Many tourists are not aware that there are two stalls just 80 metres apart on the same street, and most just took them as one entity due to such similar names and selling the same thing.
Once upon a time, there was a happy family operating a coffee shop along Upper Cross Street. One sibling sold Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and the other sold Soya Sauce Chicken Noodles. One day something happened and they decided to go their separate ways. Big Sis won the tender to the original shop and stayed put. Little Bro rented a store a few shophouses down the street. So now there are two Soya Sauce Chicken Houses along Upper Cross Street.
Self proclaimed “The first soy sauce chicken” “油鸡第一家”, Chiew Kee Noodle House began in 1949 and was owned by the brother Yue Mun Hoi. There was a row of soy sauce poached chicken hanging at the door of the oldest soy sauce chicken noodle restaurant in Singapore. They glistened with the dark soy sauce colour and looked delicious.
Today the shop was operated by the third generation and the origin story has varied slight from his aunt’s version – their Grandfather learnt to cook the chicken in Hong Kong. There is no complex menu; they only sell soy sauce chicken, with either noodles, kwayteow or flavoured rice, maybe with a side of dumpling soup and blanched kailan. You order directly from the waiter what you want.
Compared with a former Michelin star, I prefer this chicken as it was not as salty and more tender and juicy. The sauce was not overpowering, but for those who like it more robust, this is not it.
But they won hands-down with their dry egg noodles with the signature sauce. Unlike most stores, where the sauce would just sink to the bottom of the bowl/plate, the sauce here clung to the noodles, making every mouthful filled with the flavours and savouriness. I ended up ordering another portion of noodles as I loved the noodles and sauce so much.
The dumpling soup highly recommended by the waiter was unexpectedly delicious. The skin was thin and the filling was plump and full. The pork and prawn filling hit the spot with the anchovies stock.
I usually patronised the sister’s shop, but as there was such a long queue, I came over to the brother’s shop. I didn’t regret my choice as I now have a new favourite place for dry egg noodles with soy sauce chicken. The soy sauce chicken is closer to ones in Hong Kong. Be prepared to share table with others just like in Hong Kong.
Chiew Kee Noodle House 釗記油雞麵家
30 Upper Cross St., Singapore 058338
Tel : +65 6221 3531
Visited Jun 2024
0 comments on “Chiew Kee 釗記 @ Chinatown”