Not all superheroes wear capes. Not all delicious food have long queues; that is the perfect statement to describe Kim Kee Hong Kong Roast. With its superb roast duck and small crowds, this place is seriously underrated. Good things have to be shared definitely. So read on as I delve into this hidden gem.
Kim Kee occupies a humble corner store space of a coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3. Well, the low traffic count there kind of explains why Kim Kee is so overlooked.
The man behind Kim Kee is Mr Liang, who has more than 40 years of culinary experience under his belt. Originally from Hong Kong, he accumulated more than a decade of experience working as a chef in Jumbo Floating Restaurant. He settled down in Singapore back in 1993 and has been managing Kim Kee ever since.
Having interacted with Mr Liang, I really appreciated his humility. He humbly rejected the interview several times as he believes that his skills are not up to par and only relented upon my persistence. His industriousness is also commendable. Despite being advanced in age, he gets up as early as 5am to charcoal-roast the duck.
Being a glutton, I greedily wanted to try all of their meat variety. Hence I went with their Roasted Platter (烧味拼) (S$20) which boasts a delectable trio of roasted chicken, roasted duck and roasted pork. This dish se-roast-ly whetted my appetite just at the sight of it.
The duck was a masterpiece; one bite and I was immediately reminded of the authentic roast duck I had when I was in Hong Kong. Many of the duck meats in hawker centres nowadays are tasty but tough to bite. Kim Kee’s duck was wonderfully tender and I could not get enough of it.
The secret behind its superb texture was the skin and the optimal layer of fat beneath it. Heads up, the duck skin is not the crispy version some restaurants serve. But I still enjoyed every bit of it. If there’s one item to order off their menu, this is it.
As if the duck wasn’t good enough, the sauce that went with it was no slouch either. It rendered a mildly sour and appetising kick to the tasty roast duck that leaves one begging for more. Mr Liang shared with me that natural juices from the duck meat and sour plum were added to the sauce, accounting for its sour and flavourful presence.
I was impressed by the tenderness of the chicken. Most chicken breasts outside are really dry and tough but Kim Kee’s roast chicken had sufficient moisture and oozed herbal juices. Chewing it was an utmost pleasure.
The chicken was definitely above average but not worth raving about. Don’t get me wrong, it was good but lacked the wow factor. Nevertheless, I will still order this the next time I visit.
With all the raised expectations by the roast duck and chicken, the roasted pork was a surprising letdown. Though the meat to fat ratio was optimal, its taste and texture fell short. The lack of crispiness of the roast pork skin disappointed me as the coveted crunch was absent.
Furthermore, the meaty portion was too tough and salty. I had to down it with some water to swallow it. I would recommend you to stick to the roast duck and chicken instead.
With such glorious roast duck and above-average chicken, it’s really a mystery why this place is so unknown. Good things have to be shared. Well, now that you know of such a hidden gem, time to stop the injustice and share it with more people. Don’t worry, I myself will definitely be back just for their roast duck!
Expected Damage: S$3 – S$7 per pax
Price: $
Our Rating: 4 / 5
Kim Kee Hong Kong Roast
232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, AMK 232 Food House, Singapore 560232
Kim Kee Hong Kong Roast
232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, AMK 232 Food House, Singapore 560232