Shi Mei Hainanese Chicken Rice – The Millennials of the West Love It!

When we talk about good chicken rice in coffee shops, places like Ming Kee comes to mind. I frequent the  western part of Singapore pretty often and I haven’t really come across many good chicken rice stalls in this part of our little red dot. Recently, a friend introduced me to Shi Mei Hainanese Chicken Rice, which has been said to be the childhood dish amongst millennials living near Bukit Gombak.

For a dainty stall, they do serve quite an impressive variety of roast meats and unique side dishes, including sesame chicken and Thai Style Beancurd. Let’s begin with the star of the meal – the chicken. You will not regret sinking your teeth into the slices of tender chicken meat which are coated in a thick and savoury gravy. We got the best of both worlds – steamed and roasted chicken. The latter won over my stomach, with its lightly crisp skin that was addictive.

If it slipped your mind to order a plate of greens, don’t worry! Lying beneath the succulent chicken pieces is a bed of crunchy beansprouts. Savour the combination of chicken, bean sprouts, and a spoonful of lightly oiled rice! Add a splash of their homemade Chilli, a classic combination of spicy and sour notes, and you’ll soon forget about the other dishes on the table.

The Char Siew is coated with a viscous and slightly sweet gravy, which I found appetising. The char siew slices were, unfortunately, too thin, and it definitely lacked the fattiness and bite that I was looking forward to. 

Emerging from Shi Mei’s repertoire of roast meats is the Sesame Chicken, which is an unusual find. You get chicken meat heavily coated in sesame seeds and a sweet gooey sauce. A roasted and nutty flavour follows every bite. We found that the nutty fragrance complements the sweetness of the sauce. I would have preferred a stronger sesame flavour on the chicken, though.

The Oyster Sauce Vegetable is your typical chye sim which is stir fried, and doused with savoury oyster sauce. Nothing to shout about.

The amount that we ordered was enough to feed at least a table of 6. Best part? It was only $30! This place is definitely good for your wallet, especially if you are looking for affordable and delicious hawker fare for lunch. Come early if you want to skip the lunch crowd!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.