Goldhill Family Restaurant: Super affordable cai png for as low as $2 in the heart of Hougang
In this day and age, the cost of everything is just too high. Simple meals like chicken rice, once S$2 a plate, have now easily increased to $4. So imagine my surprise when I learned that Goldhill Family Restaurant serves up cai png (AKA economic rice) for as low as S$2!
Right in the heart of Hougang, this residents’ favourite can easily see a long queue, especially during the lunch rush, so it’s best to queue up early. I made the mistake of going there during lunch hour and had to wait about 20 minutes before getting my food.
Going in, there was quite a simple selection— not really what I’m used to, compared to other cai png stalls with trays of dishes stacked on each other. However, I’m not a fussy eater, and I’d say that the streamlined choices did help reduce the stress of wondering what to eat.
What I tried at Goldhill Family Restaurant
Goldhill Family Restaurant is a typical choose-your-own-dish stall. I found it cute that they have a price list near the counter before you pay so you can estimate your total damage. One quick important note: they only accept cash, so make sure you have enough on hand ahead of time!
In this case, I’ll review the dishes I chose. My usual go-to, whenever I order cai png (if they have it), is chicken curry, sweet and sour pork, and stir-fried brinjal. This time, they only had one of the 3 dishes I typically go for, so I had to choose alternatives.
I decided to go for a scissor-cut rice vibe and included braised pork belly and stir-fried cabbage. I’d also heard a lot of praise for their fried chicken wings (S$1.10 per piece) and decided to give that a try. In total, my damage was S$5 with 2 meats, 1 vegetable, and 2 pieces of chicken wings.
The chicken curry was a traditional-style Chinese with a mild flavour profile but an appropriate amount of kick from the spices. The chicken was cooked beautifully; I could even pick the bones clean. I would’ve preferred a little more heat from the curry and chicken pieces, as they gave me two small pieces, but it was a decent dish.
Next up is the braised pork belly. The pork belly was incredibly tender, with an almost melt-in-your-mouth consistency (except for the occasional bones I accidentally bit on while eating).
The sauce was rich and thick, with a robust flavour profile. It checked all the boxes for me with its balance between sweet and salty. My only gripe was that the portion given was less than I would have liked, but it was still a solid dish overall.
Moving on to the only vegetable dish they had for the day— the stir-fried cabbage. This was the first time I’d chosen cabbage as a cai png dish, but I felt like I needed some balance, and as this was the only greens they had, I just went for it. The cabbage was still crunchy and not mushy, holding its flavours beautifully.
Compared to the other dishes, it was slightly bland, but that may have been on me as I chose dishes with a more robust flavour profile. I suggest pairing it with milder dishes if you want the flavours to shine through. Safe to say that this would not be the last time I chose cabbage as one of my cai png dishes.
Saving the best for last, the chicken wing. Where do I even begin with this? The chicken was nice and crispy on the outside and moist, juicy and tender on the inside. It was so well cooked throughout that, once again, I could pick the bones clean.
Flavour-wise, it used the standard spice mix for chicken wings, and while it wasn’t earth-shattering, it was still satisfying. Needless to say, I can tell why this was a crowd favourite. Moreover, they fry the chicken wings in batches, so you can most likely expect to receive them while they’re still nice and warm.
Final thoughts
While the variety of dishes was less extensive than I’d expected, it’s safe to say that Goldhill Family Restaurant still does what it does well. I can see why they’re a resident favourite, and while it’s a little out of the way for me, I would come back for a plate if I’m ever around the area – though I would still try my best to avoid the lunch crowds.
Expected damage: S$2 – S$5
The post Goldhill Family Restaurant: Super affordable cai png for as low as $2 in the heart of Hougang appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
