I swear my “hawker stalls to-try” list has a life of its own. Every time I visit a new hawker centre, I discover another corner, another stall, another queue that makes me curious, and suddenly my list grows even longer. And honestly, that’s how I know hawker culture is still very much alive. Even with all the modern restaurants in the city, I never get bored hunting for good hawker food because the experience always feels grounded, real, and (most importantly) satisfying.
One thing I really appreciate about hawker food in Singapore is how it stays relevant through two big factors: price and quality. It’s one of the most comforting parts of city life here, there’s always something affordable, and yet you can still be surprised by how well it’s done. Tonight’s dinner was a perfect example of that, because I finally tried Sheng Ji Soya Chicken Rice / Noodle at Geylang Bahru Hawker Food Centre, and wow… the generosity really caught me off guard (in a good way).
If you’ve been to this hawker centre before, you’ll probably recognize the stall immediately. The bright red signboard is hard to miss, and it’s usually packed with customers queueing. I’ve walked past it before and thought, “Okay, the line is serious.” But tonight, I felt encouraged to join the queue, partly because the stall is recognized by Food King (a nice little confidence boost), and partly because the crowd energy made it feel like this was the move for dinner.
What made the whole experience even more heartwarming was the vibe of the stall itself. Sheng Ji is operated by ladies in their senior years, and you can feel their passion in the way they handle the orders and serve customers. It didn’t feel rushed or purely transactional. The energy was calm, steady, and strangely comforting, like you’re being fed by someone who genuinely wants you to eat well, not just someone chasing profit.
For my main dish, I ordered the soya sauce chicken noodles. When my plate arrived, I had a tiny moment of “wait… is this really my portion?” because the chicken they served was so generous that I felt a little overwhelmed. Big chunks of chicken, chopped and piled on top of springy yellow noodles, sitting in a pool of savory sauce, simple, classic, and very hawker.
And then the best surprise happened: they added one piece of chicken feet as a bonus. I didn’t ask for it, they just offered it. I’m not even sure why, but that small gesture instantly made me feel like I was already part of their regular crowd. (First time here and I’m getting a “welcome gift”? LOL.) That chicken feet, by the way, was rich and deeply flavored, the kind you nibble slowly because it’s messy but worth it.
Let’s talk texture because the noodles were perfectly cooked, springy, firm, and satisfying to slurp. The chicken was tender and juicy, and the overall dish felt generous in every way. If I had one tiny preference, I just wished the soy sauce flavor was a bit stronger, more of that deep, dark “soya perfume” that lingers after each bite. But honestly, it was still really enjoyable.
I also ordered a dumpling soup, and again, generous. The dumplings were comforting and hearty, and I loved the little addition of pork lard in the soup. That one detail gave the broth a richer mouthfeel and a “hawker-style” warmth that made the whole meal feel complete.
Here’s the part that still amazes me: everything cost only SGD 7.00. A satisfying plate of soya sauce chicken noodles, plus dumpling soup, plus a bonus chicken feet… for seven dollars? This is exactly why I keep coming back to hawker centres.
