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In this day and age, we’re so used to our favourite hawkers and restaurants jacking up prices every few months to meet the soaring rent costs. Sometimes, I wonder if we forget about the affordable places, such as Hao Ge Chicken Rice in Bendemeer Market & Food Centre.
This stall is renowned around the area for serving one of the most affordable plates of chicken rice in Singapore, priced at a mere S$2.80. In most places, that’s barely enough to buy you a snack, let alone a full meal.
Maybe our older readers recall a time when prices like this were commonplace. But this begs the question: how good is a S$2.80 plate of chicken rice? As a self-proclaimed chicken rice connoisseur, I felt uniquely qualified to give my opinion.
What I tried at Hao Ge Chicken Rice
They sell chicken rice in 2 variations: with breast meat (S$2.80) or thigh meat (S$3.30). Of course, you also have mainstays like Roasted Pork Rice (S$3.50) and Char Siew Roasted Pork Rice (S$4.50). I went with their Chicken Rice Set (S$5), which comes with a plate of rice, steamed chicken thigh with greens, and a bowl of soup.
Contrary to popular belief, I consider the fragrant rice to be the most important part of chicken rice, as that’s what sets the dish apart from a boring plate of plain white rice. So I was very pleased to have the wonderful aroma of ginger and chicken essence filling my nostrils when I dug my spoon into the mound of rice presented to me.
There was enough oil coating each grain to provide that distinct fragrant rice taste, but not so excessive as to cause a jelak feeling. My only pain point is how some rice grains felt a bit more cooked than others, though that’s hardly noticeable.
The plate of steamed chicken thigh came with a serving of taugeh and bok choy. Even though I’m a picky eater who usually skips vegetables, these subverted my expectations. In particular, the bok choy was very flavourful with subtle sesame oil hints, likely from the sauce.
The steamed chicken thigh really impressed me with how soft and slippery the thin layer of skin was, followed by a satisfying bite of the meat. However, the chicken-to-bone ratio was a little off, as some pieces were a bit more bone than chicken. Maybe the chickens they sourced were just smaller?
I also wish they offered a bit more than just a single thigh, but that’s a minor nitpick. The amount you receive is pretty fair for how much you pay.
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The soup served as a serviceable palate-cleanser to counter the greasiness from the fragrant rice and chicken. What struck me as surprising was how pure the soup was—clear as water, with only a strong corn flavour. Zero salt or MSG. Wow.
But as I pondered while stirring my spoon in the soup, my eyes caught a glimpse of heaven—a chicken foot. What a pleasant gift from the chicken gods. I immediately dug into my favourite part of the chicken with absolute haste, only to be let down by 2 things.
Firstly, the size. If you recall my previous adventure to Pin Xiang Wanton Mee, you’d recall the gigantic foot served there. This chicken foot seemed minuscule in comparison, the size and length of an adult’s index finger. Perhaps my perspective is a bit skewed, as I tend to think the bigger the better.
Secondly, the foot is mostly bone without much skin, with what skin there was being a bit too chewy for my liking. Still, a chicken foot is a chicken foot, and I won’t squander an offering like this.
Final thoughts
All in all, I left Hao Ge Chicken Rice quite satisfied. There are a few areas of improvement, like the evenness of the rice or the amount of chicken. But it doesn’t take away from the value you get for a plate at this price.
Personally, I think it’s very wholesome to have food kept affordable in hawker centres. As I was dining, I observed a large majority of senior citizens around me, seniors who might not have much money and need cheap and healthy food options.
Hao Ge Chicken Rice fills in that gap. A bang for your buck, and good for your soul.
Expected damage: S$2.80 – S$5
