The Dead Cockroach: Hawker Chan - Soya Sauce Chicken Drumstick Noodle @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

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Hawker Chan was formerly known as Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodles.

Located at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre, this hawker stall propelled to international stardom when it received a One MICHELIN Star in 2016.

I would usually pack a bird home for dinner together with some of their very nice char siew every couple of months but all that change after they clinched the prestigious award.

They were already very popular during their pre-award days, with a perpetual queue forming round the perimeter of the stall. The queue situation worsens after their win.

At times, I wonder is the award really a blessing or a curse?

Things are no doubt looking up for the founder, Chef Chan Hon Meng, with offers for his recipe and partnership to franchise the business. The last I heard, his family has upgraded from a HDB to a Condominium.

However, it is bad news for their regulars as the long queue just got even more intimidating! It got so bad to the point that I stopped patronising.

It has been seven years since I last had a bite of their famous soya sauce chicken. Despite losing their star status two years ago in 2021, the crowd remains.

I was in Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre recently and was in luck to see not too many people in the queue. Well, the shutters has just gone up so the crowd has not build up yet.

Still, it took about twenty-over minutes for me to reach the front to order myself a plate of soya sauce chicken drumstick noodle ($4.50).

After such a long absence, the much anticipated soya sauce chicken is once again in my hands! Like finally! I miss you sooooooo much!

Although they have lost their star due to "slipping standards", I beg to differ. It is still outstanding to me. In my eyes, no one does soya sauce chicken like Chef Chan do.

I love the distinct fragrance emitting from the chicken skin. I remember that even the tenderly smooth breast meat is subtly flavored.

To date, I have yet to come across any other soya sauce chicken that could exceed this gold standard.

I need no tyre inspector to tell me what is good. Or not.

The noodle tasted sweet and savory in the tossing sauce. Mix in some of that robust sambal for a spicier kick.

I would prefer it to be a little less oily though. I could see my reflection in the styrofoam plate.

I also had two packets of char siew rice ($4/pack) to take away for the folks at home. I would say the portion of both meat and rice are more than generous. For the price, this is super value for money.

The sweet, caramelized exterior of their char siew is to die for while the cut of meat is never too fatty or too lean.

I am not a fan of fatty meat and will most certainly remove them as cleanly as I could. However, Hawker Chan's char siew are welcomed in my belly anytime.

The rack is full of chickens when I placed my order. By the time I finished my meal and return to take a photo of the stall front, only two whole chickens were left. And this is only the first hour of business.

The turnover rate of the chicken is so fast, you will never be serve "overnight" birds.