One of Singapore's Most Famous Stalls
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken is one of Singapore's most famous street stalls. There are always a long line at this institution inside Maxwell Food Centre, a casual food stall centre in Singapore's Chinatown with open seating.
Anthony Bourdain visited Tian Tian on his Travel Channel show No Reservations and proclaimed it the best chicken rice in the world. Tian Tian’s chicken rice also beat out Gordon Ramsay’s version in a Hawker Heroes Challenge in 2013. Finally, the Michelin Guide awarded it a Bib Gourmande, "simple yet skilful cooking for under £28 or €40."
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice is part of a larger concept that merges together FOUR famous Singaporean Michelin recommended or Bib Gourmand hawker stalls under one roof. On top of Tian Tian, which offers its famous Hainanese Chicken Rice, there is also Bib Gourmand A Noodle Story (ramen), and two other restaurants recommended in the Michelin Singapore Guide: The 50s which serves coffee and kaya toast, and Lao Jie Fang, which has Cantonese style beef noodles. More details on that background here.
General Thoughts - Tian Tian Hong Kong
We were there that day for chicken rice, so we went with the classic. The chicken itself was soft and tender, and the rice was flavorful and fragrant. I don't think it's quite as good as the original location in Singapore, but it was still quite enjoyable. I remember falling in love with the dark soy sauce at the original location. For some reason, this one didn't have quite the same addictive qualities. Nevertheless, we still had a good time.
The ambiance of this Hong Kong outpost is very, very different from the outdoor food stall. The interior design is smart and trendy, there's plenty of seating, and it's in an upscale mall. It is missing a bit of that original street stall charm, and instead feels more like a well-run, larger corporate operation.
The prices are also significantly higher than what you'd pay on the street in Singapore: USD $14 in Hong Kong (HKD80) for a simple chicken rice compared to $2.50 USD in Singapore (S$3.50).
Despite all that, we are still happy to have access to this very tasty, simple, and satisfying lunch.
Right now in Hong Kong there are locations in Causeway Bay and Elements Mall in Kowloon. We had an early lunch in the Elements location in Kowloon and it found it to be simple and pleasant.
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice Hong Kong
Shop H2, G/F, Fashion Walk, 9 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay
1 Ausin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui Shop 1050A, 1/F, Elements
