Bruce Lee Chicken Rice, East Coast Road: A solid kick to awaken your taste buds

The quirkier the name of a stall, the more attracted I am to it. Browsing through the copious amounts of Instagram stories one night led me to Bruce Lee Chicken Rice, and I was obviously intrigued. Located at East Coast Road, I knew I had to visit this gem. Two reasons why: I love Bruce Lee and I love chicken rice. 

Oblivious as I am, I didn’t realise my obsession for chicken rice had been made obvious until my colleague, Rachel, recently pointed it out. I guess love knows no bounds. 

Image of stall

Getting back to the reason for this piece— my first impression of Bruce Lee Chicken Rice is that it’s hard to miss with its bright yellow signboard. I got here a little after 12pm and it had already racked up a queue. Boy, was I in for a treat. 

What I tried 

Image of menu items

Much to my dismay, they only had chicken rice available for the day, so I wasn’t able to try their noodle dishes. I sucked it up, and ordered a plate of Roasted Chicken Rice (S$6) and Steamed Chicken Rice (S$6)

Image of roasted chicken

Here’s the fascinating thing about Bruce Lee Chicken Rice: you don’t have to order an additional side of vegetables because their plate of chicken comes mixed with crispy taugeh, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and braised tofu, doused in a secret savoury sauce.

Image of chilli and achar

Another delightful addition— an unlimited serving of achar! Name me another stall that does this. 

Image of a spoonful of rice

I have a uniform way of enjoying my plate of chicken rice. It starts with a spoonful of rice, soup, chicken, and chilli. However, I did it differently this time because I had more things to indulge in like the free-flow achar and veggies. Not complaining at all!

The rice was fluffy and exuded a fragrant ginger-garlic aroma. I took one bite and was immediately blown away by the rich flavour of chicken broth; almost felt like I got kicked by Bruce Lee himself. 

Image of veggies in soup Image of soup

Here’s the deal; a good bowl of soup elevates a plate of chicken rice, to me, at least. And the one here is loaded with a chock full of vegetables and is light on the herbaceous side. The small bits of freshly chopped coriander also gave the soup an earthy touch. 

Image of a piece of roasted chicken

Moving on to the best part; the chicken. Have you ever had a piece of crispy-skinned pork belly that left you speechless? That’s the same I experienced as soon as I bit into a piece of roasted chicken. Not only was its skin incredibly crispy to the point of it being ASMR-worthy, but it was also succulent. All I had to do was brush the back of my spoon over the skin to receive a soothing-to-the-ear crackling sensation. 

Image of steamed chicken

Compared to some of the acclaimed brands in Singapore, the steam chicken here is smooth, not too oily, and doesn’t come with familiar jelly-like skin. 

Image of chilli and achar

Initially, the chilli tasted too sweet for my liking. However, after a mere few seconds, I was hit with an unexpected heat which got me screaming (internally) for waataah. I’m unsure if it’s made this way on purpose, but I love anything spicy, and I can assure you that Bruce Lee Chicken Rice easily serves one of the best homemade chicken rice chillies I’ve tasted in my life. Given a choice, I’d pay big bucks for its chilli. Talk about it packing a (spicy) punch. 

Additionally, I loved the little chunks of pineapple in the achar, and finally understood its unconventional pairing; to ease the lingering spiciness of the chilli. 

Image of beancurd

Hidden underneath the roasted and steamed chicken, is a medley of vegetables. Not only were they blanched to perfection, but they also managed to retain their crunchy texture; which speaks volumes about technique. Usually not a fan of bean sprouts, I gorged down whatever little sprouts I could find. 

Final thoughts

Image of drink stall

I didn’t think I’d love the chicken rice here as much as I did; talk about an understatement. However, if you ever find yourself in the area and craving a kick-ass plate of chicken rice, Bruce Lee Chicken Rice is worth the visit. 

Besides, where else can you enjoy an affordable yet tasty meal with a chilled craft beer? I’ve eaten a lot of chicken rice over the years, but trust me when I say I’m not easily swayed. All I can say is my meal left me ‘formless and shapeless— like water’. 

Expected damage: S$6 per pax

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Price: $

Our Rating: 5 / 5

Bruce Lee Chicken Rice

396 East Coast Road, Singapore 428994

Price
Our Rating 5/5

Bruce Lee Chicken Rice

396 East Coast Road, Singapore 428994

Operating Hours: 8am - 7.30pm (Daily)

Operating Hours: 8am - 7.30pm (Daily)

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