Chicken Rice is a small Malaysian eatery that has opened up right in the heart of The Parade. With only 7 dishes to choose from, making a decision really isn’t that difficult. I actually prefer places with a small menu because they offer dishes that they can cook well, as opposed to a large selection of dishes that are hit and miss.

The decor in some ways reminds me of a 60’s diner. The use of timber is quite prominent and I think they’ve practically used the limited space that they have. With a series of two seat tables in the centre of the room, I wouldn’t recommend you come here with too many friends unless you want to congregate around the stand up bench areas.

My initial lunch choice was the Beef Rendang, but they were in the middle of cooking a fresh batch while I was there, so the dish wasn’t available.

I then ordered the Hainanese Chicken Rice. The dish came out within 10 minutes of ordering and was average in presentation. The Chicken breast meat used was well marinated, tender and succulent, and the amount provided was rather generous. The spring onion in ginger oil topping provided nice balance to what otherwise would have been a bland dish. The meal also came with a small tray of chilli sauce which was an unusual brown colour. The chilli sauce is made from chillies, garlic, sugar, salt, lemon juice and chicken stock, and really complemented the chicken by adding more depth.

The steamed rice was a major disappointment as it was soft and gluggy, as though too much water was added during the cooking process. The dish also came with a clear broth which acted as a good palette cleanser.

The staff were friendly and the service was fast and efficient. The atmosphere was relaxed and the pricing was reasonable. All the dishes were under $11 and the serving sizes were decent. Had my rice been cooked better, I would have given this place a better rating.

WHERE: 170 The Parade, Norwood