| |  Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice Last Saturday, I was tasked to bring my parents to meet up with my brother and sister-in-law at Commonwealth for dinner.
Commonwealth is a rustic estate close to my heart because my siblings and I used to frequent there quite a fair bit during our younger days. It was there where we got our first library membership and it was also at the Emporium there that I had gotten my very first jigsaw puzzle (I was barely four then) which I had cherished and preserved till this day!
Unfortunately, I had no recollections of any sorts with regards to the food at this estate.
I guess that's because the National Library there was the nearest branch for us so my elder brother would bring me and my sister there to borrow books almost every weekend. The three of us would return home for meals immediately after getting our books so it's very unlikely for us to go eat at the hawker center.
According to my brother, Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice was apparently, very famous. It used to be located on the second floor of the hawker center which has since been demolished and has now moved to Blk 38 along Commonwealth Avenue which is just a little further down the same stretch of road from their old address.
Stepping into the spacious, air-conditioned shop, my first impression was that they must be making a lot of money with their chickens!Is the tenant before them a car showroom? Do correct me if I'm wrong.If memory does not fail me, I believe it's much bigger than Boon Tong Kee at Balestier Road. There is no fancy interior decor here but just the bare necessities.
The walls were adorned with food pictures from their Tze Char menu, some award certificates (including one from Makan Places: Lost & Found), and an enlarged picture of the boss (presumably) taken with President Nathan at the Istana.My brother ordered a half White Chicken, a half Soya Sauce Chicken, Chicken Feet Skin, Beansprouts and Shanghai Green.  Half a White Chicken Surprisingly, the serving of half White Chicken was quite generous and chopped into thick chunks. We were rather surprised by the sheer size of the chicken as it looked almost like a whole chicken. Regrettably, the meat, though juicy and tender, was quite lacking in taste. I guess my tastebuds were a little on the heavier side. It would have fared better if the soya sauce was a little saltier. Score:     Half a Soya Sauce Chicken As with the White Chicken, this Soya Sauce Chicken was chopped in thick chunks as well. Between the two, I favor this more but the starchy sauce is not what I would associate with authentic Hong Kong styled Soya Sauce Chicken. We also ordered two plates of vegetables. Dollops of Oyster Sauce were spread on top the vegetables but I wished they had mixed the oyster sauce thoroughly for us before serving because some mouthfuls tasted saltier than others. 
Shanghai Green
Beansprouts/Taugeh
I did not expect that I would say this but I actually preferred the vegetables more than the two half chickens. Score:
Chicken feet skinSome people might like the chicken feet skin for it's crunchiness but I preferred them softer. With the two vegetables served in Oyster Sauce, this Chicken Feet Skin in Oyster Sauce (again!) tasted boring to me. I might have like it better if it was served Thai-styled. Score:As for the rice, it was not too oily but it also meant that it was not very fragrant too.  The sauces In my opinion, I find Sin Kee quite over-rated judging. To give due credit, the ginger sauce and the generous chicken portions might be their winning edge but it's not appealing enough for me to warrant a return visit. I do not know what is the breakdown of the individual items but this meal costs SGD45 altogether. Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice Blk 38 Commonwealth Avenue #01-02 Singapore 149738
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| | Posted 1/30/2011 2:52 AM - 6750 Views - 0 eProps - 2 comments
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"DC" is the acronym for Dead Cockroach - my online moniker.
