Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Duck rice has always been one of the staples at most coffee shops in Singapore. And I’m always up for some good duck rice, although sometimes the bones get in the way of easily munching on the meat.
At Soon Kee (Boneless) Braised Duck Rice, the duck bones are removed so that you can eat with ease and comfort.
I’ll let you in on a little story about Soon Kee Boneless Duck Rice before we begin with the food.
Soon Kee Boneless Duck Rice was originally co-owned by four brothers, but they have now split into two different stores. The store at Ang Mo Kio is run by the third brother of the family, Ong Soon Hwa.
His son, Ong Jun Ru, 27, who’s a culinary student specialising in French cuisine, decided to hop onto the family’s business as he felt that if no one continued the trade, it wouldn’t last long after his dad retires.
Soon Kee prides themselves on their process of cooking tender duck meat. Receiving fresh duck from Malaysia daily at 6am, they start their preparation immediately, before opening for business at 11am. They prepare the ducks by marinating and braising them for hours to ensure their tenderness.
Since entering the family business, Jun Ru has been learning how to prepare this delicacy to the best of his ability. However, due to his culinary background, he has the habit of measuring everything precisely while his dad goes with “the feel”.
We got a plate of Boneless Braised Duck (S$19/three pax, S$4/individual plate) that’s just enough for three (or two if you’re really hungry). The slices of duck came with sides of braised peanut and braised egg and are generously covered in gravy.
I first noticed the fragrance of the dish, which likely comes from braising the duck with 18 different herbs and spices, before letting it sit to soak in all that goodness.
Upon trying a piece of the duck meat, I was pleasantly surprised by the sweet herbal fragrance and void of the gamey aftertaste. Soon Kee’s duck was simply fresh and tender.
Their set meal for three includes three bowls of rice or porridge. At Soon Kee, they steam their rice with the lor (gravy) from braising the duck.
The rice has a savoury herbal aroma, yet when eaten with the duck it wasn’t too overwhelming. The porridge, on the other hand, comes drenched with gravy. The sweetness of the gravy gave a nice touch of flavour to the otherwise bland porridge.
The sides of braised peanuts and egg weren’t anything special, but were definitely good to have for that extra crunchiness!
When it comes to delicious duck rice, the father-son duo definitely serves up authentic and tender braised duck. Their house-made gravy brings a whole new dimension of flavour to the duck rice too.
If you’re up for some duck rice, give them a try because they will surely impress you.
Expected Damage: S$4 – S$8 per pax
