For chicken rice traditionalists and fans of Ee Ji Ban in Malacca, Sengkang has a little-known gem of a dish from a bygone era.
It’s on display at O’My Kampong in Sengkang Riverside Park, whose opening last year injected the area with serious kampong vibes and a menu filled with grandma-approved dishes like these chicken rice balls.
The open-air eatery by Old Chang Kee revives the old school chicken rice by moulding them into perfectly shaped balls.
Food at O’My Kampong
We got the Buddy Meal ($11.90) which comes with four rice balls, enough for 2 pax. Other portions available are Individual ($7.90, two rice balls) and Family Bundle ($20.90, eight rice balls.
These are served alongside crispy roasted kampong chicken, a side of garden vegetables, and a trio of dips (garlicky Hainanese chilli sauce, mushroom sauce, and a homemade sauce of sweet caramelised onions.)
Despite being moulded into balls, the rice is not hardened and breaks apart easily with a spoon (or your hand, if you are so inclined). Flavour-wise, you definitely get that comforting chicken broth taste with just a tinge of garlic and ginger.
The roasted chicken appeared to be skinny, but that is a trait of a kampong chicken anyway. That said, the skin is a glossy, crispy, and golden-brown layer that tears apart easily to reveal the juicy meat beneath.
As the chicken comes with bones still intact, you might have to have some deft fork and spoon skills to get to the hard-to-reach meat. Or just eat with your bare hands, kampong-style.
The dips lend a distinctly unique dining experience as far as chicken rice goes. Apart from the Hainanese chilli sauce, the other two sauces seem to be unlikely chicken rice pairings. Or we just might be clueless millennials.
The mushroom sauce is reminiscent of BK Mushroom Swiss, while the homemade sauce is actually sautéed onions that give off a distinctive sweetness and aroma.
Both of them are unusual on chicken rice, but we imagine that’s how it’s done back in the day?
Ambiance at O’My Kampong
Less than 5 minutes walk away from Kupang LRT Station in Sengkang, the Sengkang Riverside Park where O’My Kampong is situated is actually quite scenic.
The eatery itself has a commodious interior with a comfortable laid back ambience. When we visited on a weekday afternoon, there are no large crowds, so finding a vacant table would be pretty effortless.
On the menu at O’My Kampong; $7.90 – $20.90. Sengkang Riverside Park, 50 Anchorvale Street #01-02; +65 9710 4280