Tian Tian Chicken Rice now has a flagship eatery at Jewel Changi Airport, with new chicken curry
In addition to their famous Hainanese chicken rice, the family-run Michelin Bib Gourmand eatery has rolled out some outlet-exclusive dishes at its newest restaurant. One of them, a chicken curry dish, is founder Foo Kui Lian’s own recipe and a favourite within her own circles.
Tian Tian at Jewel Changi Airport is now open. (Photos: CNA/May Seah)
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People often show up at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice’s famous stall at Maxwell Food Centre only to find the food sold out. And, if they’re tourists who are only in town for a short while, they may not be able to return the next day.
That’s why they’ve opened a flagship outlet at Jewel Changi Airport, explained Loi Mui Yin. Her mother, Foo Kui Lian, first opened the stall in 1986 together with Loi’s uncle.
The eatery, located in the basement, officially opens on Aug 22, taking the total number of Tian Tian outlets in Singapore to six.
Currently operating in soft-launch phase, the Jewel restaurant has rattan lampshades, greenery and banquette seats clad in the signature blue of their signboard.
Apart from chicken rice, there’s a Jewel Signature Exclusive menu that includes a sharing platter of ngoh hiang, Hainanese pork chop, Thai-style fried tofu, tiger-prawn beancurd rolls and fried salad prawns; fried chicken marinated in turmeric and curry leaves; Crystal Chicken Feet and the never-before-served Madam Foo’s Steamed Chicken Curry.
Previously enjoyed only within the family, the chicken curry is available paired with rice, bread or noodles.
“Everybody says her curry is fantastic,” Loi told us. “Sometimes, I bring it to my friends, and they all say, ‘Wow! Very nice!’” The secret is the “very fresh ingredients”, she said – and, of course, her mother’s own spice blend.
Her mum, like any true culinary artist of her generation, cooks without recipes, Loi said. “She once told Gordon Ramsay, ‘I’m not a chef – I’m a housewife’!” To make a record of how the curry is cooked, Loi watched her mum eyeball the ingredients while she measured their quantities. “Three out of three times, she replicated each scoop exactly to a 0.05 per cent difference,” she exclaimed. “I guess that’s why this type of skill can’t be learned – it has to be constantly acquired.”
To get the curry ready to be served in the restaurant, Tian Tian’s chef made at least 10 failed attempts before her mum approved it, Loi said. “Her quality control is very strict!”
Even up until today, mum insists on Loi herself making things like their special chilli sauce in their central kitchen – not just for quality control, but also to ensure the recipe remains a family secret.
“If anything goes wrong, my mum will be the first one to say things like, ‘Why are customers saying the sauce is salty?’ She listens to and takes customer feedback very seriously. Of course, we can’t satisfy 100 per cent of people. But what makes her very happy is customers returning – some for up to three family generations.”
The Maxwell outlet, being on the tourist map, has a limited capacity, resulting in some travellers missing out, she said. “For the past few years, we’ve wished to be able to sell more food or stay open longer, but there have been manpower constraints and limitations.” So, when they were offered the space at Jewel at a time when Loi had managed to expand her team, it was an opportunity to feed more people who might not have long to spend in Singapore.
It’s not just tourists, though. You may, if you’re lucky, even catch a glimpse of Madam Foo herself. Loi said: “You’d be surprised – every time I ask her, ‘What do you want to eat?’ She says, ‘Chicken rice’!”
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice’s flagship outlet is at B2-243, Jewel Changi Airport, 78 Airport Boulevard, Singapore 819666.
Source: CNA/my
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