Ming Kee Chicken Rice & Porridge (Bugis Street) 明记鸡饭粥 (Bishan)

Ming Kee Chicken Rice & Porridge (Bugis Street) 明记鸡饭粥 is probably the most famous chicken rice  located in a heartland coffeeshop. To be more precise, it is located at the coffeeshop directly opposite the Bishan Community Centre, 5 minutes away from Bishan MRT station. 

You may notice that this is the only chicken rice stall where you are unable to find any chicken being displayed (hanging). The reason is because the chicken once cooked are dunked into tubs filled with ice water. The chicken are kept there till it is ready to be chopped. When the chicken is chopped into halves or quarters, they are kept in trays of ice water which are displayed at the counter till the point they are being used. The process of dunking the chicken into ice water immediately after cooking is called shocking. Shocking is normally done to ensure that the chicken will not be overcooked and firm up the skin.

The shocking process is also used to make Ajitsuke Tamago / Japanese Runny Egg / Ramen Egg.

Chicken Rice $3 + Gizzard $0.50

Does the fork and spoon look unique? Wonder if they are trying to portray an image of kids friendly!

Chicken Rice $3 + Gizzard $0.50

Look at how generous they are with the chicken, gizzard and rice. The chicken was soft, tender, moist and slightly cold. Each piece of chicken was thick and meaty (makes me wonder why other chicken at other chicken outlets seems to be so skinny and thin). The flavour and juices seemed to have been sealed inside (maybe by the shocking process). I found it weird that not all parts had a jelly layer under the skin. The jelly layer normally occurs when shocking is done. Another chicken rice stall with jelly layer under the chicken skin is the Da Po Hainanese Chicken Rice at Golden Mile Food Centre.

The rice was a tad too hard for my liking. Fortunately, it had the fragrant and flavour required of the hallmark of a good chicken rice.  

Gizzard $0.50

A generous amount of Gizzard was given. In fact, this is probably the most generous amount I have been given for just 50 cents at any chicken rice stalls.

If you were to ask what is the down side of this stall? Well, its their chilli. It was not as spicy and seems diluted. 

Long queue

There is always a long queue at this stall during meal times. During a recent visit, I was quite surprised to see the queue stretching up to than 19 people long (yes, I counted!), and forming a L-shape queue as it extends out of the interior of the coffee shop. In case you are wonder, I joined the queue and waited for half an hour before it was my turn to order.

As I was queuing, I noticed that they cleared the queue relatively fast. There was a total of seven people manning the stall. Very systematic. Two person will be chopping the chicken for customers. Another two person take the order and collect the money. Among these two, one will be scooping the rice or packing the rice as many customers were packing back the food. Another two person were in the stall preparing, cooking, dunking the chicken into the tubs of cold water. Lastly, an elderly lady was sitting in front of the stall, packing the chilli for takeaway and occasionally helping in the stall. Thanks to their efficient operating systems, customers like me do not need to wait too long despite the long queue.*Thumbs up*.

Personally, I think this is probably one of the best chicken rice in Bishan (or should I say within the Woodlands, Sembawang, Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan estates).

Ming Kee Chicken Rice & Porridge (Bugis Street) 明记鸡饭粥 (Bishan)

Blk 511 Bishan Street 13

#01- 522 Kim San Leng Food Centre 

Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 930pm

                         Closed on alternate Tue

Location

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