Liao Fan’s Hong Kong Soya Chicken Rice & Noodles has been on my list since October 2016. In 2016, the humble Hawker Chan Singapore located in Chinatown Food Complex was awarded his first Michelin Star. It is not a fancy diner or a French restaurant, rather, a hawker stall. Since then, this stall has the distinction of serving the cheapest Michelin-star meal in the world. The Soya Sauce Chicken and Rice only cost 2 SGD or 1.5 USD. That is a mere 100 rupees.
Hawker Chan food stall in Chinatown Food Complex
Before the 2016 Michelin Awards, I had never even heard of Soya Sauce chicken. Singapore was always about foods of the world for us. So, on our last trip to Singapore, we decided to taste the (now) famous Liao Fan Hawker Chan’s stall and find out for ourselves what the food is all about. I’d heard that the queues are massive, and ever since this place got its new-found fame, waiting times could be close to an hour. For that reason, I had given this place a miss during my last few trips. This time around we visited Chinatown on a weekend afternoon for lunch and arrived at the Chinatown Food Complex at about 1:30 PM.
The Chinatown Food Complex in Singapore
Chinatown Food Complex is the largest hawker centre in Singapore that houses over 260 local food stalls. While wading through the crowd towards stall number 126, I noticed that the stalls here served a whole range of local delicacies such as Chilli Crabs, Hokkien Mee, Barbeque Stingray, Dimsums, Frog Porridge, Carrot cake, at half the prices as compared to the Newton Hawker Center; another popular open-air hawker center in Singapore.
It wasn’t very difficult to spot Hawker Chan. We spotted about fifteen people queued up. While Ajay and our other friends looked around at what other stalls had to offer, I joined the queue.
Queued up at stall no.126 in Chinatown Food Complex
The queue moved at a reasonable speed. Although when my turn to order came after twenty minutes, the lady managing the queue announced that they only had one helping of Soya Sauce Chicken left. While the place is open until 7 p.m., they sell out much earlier. They were sold out for that Saturday at 02:30 p.m., and I got lucky to be the last customer they served.
Sold out at 2:30 p.m.
We took all the Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken, a plate of Chicken and noodles and some greens to go on the side. We watched Hawker Chan prepare the meals himself. The Soya Sauce chicken was glistening and succulent.
HongKong Soya Sauce Chicken
The chicken with noodles was delicious and the greens added just the crunch and texture to the meal. It took us 20 minutes to get our lunch and less than 15 minutes to polish it off. Meal for two was just 12.5 SGD. That is 10 $ or 600 Indian rupees.
Chicken and Noodles costs only 2.5 SGD
HongKong Soya Sauce Chicken and Greens on the side
On my way out, I noticed another new outlet on Smith Street just opposite to the Chinatown Food Complex. I later learnt that after winning the Michelin star, Chan opened the 80-seater air-conditioned restaurant, and since then many more outlets have started mushrooming all over.
The second air-conditioned restaurant on Smith Street is just opposite Chinatown Food Complex
Chan had tried to franchise his restaurants earlier, and there were no takers. Now, he has decided he won’t franchise them and just open as many as he can manage. Sweet Revenge!
The Smith Street outlet
We quickly popped inside to take a look. This outlet has more dishes and the pricing continued to stay humble. The 2.5 SGD Soya Sauce Chicken and noodles in the stall were priced at 3.8 SGD here.
The menu and pricing at the Smith Street outlet
Bottomline
Overall, it was a good meal but I’m still not sure if it is the best Michelin-starred meal I’ve eaten.
Tim Ho Wan’s Barbeque Pork Buns used to be the cheapest Michelin-star dish before the Singapore hawker stall got a star, and every time I am in Asia and know of a Tim Ho Wan outlet, I make it a point to eat the pork buns there, including the flagship in Hong Kong.
While I think it was good to try the Soya Sauce chicken, I don’t miss it really, perhaps won’t be back again to eat it. But if you are planning a visit them, I’ll recommend you try the rustic Chinatown Food Complex experience at stall no. 126.
Have you eaten at Hawker Chan? What did you think of the meal there?
Not worth the price I am paying for. A S$6.00 dry soya sauce noodle plate 65% of the chicken is bone. Looks like you paying for the Michelin title than the food itself.
I don’t know-how they won a Michelin star? I’ve had a lot better chicken and rice before. It was only passable as far as I’m concerned.
Why don’t Michelin award a star or two to Hyderabad’s Paradise/Shadabs for their mutton biryanis, Nizams in Kolkata for their Kathi roll or Moti Mahal in Delhi for their butter chicken? That’s because it is an elitist French institution which condescendingly disfavours Indian cuisine and Indian restaurants, even the finest foods of the country that no French chef can ever dream of producing. Why do Indians have to be such slaves to white people’s tastes and opinions? No self-respecting Indian should even consider eating at any Michelin restaurant unless the racist French give Indian food the recognitionit deserves. “Of so your restaurant has a Michelin? I’m not eating here. No offence but Michelin is extremely biased against my country.” should be a standard response. Allah u Akbar.
I don’t concur, I’m eating at hawker chans chadstone outlet in melbourne atm! Whilst reading this review! Why is it that michelin rated food must be expensive in order for this to be treated cheapest michelin rated. Only the cha siew bak is worth a try. The chicken is just tasty but for it to be good, I have to eat a lot more other types to rank this honestly! Ok it is god above average, thats about it.
I concer. There is an uncle Kam’s roast close to my place. Expensive but way better tasting stuff. Next time you guys are here, will take you there. See you soon. 🙂
My wife and I will be in Singapore for the first time 3 weeks from now and have spent hours watching YouTube vlogs. This place is featured on just about every one we watched for food inspiration and is at the top of the list of “must do’s”. Our hotel is a mere 10 minutes walk from this hawker center, so we should be able try it several times if we strike out the first time. Can’t wait for the experience!