Café Oriente Cuisine

When I think of Singapore, what's the first dish that comes to my mind?  Chilli crabs?  Laksa?  Guess again!  How's about Hainanese chicken rice? 

Years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to a movie called the Chicken Rice Wars (2000).  A modern-day Romeo and Juliet story where the principal characters are the children of feuding chicken rice stall owners.  I wondered why people would be fighting over such a thing.  Then I found out that Hainanese chicken rice is one of the more popular dishes found at hawker centers throughout Singapore and recipes for the rice, can be a very closely guarded secret!

Well, what exactly is Hainanese chicken rice?  It's boiled chicken served with a ginger/chilli sauce and rice.  The rice is what makes this dish so special.  Jasmine rice is cooked with chicken stock and other seasonings to give it that wonderful aroma and special taste.  The only place that I've tried that serves this dish is a place in Chinatown called Café Oriente Cuisine.

I was introduced to this restaurant a while back by a few Singaporean friends who told me that the chicken rice here is pretty authentic.  One taste and I was hooked! Tonight, the restaurant was packed. I ended up getting one of the small tables in the back.  On a Friday night, this place fills up quite quickly...

Since I was hungry, I ended up ordering the Hainanese chicken rice with Hong Kong-style pan fried pork chop (US$6.95) and a bowl of won ton soup (US$3.95).  Today, the chicken rice was wonderful!  This dish is served with some choy sum (Chinese broccoli) on the side.

The bowl of won ton soup was very delicious!  The soup was not too salty and the won ton...mmmmmmmmmm!  In the bowl, I was pleased to find eight won tons!  These are some of the best that I've had yet...they're so plump and full of flavor!!!  YUM!

If you're looking for some good late-night eats...this is the place to go. 

Café Oriente Cuisine
1157 Maunakea Street
Telephone:  808.599.5262