Garlic Roasted Chicken Rice Shop: Queue-worthy RM6.50 chicken rice with a garlic twist in Sunway, PJ
All my life I’ve had chicken rice. You simply can’t go wrong with it— it’s economical, tasty and well, addictive. Growing up in Penang especially, a humble plate of chicken rice was something you sought solace and comfort in, especially for lunch.
So you can imagine my excitement when I caught wind of an unconventional ‘garlic roasted chicken rice shop’ being heralded as the best chicken rice in Sunway and perhaps, even Subang Jaya. I got straight into my ‘King of the Road’ and set Waze to this famed chicken rice location.
Situated right opposite Sunway College and University, it’s not difficult to locate the Garlic Roasted Chicken Rice Shop. A simple-looking coffee shop (parking however is a hassle). Hanging from hooks are slabs of roasted pork, roasted chicken, Hainanese poached chicken, tea eggs and Chinese sausage.
What I tried at Garlic Roasted Chicken Rice Shop
The options are straightforward: chicken rice, roasted pork rice, char siew rice, sausage rice and a mix of the meats with rice. I selected the must-try Chicken Rice (RM6.50) and ordered a one person portion of Char Siew and Roasted Pork (RM8.50).
Within minutes my order arrived and yes— the garlic roasted chicken. It’s exactly what it sounds like. Crispy, fragrant fried garlic sprinkled atop the roasted chicken along with a handful of chopped spring onions and cilantro. What I particularly like about this place is their fragrant golden rice that came together with the chicken— it’s tough to find this buttery rice sold at chicken rice shops nowadays. Another worthy mention is the soup, chock-full of ingredients such as dates, old cucumber and chicken.
Noticing the continuous onslaught of customers, I eagerly spooned some of the soup into my rice and carefully topped with the roasted chicken and bits of garlic. A quick bite and I found myself surprised. I’m usually not an avid fan of chicken breast but this was tender and the little bits of fried garlic elevated this humble dish even more. If you’re smittened by the crispy fried garlic, the shop also sells it by the bottle (RM12).
Next on the chopping block was roasted pork. To be frank, I wasn’t expecting much as quite a lot of chicken rice shops have let me down in terms of the roasted pork. More often than not, the cuts were too fatty and the meat too bland. Plus, the skin might be crispy, but not to the degree of snap-in-your-mouth perfection.
So when I felt and heard the crunch of the pork belly skin mixed with the rice between my teeth, I was practically euphoric. I well began scooping all the roasted pork into my plate to see if this was just a one-time miracle. It was perfect, the crisp crackling and there was a good fat to meat ratio. If I had more room in my stomach, I would have ordered another plate of the roasted pork.
At this point, I had stellar hopes for the char siew, hoping it would blow my mind senseless. Alas’ the char siew was just mediocre, nothing to shout out (I think Toast & Roast makes the tastiest char siew ever). But still I had no issues polishing off both plates of meat, rice and soup. And I must admit RM8.50 for roasted pork and char siew is cheap, especially considering the rather affluent neighbourhood. Even my friends from Penang when hearing my roasted garlic chicken rice adventure, were surprised at such an affordable price.
Final thoughts
Quick tip— if you plan on swinging by this chicken rice joint, come before lunch time, otherwise you’ll be in for a long queue. The coffee shop is fairly spacious but it will definitely be tough to secure a seat with all the hungry students jostling for a bite. I also read that the chicken tends to sell out by 1pm. You can also buy a bottle of their homemade Chicken Rice Chilli Sauce (RM7) which packs a spicy punch but nevertheless still tasty. 6
All in all, if you’re looking for a no-frills, wallet-friendly, old-school chicken rice with a garlic punch, Garlic Roasted Chicken Rice Shop in Sunway is your best bet. I know I’ll be back for a serving of their roasted pork, that’s for sure.
Expected damage: RM6.50 – RM10 per pax
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