Hong Kong Lung Hwa 雞飯 · 麵: Ex-Luk Yu chef reopens after 1 year with HK-style chicken rice
If you asked, “Where can I get authentic Hong Kong char siew and sio bak?”, most Toa Payoh residents would point you to Hong Kong Lung Hwa Roasted Delights at 127 Toa Payoh Food Centre.
But that was in the past. The famed melt-in-your-mouth Canto-style roast meat store is now called Hong Kong Lung Hwa Chicken Rice & Noodles at Mei Ling Market & Food Centre.
Why the shift and rebrand?
Mr Leung and his wife took a 1-year hiatus for Mr Leung to rest after a surgery. Sadly, the store had to change their menu to ensure a comfortable workload for his health. The move unfortunately included the removal of roast duck and BBQ pork.
Hailing from Hong Kong, Mr Leung is a globetrotting chef who has worked all around the world! Boasting over 30 years of roasting expertise, he began his culinary journey at Hong Kong’s iconic Luk Yu Tea House, which led him to stints in China, Thailand, Japan and Canada before he settled in Singapore.
What I tried at Hong Kong Lung Hwa 雞飯 · 麵
It’s been a long time since I visited my father’s childhood neighbourhood. Nevertheless, I made my way to Mei Ling Market & Food Centre determined to meet the esteemed Mr Leung. Fortunately, it is just an 8-minute walk from Queenstown MRT.
Located on the second level of the 2-storey building, Hong Kong Lung Hwa Chicken Rice & Noodles is among one of the few hawker stores that was constantly humming with activity in the early afternoon. I knew that I was at the right place.
The formidable team of Mr Leung and Mrs Leung were churning out orders at incredible speed. There was a quiet understanding between the experienced couple that could only be achieved after 11-plus years of helming stores together. 高手！
Tempted by the glistening chicken hanging at the storefront, I ordered a Steamed Chicken Noodle (S$4.00) and a Soy Sauce Chicken Rice (S$4.00) with an additional topping of Braised Egg (S$0.80).
My order was unsurprisingly served within minutes. Interestingly, Mrs Leung added a mysterious condiment to each dish. I would later discover that this mix of spring onion and other vegetables is a special Hong Kong-style condiment that requires meticulous preparation despite its small quantity!
Similar to other chicken rice stores, all orders at Hong Kong Lung Hwa Chicken Rice & Noodles are served with a side of clear soup too. After I greedily helped myself to their spread of free condiments – dark soy sauce, ginger and red chilli, I got down to tasting.
Layered with thin gelatinous skin, the steamed chicken was clean and tender. It was a satisfying pair to the dish’s generous portion of springy egg noodles that were coated with savoury light soy sauce! This was what made me devour the Steamed Chicken Noodle in one go…
I was surprised to see an addition of pork lard nestled within the strands of noodles. With every crunch, the lard added a delightful contrast to the succulent chicken and chewy noodles. Bursting with flavour, the combination was so good that I rationed my pork lard to my egg noodles. LOL
About the Hong Kong-style condiment, I am a spring onion hater but this is the only spring onion variation that I would ever eat. The aromatic condiment was nothing like I’d ever tasted before, so it was surprising to find myself mixing it vigorously with my noodles and rice.
Moving on to the Soy Sauce Chicken Rice with Braised Egg, the dish at Hong Kong Lung Hwa Chicken Rice & Noodles that stole the show (and my heart).
A good chicken rice should be moist and not clumpy at all. Well, the Leungs’ chicken rice was the embodiment of perfection as each rice grain was distinct and fragrantly cooked! I was disheartened to see a lack of braised skin on the soy sauce chicken though. Perhaps I should have arrived earlier?
Regardless, I enjoyed dipping both the steamed chicken and soy sauce chicken in their ginger sauce that had ginger bits for a twang of piquant spice.
Coupled with the browned braised egg and fresh xiao bai cai, the Soy Sauce Chicken Rice was still an enjoyable dish overall.
Final Thoughts
Although business at Hong Kong Lung Hwa Chicken Rice & Noodles is not as bustling as at their original branch at Toa Payoh, Mr Leung and Mrs Leung have their fair share of loyal customers at Mei Ling Market & Food Centre.
With leaving part of their previous menu behind, I couldn’t imagine letting go of a history they knew so well.
Maybe I’m just too emotional or a sucker for elderly couples, but the Leungs were a poignant reminder of the human spirit’s ability to overcome any adversity. Despite setbacks, they have stood together through the thick and thin of Singapore’s fierce hawker industry.
I’m eager to try their renowned Char Siew Roasted Pork Rice (S$5.50) next. What about you?
Expected damage: S$3.50 to S$5.50 per pax
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