MacKenzie Rex Halal Chicken Rice📍Prinsep Street ☎ 6336 1702

When I asked Muslim friends where they go for Halal Hainanese chicken rice, MacKenzie Rex restaurant gets mentioned often.

So, I went to check it out 😁

Oh.... I love the quaint location and vibes already.

It's tucked away in a leafy cul de sac at the end of Prinsep Street like a hideaway right under the nose of the city.

Inside, it's like I've gone back in time. Small, long narrow space, simply furnished, basic decor, the kind of comfort zone vibes that felt welcoming.

Chinese run and many Malay customers (MacKenzie Rex is Halal certified) - the kind of muhibbah (harmony) open place where everyone is welcome. This is Singapore, home truly.

Reception and cashier in front, bright and clean dining space in the middle, kitchen at the back. Where I sat, I can smell the alluring aroma of wok hey in the air and tock tock music of chicken chopping.

MacKenzie Rex has many Chinese zhi char (boil and fry) type dishes and deep fried chicken rice is their claim to fame. But today, my mission was poached chicken rice 😄

The prices looked competitive even with hawker centres and cheaper than some food courts.

I picked the upsized chicken, so my set came to SGD$5.80+. There's 9% GST though no service charge.

Chicken meat came almost boneless dressed in a brown sauce and some parsley.

The skin was soft and smooth. Meat was soft tender juicy but edging on mushy. Mildly sweet savoury salty taste from the sauce complementing the meat and skin's subtle natural chicken flavour.

Doesn't wow but it was comforting nice, likeable.

Rice was fluffy, soft tender, lightly greased, mildly aromatic, savoury sweet. I enjoyed it.

The savoury sweet chicken and vegetable soup tasted better than it's uninspiring look.

I requested for condiments and was pointed to these on every table - generic for all their dishes.

Savoury salty spicy sour chili sauce. The slightly spicy zesty fare worked well with poached chicken.

Finished everything including the rice even though I refrain from carbs as much as possible these days. Means it tastes good lah... worth the calories and insulin spike.

The aroma of wok hey is still in my head - shall come back and try their stir fried dishes next time. Other must try dishes include fried ngoh hiang roll, one of Mackenzie Rex's hot sellers. Their deep fried chicken rice is very popular, in fact MacKenzie Rex is famous for it.