Wee Nam Kee @ Novena (2021)

Just happened to be around here for meetings, so my colleagues and I decided to eat at Wee Nam Kee for quick lunch before more meetings in the afternoon.

Wee Nam Kee was one of the bastions of Hainanese Chicken Rice in Singapore. Their shop opposite Novena Church was the favourite among my generation, including the famous singer Kit Chan. They have a soy chicken version that was made famous by Nam Kee. That’s where their name “Nam Kee” came from – Mar Wee’s Nam Kee.

Hainanese Poached Chicken is not a Michelin-star dish, but it requires a Michelin-star attitude to produce a proper poached chicken so that the fat between the skin and meat becomes jelly and the chicken cooked at just the right doneness. One minute more, the chicken is overcooked. One minute less, there’s still blood in the chicken.

They are also famous for their Roasted Chicken. In fact they are rated to be one of the best roasted chicken in Singapore. The meat was tender and the skin was very savoury and fragrant.

For a balanced meal, we ordered some greens – and the favourite was always Belachan Kang Kong.

And my favourite with chicken rice – Salted Fish Bean Sprouts.

The Prawn Dumpling was quite delicious, each came with an entire shrimp in it. And it used the same stock that was used to poach the chicken, yummy.

One of the best dipping sauce for chicken rice: The combination of chilli sauce, ginger paste and dark soy sauce makes up a perfect condiment to go with chicken rice. No doubt, this is the thing that makes or breaks the meal. And Wee Nam Kee is famous for its outstanding sauce, a mixture of spicy chilli sauce, yellow pasty ginger and silky, thick and less salty dark soy sauce. The chicken-flavoured rice was still not as good some others, and this time it was mushy and broken – not much of an improvement since the last time I was here in 2018.

Founded in 1987, Wee Nam Kee takes pride in serving one of Singapore’s favourite and iconic dish – Hainanese Chicken Rice. Wee Nam Kee has since evolved to become a chain of chicken rice stores across the island. The outlet at United Square was set up to replace the original one at Novena Ville and gave it a brighter new look. Service was really prompt, the food was served almost immediately after ordering. Table turnover was quick for lunchtime, so don’t expect to queue long or stick around after the meal.

Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice Restaurant
101 Thomson Road, #01-08 United Square, Singapore 307591
Tel : +65 6255 6396

Date Visited : Jan 2021