On a mission to discover Singapore's best chicken rice, YouTuber Angel Hsu dedicated two months to visiting 100 different stalls, racking up over S$5,
On a mission to discover Singapore’s best chicken rice, YouTuber Angel Hsu dedicated two months to visiting 100 different stalls, racking up over S$5,000 in expenses along the way. Her adventure even led to some gastrointestinal issues, but Hsu was determined to document the experience thoroughly.
More than Just Tian Tian
In her quest, Hsu created a spreadsheet to record her findings and shared a video of her journey on YouTube. Originally from Taiwan, she felt that many tourists only recognize Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice and miss out on the city’s hidden gems. Drawing from her academic background in life sciences and public health, Hsu recalled a professor’s warning about the potential for bacteria growth in steamed chicken due to its moisture content, which fueled her idea for the project.
Shortlisting the Stalls
Hsu meticulously shortlisted 100 stalls based on Google reviews, ensuring each had at least 10 reviews. For chains with multiple outlets, she opted for the one with the highest rating. She decided on this number to avoid overlooking any hidden treasures. To keep the evaluation consistent, she only ordered chicken breast at each stall, believing that if they could master this cut, they would excel with other parts.
Grading the Experience
To assess the chicken rice, Hsu devised a grading system that looked at various components of the dish, including the chicken’s tenderness, rice aroma, and the taste of the accompanying chili and soup. The overall saltiness and value for money based on the amount of chicken served were also key criteria. Notably, she opted not to evaluate the chicken rice soup, as it was usually reserved for dine-in customers.
Lab Results and E. Coli Testing
Hsu also had the chicken rice samples tested for E. coli levels, with results ranging from 9 to 490,001 colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g). She explained that scores below 10 indicated no bacteria detected, while those over 490,000 surpassed the testing limits. For her audience’s safety, she wouldn’t endorse any stall with over 100 CFU/g, the maximum according to Singapore Food Agency standards. Hsu even conducted retests on stalls with high E. coli counts.
Eating Routine
Starting her journey in February 2023, Hsu limited her tastings to weekdays due to lab operating hours. Each day, she visited as many as five stalls, grading each dish while documenting her experiences. To maintain accurate results, she wore personal protective equipment when handling samples, which were then transported in an icebox to her lab for analysis.
The Top Four Chicken Rice Stalls
After her extensive search, Hsu revealed her top four chicken rice stalls:
Best Soup: Ah Five Hainanese Chicken Rice / Fried Rice / Porridge (Blk 158 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4)
Most Tender Kampong Chicken: Kampong Chicken Eating House (247 Outram Rd)
Best Rice: Ah Boy Chicken Rice (Mentor Eric Teo) (678A Choa Chu Kang Cres)
Best Overall: Wee Kim Hainanese Chicken Rice (51 Yishun Ave 11)
The Cost of Chicken Rice
Hsu’s total expenditure exceeded S$5,000, which included over S$1,000 spent on chicken rice alone, with additional costs for lab tests, parking, and petrol.
A Tough Journey
Unfortunately, the quest took a toll on her health; Hsu experienced diarrhea nearly every day due to her chicken rice diet. Almost half of the stalls tested had E. coli levels exceeding the acceptable limit, which contributed to her discomfort.
Despite her love for chicken rice, she admitted to feeling “sick of it” by the end of her project. While she remains open to exploring other chicken dishes, she expressed a reluctance to limit herself to just chicken-related cuisine moving forward.
You can watch Hsu’s full adventure and check out her findings in the video linked below.
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