Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Western food in Singapore has forged an identity of its own, separating its image from the oily, deep-fried slabs of meat and greasy burgers often associated with the name. We may know the best-rated Western stall, but what’s the worst? Well, one of them is AMK 711 Hainanese Western in AMK S11.
According to Google Reviews, AMK 711 Hainanese Western has a rating of 2.3 stars from 64 reviews at the time of writing. Most reviews cited poor food quality, the original stall owner’s retirement, and her replacement by a rude person who uses vulgarities.
I was rather shaken by these scathing reviews, but my interest was also piqued. Surely it couldn’t be that bad, right? After all, people tend to exaggerate their experiences, especially on online forums.
After I navigated my way through the densely packed hawker centre while trying not to slip on the oily floor tiles, I reached the stall and was met by a Chinese man and an Indian man. I was admittedly rather intimidated by their rough expressions, so I put on the best smile my stiff Gen-Z face could.
The Chinese man took my order with lukewarm indifference, with none of the intense rudeness described in the reviews. However, I would’ve appreciated it if he at least made eye contact with me while I ordered, as he was staring at the cash register the entire time.
What I tried at AMK 711 Hainanese Western
The stall offers your standard options at a Western stall in a hawker centre like Sunshine Fried Rice (S$4.50), Spring Chicken (S$11), and Salted Egg Yolk Chicken (S$9). I went with their Chicken Chop (S$8) and Chicken Wings (S$1.50 for 2pcs).
Their Chicken Chop made an immediate impression with the size of the plate, which was wider than my head. I know Western food stalls tend to use bigger plates, but this was the biggest I’ve encountered so far. The portioning was pretty evenly spread, with equal space given to each component of the dish, so I didn’t feel short-changed with anything.
Kudos to the chef for plating the Chicken Chop so neatly, too. In fact, it saved me the trouble of surgically shifting the food around to take a photo.
Right off the bat, the chicken itself was piping hot. My knife slid through the meat without much resistance, which is always a good sign. The way the mushroom gravy coated the meat made it shimmer under the white lights of the hawker centre.
The chicken tasted a little tough on the first bite, but it wasn’t dry or overcooked as some reviews suggested. In fact, it was quite juicy, though there was an artificial aftertaste that the gravy couldn’t mask.
Their fries, on the other hand, didn’t have the crisp I was expecting. While the edges and ends had a crunch, the potato inside was soft and a bit mushy. Were their fries air-fried instead of deep-fried? If so, that would explain the lack of oiliness.
What did have an unexpected crunch was their garlic bread, as it was as hard as a tack. When I cut into it, the inside was crumbly, like cake. Not my preferred style, but I do understand why some people like it. Eating it with the baked beans did soften the bread a bit, even though I could tell they came pre-packaged in a can.
Moving on to the coleslaw, the token ‘healthy part’ of any Western dish. Their coleslaw consists of cabbage, carrots, and a watery dressing. I do recommend laying it on top of the garlic bread to eat it, as it arguably does a better job at countering the hardness than the baked beans.
Their Chicken Wings looked crispy with golden brown skin, while not leaking oil all over the plate, which is a big plus. Interestingly, 1 wing came pre-separated into wingette and drumstick, while the other didn’t.
I’ll praise the wings for staying crisp and crunchy, but I can’t excuse how dry and salty the meat was. I could only finish a single wing due to the sheer saltiness from what I presume to be MSG. Even as I’m writing, the aftertaste lingers in my throat, and my lips remain parched.
Final thoughts
Credit where credit is due, AMK 711 Hainanese Western puts together decent dishes. It’s nothing revolutionary or remarkable, but neither is it offensive or repulsive.
The owners were not unwelcoming like the reviews suggested. They aren’t your friendly neighbourhood aunties, but don’t mistake their indifference for rudeness.
They clearly have something there with their lack of oiliness, which is often my biggest pain point at Western stalls. But I wish their ingredients were fresher and less artificial-tasting. Until then, visit only if you crave Western food but can’t find anything else in the area.
Expected damage: S$8 – S$12 per pax
Swag & Sizzle: Restaurant-quality hawker steak & atas Western mains by ex-L’Entrecôte chefs
