On today’s showdown, we’ll be comparing 2 of Singapore’s oldest names for soya chicken: Chiew Kee Eating House, and Chew Kee Eating House. No, that’s not a typo – these two eateries are indeed very similarly named. To make things even more confusing, they’re even located on the same street: Chew Kee is at 8 Upper Cross Street, while Chiew Kee is further down at 32 Upper Cross Street.
There’s some background as to why the names are nearly identical. According to online sources, both brands were founded by members of the same family, rumoured to be locked in some kind of squabble or competition. However, I couldn’t find any reputable source that confirmed this, so take it with a grain of salt. Both claim to be the “original recipe”.
Chiew Kee’s signage is red, while Chew Kee is white with red text. Interestingly, Chiew Kee also has additional signage saying that they’re “the first”.
The interiors are also very different. Chiew Kee has a more modern and air-conditioned interior. Chew Kee’s feels more traditional and old-school, and there’s no air-conditioning.
Comparing the signature dishes
I ordered the same thing from both stalls – Soya Sauce Chicken Noodles. I asked for the breast meat at both places, and both plates cost S$6 for a standard portion. I was also offered a small portion of Wanton Soup. Wantons cost S$1.50 at Chiew Kee, and S$1 at Chew Kee.
For the following pictures, Chiew Kee will be on the left, and Chew Kee on the right.
The components of both dishes were the same – noodles, chicken, some green leafy vegetables. Even the plating was almost identical, with both eateries serving the spoon wedged upright under the noodles. Chew Kee’s chicken is noticeably darker as well.
Both used thin egg noodles that have a nice springy bite. There was no discernible difference between the two, apart from Chiew Kee’s noodles being just a tiny bit more al dente.
The differences start to show in the flavour of the chicken. Both have the texture down pat – moist and juicy. Chiew Kee’s sauce has a subtle hint of sweetness that lingers, and it’s more noticeable in the chicken skin. Chew Kee, on the other hand, is more savoury and salty. The skin also has a gentle pepperiness to it.
The wanton soups were like night and day – literally. Chiew Kee has a lighter broth that’s more consistent with other wanton soups, while Chew Kee’s is dark, very similar to what you’d get at a duck rice stall. The former has a light chicken taste, and the latter was more robust and flavourful.
Chew Kee’s wanton is crescent-shaped with a thin wrapper, and was filled with mushrooms and pork. Chiew Kee’s was a large lump with a thick doughy wrapper that reminded me of ban mian, and only had pork.
The verdict
After enjoying both, the end decision boils down purely to personal preferences. Both were very solid renditions of the dish, which made it very difficult to choose a winner. In the end, I prefer Chew Kee. I liked the more savoury profile of the soya sauce chicken, and the wanton soup was more satisfying.
The doughy wanton with its simple pork filling won out over Chew Kee’s, since the mushrooms gave Chiew Kee’s wantons a slightly earthy, bitter flavour I didn’t like much.
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