Chicken Rice Cake Offered By Ex-Hilton Chef Hawker Who Owns 3 Stalls
Chicken rice is undoubtedly Singapore’s top national dish, seeing as how it’s an affordable, everyday comfort food well-loved by Singaporeans.
The dish is so beloved by many that we all know that friend or colleague who just eats chicken rice for lunch by default.
There’s now the prefect “cake” for when someone like that celebrates a birthday — a chicken rice cake.
It’s now being offered by one local hawker for pre-order only.
Get it from famous chicken rice hawker
The hawker in question is Mr Louis Tan, 55, who owns Uncle Louis Famous Chicken Rice.
You know those stalls with photos of celebrities and public figures in front? Yup, it’s one of those.
Mr Tan (centre) with some young fans
Source
The chain currently has 3 stalls, in Upper Boon Keng Market and Food Centre, Pek Kio Market and Food Centre, and Eightways Eating House in Bukit Batok.
According to 8 Days, Mr Tan was apparently a hawkerpreneur even before the term came into being.
He actually has a diploma in western cuisine from an Oxford college, and worked as a chef at the Hilton Hotel before quitting to become a hawker.
Chicken rice cake incepted during ‘Circuit Breaker’
The idea for the chicken rice cake was born during the ‘Circuit Breaker’ period, when dessert shops selling cakes only weren’t allowed to open.
To satiate people’s craving for “cake” during this time, but at the same time not falling afoul of any laws, Mr Tan thus came up with the idea so people can still celebrate special occasions with a “cake”.
It proved popular enough that he made it a permanent item even after the ‘Circuit Breaker’ ended.
Cakes can be customised with all sorts of roast meats
We can see why his customers love it so much.
Firstly, there’s the steamed fragrant chicken rice as the base.
On top, instead of just chicken, Mr Tan can customise the cake with all sorts of roast meats that he offers at his stalls.
If you’re the type who can’t choose between white and roasted chicken, you can have both.
If you want a variety, you can get the trio of roast meats — chicken, roast pork, and char siew.
According to Mr Tan, he’s thinking of adding roast duck soon.
The cakes are also adorned with vegetables like cherry tomatoes and slices of cucumber, so you won’t forget to eat your greens.
Chicken rice cake is off-menu item, comes in 3 sizes
However, if you visit his stalls, you won’t find the cakes on listed there.
They’re an off-menu item, he said, and you’ve got to pre-order if you want them.
They come in 3 sizes:
- 4-person size: $48
- 6-person size: $68
- 8-person size: $88
To order a chicken rice cake, call 9847 4988 at least 2 days in advance. Islandwide delivery is possible with a fee of $12 per location.
He also sells chicken rice the normal way
Of course, before all this, his stall was also known for its chicken rice and roast meats, served the normal way.
His stall’s so famous, even former Nee Soon MP Lee Bee Wah has popped down to try his fare.
If you want to try his more traditional food, do visit his stalls at:
Eightways Eating House
Address: Block 395A, Bukit Batok West Ave 5, #03-01, Eightways Eating House, Singapore 651395
Opening hours: 10am-8pm daily
Pek Kio Market & Food Centre
Opening hours: 6am-7pm daily
Address: Block 17, Upper Boon Keng Road, #01-52, Upper Boon Keng Market and Food Centre, Singapore 380017
Opening hours: 7am-3pm daily
New spin on a local favourite
Normally, tweaking a traditional dish doesn’t go down well with die-hards.
However, Mr Tan’s new spin on a local favourite succeeds because he keeps most of what’s good about it intact — it’s merely the shape that’s changed.
Thus, a chicken rice cake may just be the centrepiece for our next special occasion.
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