Every time I post something about lor ark or braised duck, there's a good chance that a fan or two of Heng Gi will reach out to me and ask if I have tried their favourite duck rice stall. I finally did recently. I like it because it's an old school lor ark reminiscent of 1960s Singapore.
Heng Gi is a low profile hawker stall at a corner of Tekka Centre despite its near 70 year vintage and cult status among its fans. It doesn't have the long snaking queues of hawker legends but a steady flow of mainly middle aged customers.
The sign says Goose and Duck Rice but everyone knows Heng Gi serves only braised duck now. (Taiwan was Singapore's main source of goose but imports were suspended in 2011 due to avian flu. No new source with the right taste and price was found since then.)
This is the $3.50 set. Duck, rice, a soup and chili sauce, it's enough for me.
For $3.50, I feel I am getting more boneless meat than at most chicken rice stalls for the same amount of money. The tender-firm chewy duck was infused and coated with a Teochew style light (not thicken), savoury salty sauce but I could still discern a little duck taste which I like.
Heng Gi's duck can feel hard and stiff to some because it is cut quite thick.
Heng Gi has only simple, plain boiled rice (no yam rice). Heng Gi uses good quality rice, better than at some chicken rice stalls. Splashed with their savoury salty braising stock - just the sweet rice and savoury stock is enough to make me feel contented.
Soft fluffy rice with tender-firm chewy duck. I find eating lor ark this way gives me the most pleasure - savoury duck, sweet savoury rice with spicy sourish chili sauce.
Wash it down with light savoury soup with subtle Chinese spice notes.
Repeat.
Makes me feel like an old Teochew (though I am not 😛 ).
Heng Gi also have duck innards like liver and intestine as well as braised pig head parts like face, snout and ears which I shall try next time.
Written by Tony Boey on 16 Mar 2022
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