‘This was bland’: Foreigner complains Singapore chicken rice is ‘100 times’ better in US

SINGAPORE: A foreigner has come under fire online after saying a chicken rice dish she tried in Singapore was nowhere near as good as the version she regularly eats in the United States.

In a post shared in the Complaint Singapore Facebook group on Thursday (Oct 1), she uploaded a photo of her meal, which consisted of chicken rice served with several slices of cucumber and chilli sauce.

Calling it a “very disappointing meal,” she said the chicken rice she eats back in the US was “100 times better and more flavorful.”

“This was bland, and there was barely any chicken and mostly rice,” she wrote. “I thought this would be so much better in Singapore, but I was mistaken.”

Photo: Complaint Singapore/Facebook user Hannah Rusli

‘Try comparing chicken rice from established brands’

With chicken rice being such a staple in Singapore, her post quickly drew criticism from some locals.

Several commenters questioned why she had chosen to compare the dish so harshly with the version she was accustomed to in the US.

“Then go back to the US and eat your chicken rice. Stop complaining here,” one person wrote.

Another insisted that Singapore's chicken rice was superior, adding that the poster may simply have “went to the wrong stall.”

A third commenter was more sceptical of her claim that the American version was “100 times better,” writing: “I believe it looks like a disappointing meal, but I don't believe USA chicken rice is 100 times better.”

A fourth added, “In my whole entire hood of growing up in Singapore… NEVER have I heard of Hainanese chicken rice served with a chilli padi, unless you own your own type of stall — sabo, saying it's Singapore-style chicken rice.”

Some also speculated that she may have been comparing the hawker-style chicken rice she bought in Singapore with a more expensive version from a restaurant in the US. 

They argued that the comparison was hardly fair.

“First of all, you're comparing a plate of USD11 or higher in the US to a plate of SGD5 or higher in Singapore, and you expect it to be tastier? Why not compare it to a SGD25++ chicken rice at Chatterbox Singapore?” one wrote.

“Dear ragebaiter, try comparing chicken rice from established brands instead of this economical version from a bus interchange,” another said.

A third, meanwhile, offered tips for improving the dish rather than airing complaints online: “Buy, take home, and supplement with condiments you like. Another idea is to salt the chicken lightly, add a dash of sesame oil, and add a side of sweet or dark soy sauce.”/TISG

Read also: ‘Everything is so expensive’: Singaporean considers quitting master’s in Canada after just 1 month