Surprise, surprise. It seems like food trends are shifting towards incorporating local twists on their snacks and people are loving the hype over it.
With Pezzo’s Hainanese Chicken Rice Pizza and McDonald’s Prawn Paste Chicken Cutlet just last month, we’ve got another contender entering the scene.
Introducing Old Chang Kee’s latest launch, Hainanese Chicken Rice’O (S$2 per piece). The iconic puff is stuffed with fragrant rice, succulent chicken and Hainanese chilli sauce.
Well, I managed to get my hands on the unique snack and put it to a taste test.
Upon first glance, the familiar wholesome crust of the puffs was yellowish, almost like it was dusted with turmeric powder. I cut open the chunky pastry and was greeted by an unexpected brown stuffing.
Was chicken rice supposed to be this colour? I thought I had gotten the wrong flavour but the short rice grains that hovered at the edge assured me this was indeed the Hainanese Chicken Rice’O.
As I got closer, the aroma of the chicken rice chilli sauce smelt familiar and heightened my expectations. Could this combination actually work?
The stuffing was rather neutral, with nothing really standing out. The rice filling was not as fragrant as I expected and tasted more like glutinous rice, which I wasn’t too fond of. However, the heat from the tangy chilli sauce packed a hefty punch and was probably the one element closest to the chicken rice flavour.
Ultimately, the saving grace of this puff was the pastry that Old Chang Kee prides itself on, with its buttery flaky crust being well-loved by many.
For me at least, anything stuffed into that rustic pastry of theirs is bound to be that little bit better. Yet, the Hainanese Chicken Rice’O wasn’t worth the extra calories and I’ll advise sticking to their Curry or Chicken Mushroom’O puffs.
If you’re feeling a little adventurous, grab the Hainanese Chicken Rice’O at any of the Old Chang Kee outlets in Singapore.
Dates & Times: Available now for a limited time only
Prices: S$2 per piece, S$3.60 per pair
