Tried and Tested at Wee Nam Kee, Singapore

Much has been said about Singapore's Hainanese Chicken Rice. Debates have sparked here and there as to which restaurant or hawker stall reigns supreme. Each one has his or her own opinion and that's perfectly fine. We all know that taste is subjective. So what tastes better for me may not be the same case for you. However, one thing is certain -- Hainanese Chicken Rice (together with the Kaya Toast) has surely put Singapore right at the center of the foodie map and for years..maybe even decades now, it has sealed its spot right there and I don't think this will change soon.

No visit to the Lion City is complete without having a taste of this delectable dish that consists of boiled chicken cooked in a rich and really flavorful stock. It comes with a cup of rice that is also cooked using the same stock and is drizzled with oil and is served with a trio of dipping sauce -- ginger oil, sticky soy sauce and chili. Friends would always ask me where's the best Hainanese Chicken Rice for me and today, I'll finally answer this question -- it's definitely Wee Nam Kee.

I grew up having Chicken Rice every time we would come and visit Singapore. However, I never really thought much about it. I liked it, yes but it was only back in 2010 when Paul and I finally found THE ONE. It was during our week-long honeymoon here that we were able to try quite a number of stalls and shops selling Hainanese Chicken Rice. Finally, one evening we tried Wee Nam Kee and right there and then we knew we found a winner. We just love the tender chicken meat which had a good balance of meat, a bit of fat and bones. It's one of the most flavorful chickens that I've had that often times, I would even forget to use the dipping sauces as I'm happy eating just the chicken and a bit of its sauce.

So, we were so excited to go back to Wee Nam Kee last year but were surprised to learn that the original site across the Novena Church has closed down. Luckily, they have reopened late last year at the United Square Mall  which is more accessible to the MRT station. Before anything else, let me talk a bit about the service. I have to warn you that you won't be getting very friendly and courteous service here. The staff are always in a hurry to the point of them making you feel like you're wasting your time if you request for additional utensils or you take your time in deciding what to order. Majority of them also are purely Chinese-speakers but the menu is in English and with a little hand gestures and pointing, you'll surely survive. :)



Every time we're at Wee Nam Kee, we would always get Half White Chicken (S$16) which is good for 3-4 pax to share. The meat was very tender and it easily falls off the bone so you can be assured of having a struggle-free dining experience while enjoying this.

As for the rice, I truly adore Chicken Rice. I know it's not as healthy as having a bowl of plain white rice but really, enjoying Hainanese Chicken with Chicken Rice just makes perfect sense. During one of our recent visits with our visiting friend A, we even ordered an extra bowl to share because one if just not enough.

To go with our Hainanese Chicken, we also got the Cereal Prawns (S$19) which is coated with sweet crunchy oats that I just love to mix into my rice. The prawns were deep-fried to the crisp that you can actually eat it whole. What we love is that they are very generous with the size, one order gives you about 5-6 medium-sized prawns.

As for our veggies, we always get the Stir-Fried Tow Miao in Garlic (S$8). This simple yet fragrant dish will surely get you to eat your greens. I love the crunchy bite that I get and the sweet flavor of tow miao in every spoonful. Yum!

We are such huge fans of Wee Nam Kee that we were also able to visit the one in Manila. I noticed though that the menu here is simpler while the one in Manila has more offerings similar to a classic Chinese restaurant. However, the taste of the chicken was pretty much the same so you are assured of enjoying authentic Hainanese Chinese Rice in Manila.

Wee Nam Kee is located at #01-08 United Square, 101 Thomson Road in Singapore. Call them at 6255-6396. To get there: take the MRT towards Novena Station (red line) and follow the directions to United Square.