hainan chicken

Hey Chows.

I have a craving for a type of Chinese chicken. It's called HAINAN (or HOI NAM in Cantonese) chicken, and its usually accompanied by a couple of sauces (which are VERY yummy, one being a sweet soya, and one being a green onion and ginger sauce), chicken soup, and a rice that is out of this world. Why is it out of this world, you ask? Well, thats because it is cooked with chicken essence, which is from the soup that the chicken is cooked from.

Does anyone have any suggestions on where I can get a good (tasty and yummy, yet affordable) hainan chicken meal? Anywhere in the GTA please. I dont have a car, so will be more of an inconvenience for me to travel up to 905 area. But please suggest if its good, and I'll find a way to get there. :D

THANKS.

Image: http://www.3weekly.com/share/threewee...

[vincechan]

As a Singaporean immigrant to Canada, I've been disappointed by the many incantations of Hainan Chicken Rice that the GTA has to offer.. until now!

If I can call anything comfort food, it'd have to be Hainan Chicken Rice! Thanks to my friends' recommendations, I found excellent substitute at Phoenix Restaurant in Markham (2 locations: woodbine/steeles, mccowan/hwy 7)... fresh, tender, springy, fragrant.. served with good chicken oil rice, the requisite garlic sauce and a thai sauce.. too bad they don't have good chili sauce to serve with it!

And you know what the best part is? They de-bone the chicken! By all means, cook with the bone, but that doesn't mean you should have to eat with it! On my visit back to Singapore, every hawker debones their chicken to allow their customer to enjoy without the hassle. I was pleasantly surprise to find big hunks of meat without bone.

I'd so be willing to have this once a week! Try it and let me know what you think!

[Charles Yu]

Agree! Phoenix version is not too bad.
BTW, Phoenix's Russian Borsch soup is one of the best in town. Very aromatic,spicey and delicious. Comparable to what the best Hong Kong has to offer. Beware, the Woodbine location is packed every night after seven!

[Royaljelly]

I just saw Phoenix on Woodbine pop up not too long ago, what style of Chinese do they serve?

[Charles Yu]

'Hong Kong Pseudo-Western'. Kind of similar to Richmond court in Times Square. However, some of their dishes have some interesting twist to them. Like, baked king prawns in a creamy cheese sauce over Japanese instant noodles!! Sounds kind of weird but actually tasted pretty good! Their baked ox-tongue dishes are also nicely done too. If you like that sort of thing?

[gtafoodie]

I tried Phoenix on Woodbine last week and was vastly disappointed! I ordered their Malaysian Beef Brisket since it was one of their specialties, and my brother ordered their Hainan Chicken Rice. Both dishes were sadly lacking in flavor. The Hainan Chicken Rice at Phoenix on Raymerville is far more superior. Lastly, don't ever order the Malaysian Beef Brisket from Phoenix. If you ever have a craving for it, order it from Gourmet Garden at Centerview Square, Sheppard and Brimley.

[kerwintoronto]

Just giving this a bump ... been having a craving for some 'Chicken Rice' after getting back from Singapore last month.

Other relevant threads found the a 'hainan' search are below...
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/332932
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/103316

Might try Merlion just to give it a whirl as I don't see a lot of 'Chicken Rice' options other than at a food courts in Scar/R.Hill/Markham.

[Teep]

As I mentioned in one of those posts, Bun Saigon on Spadina serves it. Also Hong Kong Restaurant on Dundas near Huron has it on their menu as well.