Hup Hong Chicken Rice: “Must eat” chicken rice with handmade achar & long queues daily
Crowned as “one of the best chicken rice in Jurong“, this chicken rice store may be unfamiliar to fellow West-siders.
Selling plates of highly-raved chicken rice, Hup Hong Chicken Rice at Yuhua Village Market and Food Centre has solidified a reputation for extremely long queues during lunchtime. Unsurprisingly, Hup Hong has been included in the Michelin Guide’s list of recommended stalls.
As a chicken rice fanatic, I couldn’t resist a plate of fluffy white rice topped with pieces of juicy chicken! Adding on to the Hup Hong Chicken Rice’s unshakeable popularity, Michelin has described that “the wait is worthwhile”.
Hence, I was curious to find out if the stall lived up to its hype.
What I tried at Hup Hong Chicken Rice
Contrary to Google’s Opening Hours, the store does not close at 5.30pm. I learned it the hard way as I made a trip down, twice. According to one of the staff at Hup Hong Chicken Rice, the store sells out as early as 2pm!
My second trip to Yuhua Village was thankfully, not a bleak one. After scanning through rows of the humble hawker center’s stalls (lots of hidden gems here), I came face to face with a chicken rice stall with a really really long queue stretching across 1 stall to the tray return area.
It was none other than Hup Hong. I also espied a red dragon lantern hanging above the stall that truly reflects their 大排长龙.
This patient line of customers seemed to be admirably unfazed by the amount of people waiting in front of them. Perhaps they are regulars? To confirm my suspicions, I had a chat with a kind woman waiting in line with me. And I was right.
She has been patronising Hup Hong Chicken Rice for the past 30 years. Setting the stall as her numero uno priority, she shared that she usually tries to beat the queue by arriving early. However, the length of the queue is immutable.
At the time I met her, she had been queuing for 30 minutes since 11am to dabao packets of Char Siew Fan (S$3.50) for her children. Lucky them. But it was then that I realised I was in for a treat. After waiting for around 20 minutes or more, I decided to order the regular’s recommendation of chicken and char siew – Steamed Chicken + Char Siew Fan (S$4.50), the best of both worlds.
Instead of your regular side of cucumber slices, the chicken rice stall serves handmade achar that is freshly made every morning. According to the customer though, the achar is only served to regulars like her. Noooo…
Surprisingly, before I mustered my courage to ask if I could try a serving of that crisp-looking blend of fruits and vegetables, the staff generously added a scoop of achar to my rice. Yay!
As I parted ways with the friendly woman, I tucked into the warm plate of glistening meat and chicken rice in front of me.
Drenched in dark soy sauce, the chicken rice was fragrant and prepared to my liking – not greasy or clumpy. It was also a great pairing to the meats without overloading the palate! This time, I also dared myself to try the Steamed Chicken with their aromatic chilli sauce.
Let’s first dive into the Steamed Chicken. Featuring a layer of smooth gelatinous skin, the tender chicken was well-cooked with no pinkish areas within. However, it would have been perfect if it was a little more moist. I found myself taking back my complaints once the chicken was dipped into the spicy sauce.
Now coupled with a tangy edge, the chicken had a subtle sweetness with an earthy undertone. I was extremely excited to try the ‘regular exclusive’ achar which was a crunchy combination of carrot julienne, slices of cucumber and refreshing pineapple chunks.
It did not disappoint. After much experimenting, a spoon of achar and chicken topped with a dollop of chilli sauce offered a multifaceted explosion of flavours that steadily intensified over time.
As for the char siew, the lean meat was succulent and coated with the same savoury sauce that covered the chicken rice. The fat to meat ratio was perfect but I wished that there was more depth to it as I couldn’t exactly taste the char. Otherwise, Hup Hong Chicken Rice did a fantastic job with its roasted delights.
How could I forget the staple behind every chicken rice? Unlike most chicken rice stores, Hup Hong serves comforting bowls of cabbage soup, reminiscent of your grandmother’s cooking. Simple yet tasty, I enjoyed slurping it all up with a mouthful of rice!
Final Thoughts
Due to its affordable price and above-average quality, I could see the hype behind Hup Hong Chicken Rice.
Although their chicken rice may not be the best in Singapore, it satisfied my hungry stomach immensely and I would definitely return for their Chicken + Char Siew Fan (S$4.50) if I was in the area again.
My biggest regret? Not opting for the Roasted Chicken. After finishing up my meal, I chanced upon multiple customers taking a bite out of the chicken which had a roasted brown skin that looked simply delectable. Ughh, that could’ve been me!
Regardless, I strongly believe that Hup Hong Chicken Rice has garnered a loyal following of customers that will continue to support them from generation to generation.
Back to you now. Will you chicken out of this queue?
Expected damage: S$3.50 to S$4.50 per pax
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