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No other dish is quintessentially Singaporean than Hainanese Chicken Rice, except perhaps for Chili Crab. But for those of us who are a tad allergic to seafood, this dish exemplifies the best in Singaporean cuisine. It’s served everywhere, in hawker centers, fast-food courts in malls, swanky hotels and humble homes all over the city-state, much like the ubiquitous adobo in the Philippines.

In a recent trip to Singapore, my sister brought us to a small, unassuming restaurant along Thomson Road in the Novena Ville area, right across the Novena church, where Catholic Pinoys congregate every Sunday. The Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice & Restaurant has a reputation which belies its humble façade.

As its name says, its specialty is Hainanese Chicken Rice, and locals and tourists alike are willing to go out of their way and stand in line for what is, essentially, a basic meal of boiled chicken topped over rice. Former Philippine President Joseph “Erap” Estrada is said to be a loyal fan and would have Wee Nam Kee chicken brought to his hotel suite whenever he was in town, to be enjoyed, I would imagine, with an ice-cold bottle of Tiger beer.

We were there shortly after the lunch hour crush, and were lucky to get a table immediately. There are only five or six tables in the entire joint, and yuppies stood elbow to elbow with tourists and sundry locals hankering for comfort food, Singapore-style. We ordered a platter consisting of a half-chicken Hainanese-style and half a roasted chicken, good enough for three.

Service is quick, as the cooked ingredients are displayed at the window counter, ready to be served. What gives the dish its special allure is the rice which accompanies it, which is cooked in specially prepared chicken stock. The chicken itself is tender and flavorful, dripping in oil, having been boiled in pork and chicken stock, the exact recipe of which is a closely guarded secret of the proprietor. We ordered other dishes, but the centerpiece of the meal was the Hainanese chicken. Its served with generous dips of hoisin sauce, also known as plum sauce, crushed ginger and chili paste. One thing our Thai, Malay and Singaporean cousins have in common with us Pinoys is our love for dipping sauces, without which most meals would be incomplete.

The chicken was so succulent, I wolfed down my first serving of rice and got another. Conversation at our table stopped completely as we concentrated on the feast before us and resumed only after we had our fill .

Mixing the chicken meat with the dip with the rice was just so heavenly. It must be the ginger and garlic flavors that brings out the flavors. A Singaporean describes it this way: Part of the whole ritual in eating this dish is smothering your cream-coloured chicken fat laced rice with ribbons of sweet dark soy sauce, chilli sauce and pounded ginger and to mix it all together, matching flavour for flavour.

The recipe itself originated from Hainan, the smallest province of China, located at its southern coast. Chinese immigrants brought to it to the Malay peninsula, where local refinements were introduced , making it a regional favorite all over Southeast Asia. Philippine tycoon Lucio Tan is said to be so enamored of Hainanese Chicken Rice, he had a chef from his hotel apprentice with the top establishments in Hong Kong, for the sole purpose of obtaining the best possible recipe for the dish. It is said that his Century Park Hotel serves the best Hainanese chicken in Manila.

But one need not be a tycoon to enjoy exceptional Hainanese chicken, specially if one happens to be in Singapore. Prices are a little higher than one would expect from a no-frills set-up (approx. 10 -15 Singapore dollars per head, without drinks), but you get what you pay for. The Wee Nam Kee experience is certainly worth it

Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice & Restaurant
275 Thomson Road
#01-05, Novena Ville
Singapore 307645
(opposite Novena Church)

Business Hours: 10:00 am- 2:00 AM

For Takeaway, Delivery Service, Buffet
Call: (65) 6255 6396 or
Fax (65) 6252 9858

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