Discovering Edmond's Chicken Rice: A Tasty Halal Spot at Tanglin Halt

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Discovering Edmond's Chicken Rice: A Tasty Halal Spot at Tanglin Halt

I never quite understood the obsession with chicken rice. I always thought it was just average fare, perhaps because I hadn't tasted a truly good version. Let me introduce you to Edmond's Chicken Rice, located at 48A Tanglin Halt Road, known for being one of the best halal chicken rice spots that won't break the bank.

The owner, Edmond, started working with chicken rice at just 16 years old. Back then, he would often skip school to help an uncle who ran a chicken rice stall right beneath his apartment. But Edmond didn’t stop there; he also worked at an old food court called Banquet. By the age of 26, between 2009 and 2010, he decided it was time to open his own stall.

An Exciting Menu

If you’ve ever visited a chicken rice stall, you’ll find Edmond's menu quite familiar. You can choose between the Chicken Rice (SGD 5) and the Chicken Rice Set (SGD 7), both featuring either roasted or steamed chicken — though I found out they were out of steamed chicken during my visit. They also offer Chicken Noodles (SGD 5) and Chicken Porridge (SGD 5). I opted for the Chicken Rice and the Chicken Noodles.

My Chicken Rice came with a bowl of soup and a side of chili sauce. Honestly, I felt that this plate had more meat than others I’ve tried. It was complemented by a hint of light soy sauce. However, upon my first bite, I felt something was missing. The rice was soft, but I didn’t really pick up any special flavors from the ginger or garlic. Instead, there was just a slight sweetness from the soy sauce.

A Flavor That Falls Short

The chicken, while tender, didn’t leave much of an impression on me. It was like drinking diet soda — it looks fine but is clearly lacking something. The skin of the roasted chicken, which I usually enjoy the most, wasn’t as glossy as I had hoped. The flavors of the chicken and malt seemed to have vanished.

Despite some shortcomings, I still felt that the soup could save the day. Drizzling it over the rice and chicken would surely enhance the flavor. But sadly, it was just an ordinary chicken broth flavor, even with the addition of fried onions and green onions. I was also looking forward to the taste of the chili sauce, which I hadn’t tried before, but to my surprise, it was quite tangy with a moderate heat. Though I only took a small bite, those who enjoy spicy food might find it suitable.

Sweetness from the Chicken Noodles

I really liked the chicken noodles, which helped me forget my disappointment from the chicken rice and reignited my hope. And just as I expected, the chicken noodles didn’t let me down. The noodles were cooked to a perfect chewiness and were very tasty. The chili sauce was thick and needed to be mixed well with the noodles to get the best flavor. Once mixed, the spiciness was quite satisfying.

Although this dish should probably be called wanton noodles rather than chicken noodles, adding wantons to the menu is a great idea, especially since the chicken wasn’t that great. The wantons were filled with minced chicken, lightly seasoned with white pepper and salt. If I had to nitpick, I would have loved an option for fried wantons, as the crispy skin would add an interesting texture. But no worries, I got six pieces, and they were even tastier than the chicken.

Final Impressions

Overall, this truly is a tale of two dishes. While the chicken rice was nothing special (and perhaps a bit disappointing), the chicken noodles made my lunch enjoyable with their delicious chili sauce and appealing wantons. Based on many online reviews, I think the shortcomings of the chicken rice might be an anomaly, but I can only judge based on what I was served. For the same price and quality, you can find both dishes at most other chicken rice stalls, which makes it hard for me to wholeheartedly recommend Edmond's Chicken Rice, especially if you don’t live nearby. I might only return if I'm passing through, just to savor the chicken noodles.

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