Crispy hen rice with succulent flesh and fragrant rice to queue for at Lucky Plaza

Let’s make issues clear from the get-go: I got here to Fiie’s Cafe (previously often called As-Shifaa Cafe) totally anticipating a few of the nasty issues I examine them in some opinions to be true. From the desk slamming, staredown duels and eye-roll skirmishes, I used to be additionally half anticipating a movie crew to be current a la Hell’s Kitchen. The little cafe (and I meant that actually) is positioned on the sixth ground of Lucky Plaza.

When I used to be inside viewing distance of the cafe, I used to be sadly caught in one thing extra abhorrent than what was talked about within the detrimental opinions. It was the dreaded winding queues that solely appeared to maneuver an inch after each 5 minutes, regardless of lunch being a few hours in the past.

Whilst queuing, I might see why the proprietor was stern with seat hoggers and chope-ers. There had been solely round 16 seats out there at one time, which was most likely pushing the max capability of the room-sized cafe.

And the large hoo-ha over the seating system? You order, obtain your meals after which get instructed the place to seat, easy as that. I even noticed them accommodating a bunch of 6 diners.

The solely half that was vaguely true was the solemn look on the proprietor’s face, however even that notion was shattered by the grins he had in the course of the occasional joke with different workers.

What I attempted at Fiie’s Cafe

The menu mimics the compact nature of the atmosphere, with solely the Combo (S$9) being out there. It consists of hen rice, a canned drink and two decisions of sides from Sambal Quail Eggs, Begedil, Chicken Liver, Gizzard and a Boiled Egg. 

I did see some prospects having solely the Chicken Rice (S$6) although the choice wasn’t obvious on the stall and I needed to confirm it on-line. I had the Combo with Gizzard and Boiled Egg as these had been the one sides left.

I correctly sat at my allotted spot and was accompanied by an inadvertent consuming companion beside me. 

No, it’s not nasi ayam penyat, it’s simply good ol’ fried hen leaning on a mattress of aromatic rice infused with robust permeations of ginger. Accompanying it was 3 items of gizzard, all dolled up in dry sambal, able to strike warmth to any tongue and a faultless boiled egg. 

I couldn’t assist myself and dug into the hen first. Like breaking right into a window, the crispy pores and skin was crunching at each prying effort from my fork and spoon combo. I used to be handled to still-moist hen flesh and satisfying crackling from the fried bits at each chew. 

It tasted actually just like hawker stall fried hen, however with a a lot stronger flavour. Plus, since they batter the hen individually, it created a crispiness that’s tenfold from regardless of the former might muster. This wasn’t the same old turmeric and salt affair that you simply’d typically get in Malay stalls.

The expertise solely acquired higher with the addition of rice. It tasted like all good hen rice, with hints of ginger in addition to lemongrass finishing the complete hen rice expertise. It was additionally well-cooked and never overly oily. 

Despite being orthodox, the hen broth as soon as once more reveals why it’s most likely essentially the most underrated a part of hen rice. Even when it most likely consists largely of hen inventory, that extra chickeny-ness added a refreshing facet to each the rice and hen with its daring flavours and a smidgen of herbiness.

Cutting via the comforting flavours of the hen rice had been the gizzards. It was unabashedly spicy and savoury, with no room for sweetness— simply the way in which I preferred my sambal. The gizzards had been cooked effectively too; it was nonetheless characteristically chewy however many of the disagreeable iron-like style was absent.

Any slight trace of it was engulfed by the deep red-hot sambal.

Whilst my ordering expertise was seamless, I did discover it barely uncomfortable to eat primarily because of the spatial constraints. I had an undesirable consuming buddy throughout me and our plates had been simply millimetres from each other. Might be scene for a tacky Valentine’s Day flick however tremendous awkward in actual life.

I additionally was underneath the fixed impression that I needed to eat doubly quick, because the queues had been solely piling up. Also, I needed to cope with the stares from 8 actually hungry patrons as they waited and perhaps even the proprietor — fortunately my again was going through him.

Final ideas

Personally, I feel it’s a disgrace that individuals are extra conscious of the detrimental status surrounding Fiie’s Cafe moderately than its hen rice (which is nice by the way in which). I suppose we actually do stay in a society like that.

My quick lunch there has proven that when everyone seems to be following the cheap calls for from the proprietor, it’s a comparatively clean expertise barring the tight consuming atmosphere, however hey, I suppose that’s a part of the expertise.

There’s little question I’ll be again, however perhaps after the group has had their fill of hen rice drama or lack of it.

Expected injury: S$6 – S$9 per pax

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