Sunday, May 10, 2009

bus sToP cHicKEN RiCE, the bEST in towN!


BUS STOP CHICKEN RICE
Click to view larger image.

BUS STOP CHICKEN RICE


"It's very hot here! And yet no air cond! And look at the queue...don't you think is a little foolish?" As I remember saying to the friend who brought me there for the first time. But as soon as the food was inside the mouth, I'm convinced, I'm surprised, I understand WHY, and I'm feeling great. I feel like I'm on heaven!

Somewhere on this planet there is this one small town called S.K., and the village is dotted with many2 nice foods. Above them all, there is one that I can say is the signature food of the town. It's the chicken rice. Not the regular roasted one, but this is special. It's "white chicken rice" as the local calls it. BUt I think it is one of the variant of Hainanese Chicken Rice.


It's a bus stop next to it.

It's a bus stop next to it



The Chicken Rice Stall.

The Chicken Rice Stall


If you were to ask me the name of the shop, i'll have to ask the seller. The shop or stall, as I would call it, does not really have a sign board. So, everybody starts to give names while trying to refer that place for lunch. Among all, the best suited one would be this "bus stop chicken rice", Coz the stall is just next to one. The bus stop is the landmark that you surely have to look for if you were to search for this place. Hence, this is how the name comes. But I don't think the chicken rice boss knows that. Maybe I'll tel him next time. Unless he put up a signboard, i'll continue to call it that way. I'll call it MY way.

The chicken Rice basically consists of chicken, rice and sauce. Chicken is very very very smooth! I've gotta repeat these a few times to actually illustrate how smooth it is. The chicken skin, especially can be used as a substitute for banana skin if you were to play a trick on someone you hate. Very slippery! And the chicken is coated with a nice aroma of oily sauce, some sweetness together with the tenderly meat! Arrgghhh!!! I shouldn't be writing this before my lunch...


baNaNa skin substitute.




And the second part is the RICE. They call it oil rice. Yellowish white in color, these rice is superb! The superb aroma of ginger and garlic is so strong that the whole place is engulfed in this smell of chicken rice. The way they make it, the rice are not sticky, no too wet nor too dry. And everytime I go there, I sure to order another extra bowl of rice to top up. It's just so tasty.


The fragrance of the RICE...see the chart.




And the 3rd element of a nice chicken rice is the SAUCE. This is the "catalyst" that brings the chicken rice to the top of the sky. Dip the chicken meat and mix it with the oily rice, the combination can send you on cloud 9 straight away. Ooo...I love it! Until now, I still do not know what is inside the sauce. But I can make a clever guess. There are some finely minced red chilli, green chilli, ginger, some garlic maybe? and some sesame or chicken oil I think, and sugar must have been added inside, coz it's sweet also.


It's the saUCE that rocks!




The best part of this chicken rice is that it's sold at a reasonable price. Though the price has increased over the years (especially after last year's oil hike), it is still considered a cheap street food.


reAsonaBLe pricing!





my custom dESigN for the sigNBoarD!




BTw, I'm considering to ask the boss whether he can teach me his chicken rice recipe or not, with a fee maybe. But I doubt it. First, I'm not a Hainanese. Secondly, do you think the boss will risk his business to some chap who might one day open a chicken rice stall next to his? So, is anybody out there who can teach me how to make delicious Hainanese Chicken Rice? A friend of mine, Mr "CUTEbanana" as he calls himself, says that he will open a chicken rice shop if he got fired as an engineer. I think the recipe might be useful to him too! So, someone with expert cooking talent, please help me! Or help this *cute* BANANA friend of mine!

p/s: Maybe I will propose my design of the stall's signboard to the boss in exchange for his recipe...do you guys think it will work?