A few of us here loves Hainan Chicken with Rice (AKA Hai nam or Hainanese). Originated from Chinese origins, this meal consists of boiled chicken, oily rice, cucumber (with tomatoes sometimes), and pounded ginger chili sauce. The chicken is soft and moist with a flavorful taste. The meat is boiled over and over in a pork/chicken bone stock. It is usually tender with a hint of garlic. The rice is prepared with chicken stock as well. There are two restaurants in Alhambra that has good ratings on yelp for Hainan chicken rice. Savoy Kitchen and Dong Nguyen restaurant.
I was able to try out Dong Nguyen first. The chicken was good. Moist, soft skin, and flavorful. The meat had an even texture. You can tell that the meat had been boiled just right to get the right tenderness. The rice was moderate. It was not too oily and had a good texture with a hint of garlic. I did not like the sauce as much. It was thick and did not bring out the taste of the Hainan chicken like I expected.
On the next trip, I’ll visit Savoy and see how it compares with Dong Nguyen.
