Hup Seng Duck Rice (合成鸭饭): Fork-Tender Braised Duck + Salted Veg Duck Soup In Sin Ming

Ever since my parents first brought me to Hup Seng Duck Rice (合成鸭饭) in Sin Ming, I’ve wanted to return for a meal.

Tucked away in a coffee shop under a block of flats, this stall specialises in serving up plates of Braised Duck Rice (S$3.50).

During lunch hour, the long queue in front of the stall is a common sight. Residents and workers in the area all flock to Hup Seng  for a hearty plate of duck rice. On weekends, the stall tends to close even earlier, as they sell out incredibly fast!

The owner is currently in his 70s, and he has more than 35 years of cooking experience. He still helps out at the stall occasionally, though I wasn’t able to catch him when I was there.

I noticed that almost every customer before me was requesting for an extra portion of duck. I thought this must mean that the meat was as amazing as I remembered, so I was all the more eager to dig into a plate of duck rice.

Served on a separate plate instead of on top of the rice, Hup Seng drenches the meat in a pool of dark sauce. Each slice glistened tantalisingly with sauce, and I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into a piece.

Braised whole for 30-40 minutes, the duck retained its juicy flavour. I was glad to discover that the meat was as tender as I remembered it to be.

I also ordered a serving of Braised Meat (S$1 per portion), a must-try at most duck rice or roast meat stalls.

Unfortunately, the lor bak (braised meat) fell short of my expectations. Unlike the duck, it wasn’t very tender even though Hup Seng braises it as well.

It was a little too chewy for my liking, making the fat a little too overwhelming. Hopefully, it’s a one-off issue and not a recurring problem.

To me, a typical plate of duck rice should always come with yam rice. However, Hup Seng serves their duck with a bowl of white rice instead.

Luckily, they drizzle a generous amount of dark sauce that’s also used for the duck, and it certainly makes a difference. They weren’t very willing to reveal the herbs that they use, so there goes my plan for recreating this recipe at home.

Along with their Braised Duck Rice, Hup Seng also serves a fantastic Salted Veg Duck Soup (S$6).

They chop up an entire duck and simmer it with other ingredients in a steam cabinet for at least four hours. Served straight from the steamer, the kiam chye ark came in a steel bowl with a heap of mustard greens.

The highlight of the dish was a huge piece of duck. Since they simmered the duck for so long, I expected it to be fall-off-the-bone tender.

Indeed, the meat was so tender that I could tear the meat off its bone just with my fork. Soft and lean, the duck absorbed all the flavours from the soup.

I loved the extremely prominent and lip-puckering taste of the pickled plums. Combined with a peppery base, the soup really hits the spot and I found myself going back for more.

Even though the bowl of soup costs more than the plate of duck rice, it’s a must-try.

I really enjoyed my meal at Hup Seng Duck Rice, and the fork-tender braised duck brought back fond memories of dining here with my parents. I’d give the lor bak a miss though, as it was a little too chewy.

If you’re a fan of duck rice, make sure to wake up early to give Hup Seng Duck Rice a try. They close for the day as soon as they sell out, so channel your inner kiasu-ness and start queuing!

Expected Damage: S$3.50 – S$8 per pax