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Those staying in the Toa Payoh estate will be familiar with Hua Fong Kee Roasted Duck, a Cantonese roast meat stall that has been operating since 1988. The one I visited was at Block 128, Toa Payoh Lorong 1.
I came for lunch on a weekday and wasn’t surprised to see an endless, snaking line of customers at its gleaming storefront. The never-ending queue even persisted throughout my meal!
What I tried at Hua Fong Kee Roasted Duck
The first thing that I got was Hua Fong Kee’s Roasted Duck Rice (S$4.50), and I asked for an additional egg.
When it arrived, the first thing I noticed was how the entire plate of roasted duck rice was doused in a shiny, dark braised sauce, making me want to dig in almost immediately. It also came with chilli on the side.
A plate of roasted duck rice doesn’t get as classic as this. The duck meat was tender and juicy, but the winning factor has got to be the duck skin. It was addictively fatty and gelatinous, and I could also taste a slight roastedness to it. Each mouthful of duck rice was topped with the braised sauce, which was mildly sweet but savoury and full of umami.
This was something I would gladly eat every day. Toa Payoh heartlanders, count yourself lucky.
I’m the kind of person who asks for extra chilli whenever I order chicken or duck rice, and Hua Fong Kee’s chilli certainly didn’t disappoint. It was bright and citrusy, and the spice only kicked in towards the end of each bite, leaving me scrambling for my cup of teh peng.
Admittedly, the roasted duck rice was packed with so many smoky and savoury flavours that I didn’t find a need for the chilli, which would’ve been better suited to accompany a plate of white chicken rice instead.
I also got a bowl of Char Siew Roasted Meat Noodle (S$6.50), which came with springy egg noodles, roasted char siew and roasted pork.
I was a little sceptical about this bowl of noodles as it looked a little dry to begin with, but I was proved wrong the minute my dining companion started mixing it all up.
There was plenty of dark sauce at the bottom of the bowl, which coated the thin egg noodles evenly.
Despite being cut rather thinly, the char siew slices still retained a springy bite.
I liked that I could still taste the sweet honey glaze, but I would’ve loved it if the roasted smokiness were more pronounced.
Tai Dong Teochew Duck Rice: Traditional braised duck rice with over 30 years of history
The roasted pork, or siobak, was a little disappointing. Though I could still taste the remnants of the five spices on the crackling skin, I wished it had been crispier.
Plus, the pork itself was a little dry, and I ended up dousing the siobak in the noodles’ sauce.
Despite the roasted pork and char siew falling short, the egg noodles saved the day.
Springy and silky, each strand was well coated in the dark soy sauce, and I slurped up the noodles eagerly. This reminded me of Malaysian-style wanton mee, which would often come in a similar black sauce.
To round off the meal, I got Hua Fong Kee’s Dumpling Soup (S$4).
For just S$4, I spotted around five large dumplings. Pretty worth it if you ask me, considering that the dumplings themselves were decently sized.
The dumplings were generously stuffed with minced meat and shrimp, making each bite incredibly springy and crunchy. I loved how the minced meat was also well-seasoned, and I could taste the brightness of the white pepper.
The soup itself was warm and soothing, with a pleasant and light base that had hints of soybean and fish stock. This was something I would definitely order on a rainy day because of how comforting and simple it was.
Final thoughts
If I lived in Toa Payoh, I’d probably order from Hua Fong Kee every other week. Its roasted meat selection is decent, affordably priced and executed well, albeit not fantastic enough for me to travel all the way from the East for.
While I really enjoyed Hua Fong Kee’s Roasted Duck Rice because of the juicy duck meat, I couldn’t help but wonder if it would’ve been even better paired with the noodles instead. Perhaps I’ll try that— the next time I’m in the Toa Payoh area, that is.
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