Killer Hainanese chicken rice & crunchy juicy bean sprouts draws lunch crowd

I thought I had put my chicken rice adventures to rest after travelling around Klang Valley trying the best my city has to offer. However, just a few days ago, my chicken rice instincts were summoned to try Nasi Ayam Sungai Buloh, a chicken rice restaurant located in Sungai Buloh that serves authentic Hainanese chicken rice fare which supposedly tastes way better than the Michelin-approved stalls. 

According to reviews, this chicken rice restaurant is often teeming with customers during lunch time so I decided to head over for breakfast.  I recommend you to do the same as there were very few customers at 10am. 

Parking here is definitely a challenge but thankfully there is a free open parking space located just 3 minutes away from the restaurant. 

What I tried at Nasi Ayam Sungai Buloh

There’s no roast chicken, roast pork or char siew here— just Hainanese poached chicken rice. 

You can opt for a plate of plain chicken rice (RM7) but I suggest you go for the soup with the famous springy fish balls as well as the bean sprouts. This in total chalks up to RM14 and is worth every cent. Just trust me. 

The server will ask if you prefer your chicken deboned. Even though I’m a sucker for a juicy chicken thigh, I decided to stray from my usual path and opted for deboned— the perfect way to test if the chicken breast is dry and chewy or tender. 

Within 10 minutes, the server swiftly came around with a plate of rice, a side of poached chicken, soup with fish balls, a plate of fat bean sprouts and a small bowl of chilli. 

It must be said that Nasi Ayam Sungai Buloh does live up to its reputation as ‘one of the best chicken rice’, as the poached chicken is really hard to beat in both taste and texture. The tender chicken meat is immersed in a balanced soya sauce cocktail which bears the unmistakable fragrance of sesame oil. 

I’m usually not a fan of chicken breast, however the chicken served here was unmistakably tender and didn’t require a lot of chewing. I was really surprised by this texture as I’ve had many unfortunate experiences which involved me tirelessly chewing on poached chicken breast. 

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I absolutely enjoyed their chilli sauce as it had a spicy kick to it. It was like a magical combination: a spoonful of rice, flavourful tender chicken, and a dash of chilli. Each spoonful was a delight. The rice (perfumed with ginger and chicken stock) also hits the spot. The grains are fluffy and not too oily, so you won’t end your meal feeling overly stuffed.

The one dish that really blew my mind was the bean sprouts. Yes, I can’t believe I’m saying this but the vegetable was truly the highlight of my meal. Topped with fried onions and spring onions, every bite of the fat bean sprouts was a treat to the ears. Crunch, crunch.

I learned that the bean sprouts were from Ipoh— that explained their tastiness. It is no hidden secret that bean sprouts grown in Ipoh are the best in the world. Local lore says it’s because the limestone makes the water special.

I digress. I’ve eaten way too many plates of bean sprouts at chicken rice stalls but most of the time, they were nothing to shout about. The one at Nasi Ayam Sungai Buloh, however, was extremely fresh, crunchy and juicy. In fact, at one point, I had the bean sprouts with plain rice and still enjoyed it. I wiped the entire plate clean— that’s how delicious it was. 

Final thoughts

Is this the best Hainanese chicken rice I’ve ever had? I would have to say yes, but it has to be paired with the chilli sauce and bean sprouts for it to be a wholesome dish. There’s nothing fancy about this chicken rice dish but it just makes you feel right at home. 

If you’re ever looking for a reason to travel down to Sungai Buloh, this chicken rice shop has got to be it.

Expected damage: RM7 – RM14 per pax

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