Uncle Chicken Rice – Sin Kee Famous Cantonese Chicken Rice by Niven (Now in Havelock Road)

Within a year, I have written so many articles about Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice, you may think I am their spokesperson. But of course, I am not affiliated to them in any way! I first got to know Niven when he opened Uncle Chicken Rice at The Bedok Marketplace.

Since young, Niven and his brother, Benson, worked at their father’s Sin Kee Famous Cantonese Chicken Rice at the defunct Margaret Drive Hawker Centre. Subsequently, Niven and Benson opened “Uncle Chicken” in Alexandra Village Food Centre and “Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice” in Mei Ling Food Centre respectively. The brothers eventually shut down their stalls and Benson went to work for Niven at The Bedok Marketplace for a while before opening his own stall at Holland Drive. Yup, all that happened within a year.

As for Niven, he ventured into something bigger after waving goodbye to The Bedok Marketplace. About a week ago, he opened an air-conditioned eatery along Havelock serving chicken rice and more dishes! UP ONE LEVEL LEH!

The menu is quite straightforward. For one pax, it costs $4.30. For set meals, it costs $16.80/$20.80 (for 2 pax), $24.80/$32.80 (3 pax) or $32.80/$42.80 (4 pax). Chicken is the star and you have a choice of poached chicken, soya sauce chicken or combo! Side dishes include garden vegetables, lava eggs and chicken feet with peanuts soup.

We had a party of 4 so we sprung for the set menu immediately. The chicken feet with peanuts soup was a little bland and would probably taste better if it was simmered longer. On the other hand, the lava eggs were excellent. Soaked in soy sauce, the soft boiled eggs have got a perfect custard-like egg yolk with some serious flow. As for the rice, expect a plate of fluffy rice that is mildly fragrant and not too greasy. Garlic flavour yes, but subtle.

One thing that never changes is their dedication to the use of good quality ingredients. Their fresh chicken is simply poached, sits in cold water, chopped and served. The chicken is cut chunky with an ultra smooth skin and some beautiful gelatin layer between the skin and meat. The flesh? Absolutely tender and sweet!

The popular ginger dip still stays. It was made with roughly blended fresh ginger mash mixed with chopped scallions. The ginger dip has none of the watery base, it was still packed with lots of punch even though the blended ginger appeared more coarse and dry during our day of visit. But to be fair, we went on their forth day of operation so there are still some teething issues.

The “normal” chilli sauce caters to the masses with a balance of tanginess (from the Thai lime), sweetness and is not too spicy. But niven has got this special blended spicy chilli sauce which is only served upon request. I can only use one word to describe it – SHIOK. The spiciness is enough to send some droplets of sweat forming on my forehead. But it’s so good that I pair it with every mouthful of my rice.

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