about it here), I refused to believe that she would allow this (chili turning sour) to happen under her nose but I left it untouched anyway as the taste did not seem right to me.