I really dislike stalls with a massive menu selection; they’re my kryptonite! It took me 10 whole minutes of menu contemplation before I finally placed my lunch order at Chin Kee 77 along Hougang Avenue 5.
And I’m not even kidding! You would normally expect claypot rice, bak kut teh and roasted meats to be sold in 3 separate shops, but this stall has everything under one roof. Chin Kee 77 isn’t an independent stall and has another outlet at Toa Payoh.
What I tried at Chin Kee 77
I decided to start with the Wanton Noodle (S$4.50). Visually, nothing stood out except for the thiccc slices of gleaming char siew that were resting on a bed of noodles. Green veggies and a bowl of 3 wantons were served alongside.
After tossing the delicate strands of mee kia, the colour transitioned into a richer dark brown. I was expecting it to be the usual Singaporean style, but it turned out to be Malaysian style with dark soya sauce instead.
The noodles were perfectly seasoned and hit that sweet spot of dark soy perfection— even my dining partner who dislikes this particular way couldn’t resist its yummy charms!
The char siew slices weren’t dry and the fatty parts melted in my mouth like butter on a piping-hot pancake— so satisfying. Lean meat lovers should steer clear of this!
The soup was light and flavourful with pieces of winter melon. The wantons were decent, run-of-the-mill ones with plain minced pork and silky skin— no complaints!
Its been a while since I’ve had delicious claypot rice, and so the arrival of the Ipoh Claypot Chicken Rice (S$6)Â got me excited. It arrived with pieces of chicken and Chinese sausage, concealing the bed of rice underneath.
Everyone who’s in my circle knows that I’m obsessed with dark soya sauce. If I ever found out who is the creator of this heavenly condiment, I’ll kneel down and kiss his/her feet for sure. To begin with, the rice was already dark, but I didn’t care and continued slathering more and gave it a good mix.
The rice had a substantial amount of smoky aroma and taste with hints of ginger. The portion of chicken was generous and had large tender pieces which was packed full of flavour.
“It’s cheaper than the usual stall I patronise and the amount of chicken is almost double,” my dining partner commented.
There was a single large piece of salted fish, which we broke up into multiple tiny bits to enjoy with the rice and other ingredients. Upon reaching the bottom half, we were disappointed to find no burnt bits of rice stuck to the sides of the claypot.
For S$7.80, I found the price point of the Dang Gui Duck Trio Combination Platter Rice to be quite reasonable. It consisted of herbal roasted duck, sio bak and char siew slices.
The less-crispy skin on the roasted pork dampened my mood slightly. However, the meat-to-fat ratio of the rest of it was great.
The dang gui duck impressed me with its tender meat and subtle herby notes, knocking my socks off. The slices of char siew were similar to the Wanton Noodle, fatty and delicious.
Feel free to enhance your meal with the preserved green chilli slices or the two variations of chilli sauce available at the front. The diluted, chicken rice-like chilli delivers a spicy punch with a hint of acidity, while the chunky, darker-looking one offers a fragrant umami taste.
Spotting Bak Kut Teh (S$5.80) on the menu made me suspect that the soup base for my final dish, the Pepper Chicken Soup (S$5.50), would be the same.
And my hunch was spot-on! The pepper in the soup had a kick, but it wasn’t overwhelming to the point that I had to take a breather. I loved the grassy notes of the fresh coriander on top, which paired perfectly with the soup, akin to maple syrup with pancakes.
With such a strong start, the chicken fell short with its slightly tough meat and bland taste— what a pity!
Final thoughts
Chin Kee 77 is a one-stop stall where you can enjoy 4 varieties of hawker favourites. My top picks are definitely the claypot rice and the wanton noodle.
These days, it’s tough to find a claypot rice that matches the satisfaction of my favourite one from Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre (can you guess which stall?), but this place does it quite well. So, kudos to them!
Surprisingly, even the wanton mee, which I hadn’t expected much from, turned out to be a hit at the table for the day.
If you’re hanging out at the town centre near The Midtown, why not cross the road and come give them a try?
Expected damage: S$4.50 – S$10 per pax
Deng Wen Ji 鄧文记: The best hokkien mee, claypot rice & wanton mee under one roof
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