There are many hawker food centers in Singapore, but one of the most well known in the center of the city is Maxwell Food Centre, home to a number of legendary food stalls, and a food court that attracts both local Singaporeans and plenty of tourists. When I asked where to eat Singapore chicken rice in Singapore, one of the many suggestions was Tian Tian Chicken Rice, the most well known stall at Maxwell, and perhaps one of the busiest stalls in all of Singapore. The stall has been publicized by many tv shows and celebrities.
Ying and I arrived to Maxwell quite early, about 11 am, in an effort to beat the main lunchtime rush, and luckily we arrived so it wasn’t too busy. But Tian Tian chicken rice still had a line, with about 20 people in front of us. Luckily, the line didn’t take long and we ordered ½ a chicken and a plate of rice and brought it back to a table. Additionally, I was also interested in trying the fish bee hoon from a stall called Jing Hua Sliced Fish Bee Hoon, which oftentimes has an equally long line of hungry customers.
Let’s start with the chicken rice. The rice was very sticky and fragrant with garlic and shallots. The chicken for me was a little on the soft side, a little too soft, and it was drenched in an oily gravy sauce. The chicken overall wasn’t my favorite… I think it was too soft and it lacked that good chicken texture. The sauce, which included a combination of chilies, garlic, and ginger, was pretty good – drinkable good. Overall, I like the rice and the sauce, but definitely I tried better boiled Hainanese chicken I think. A well known Singapore food blogger, Dr. Leslie Tay (http://ieatishootipost.sg/best-chicken-rice-in-singapore-and-the-winner-is/) conducted a survey about the best chicken rice in Singapore and Tian Tian Chicken Rice was the clear winner, so it’s still a favorite in Singapore, but it seems that everyone has their own favorite in the city.
The fish bee hoon from Jing Hua Sliced Fish Bee Hoon I thought was pretty good. It was plain and soothing, with a milky broth and fresh slices of fish. It made a good tasting, healthy, and light dish to accompany my chicken rice. There are a lot more dishes to try at Maxwell Food Centre as well, so it’s a great place to browse around and eat when you’re in Singapore.
Tian Tian Chicken Rice
Address: Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur St
Open hours: 11 am – 8 pm (closed on Monday)
Prices: I had the ½ chicken for $12 SGD, but you can just get rice topped with chicken for much less
Jing Hua Sliced Fish Bee Hoon
Address: Stall #77 at Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur St
Open hours: 11 am – 8:30 pm (closed on Thursday)
Prices: $5 SGD
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