First Look: A Beloved Singaporean Chicken Rice Shop Opens in Melbourne
Influenced by Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan cuisines, Singaporean food is remarkably diverse. But few dishes encapsulate the country’s culinary identity quite like Hainanese chicken rice. Adapted from dishes brought by Hainanese immigrants from China, it has become one of Singapore’s unofficial national dishes, spawning countless hawker stalls and even an entire restaurant chain dedicated to it: Wee Nam Kee.
Now, more than three decades after opening in 1989, the brand has arrived in Melbourne CBD, with a soft launch last Friday, August 14. It has outlets across Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines, but this is its first Australian location. The franchise has been introduced by JC Hospitality Group, which also operates Japanese chain Nana’s Green Tea.
Director Andy Indra used to live 15 minutes’ walk from a Wee Nam Kee in Singapore and became a regular customer long before bringing the brand to Australia.
“So far in Melbourne, no one is really serving authentic Singapore chicken rice,” he says.
While chicken rice appears on the menus of many Malaysian restaurants and a handful of Singaporean ones, it’s often a supporting act. Here, it’s the main event. Wee Nam Kee’s recipe has been refined over nearly four decades, with recipe development going back to 1987, and Melbourne staff travelled to Singapore for training before opening. The dishes follow the same specifications as the overseas stores, with some ingredients imported from Singapore.
The signature plate pairs chicken poached in chicken-bone broth with fragrant rice cooked in chicken stock and infused with pandan, garlic and ginger. It’s served alongside house-made chilli and ginger sauces, and a cup of the chicken-bone broth. Diners can also opt for roasted chicken, swap the rice for noodles, and upgrade their meal to a set served with dumpling soup or vegetables in oyster sauce.
Indra says keeping the price approachable was just as important as preserving the recipe. With most mains under $20, they’re designed to be something people can eat regularly, just as they do in Singapore.
“Old people, working people, students – [chicken rice] is for everyone,” he says. “We want everyone to be able to afford it.”
The menu is concise. Beyond the signature dish, there are a handful of extras including prawn rolls wrapped in bean-curd skin and a sizzling tofu and prawn hotplate. Drinks include tea, soy milk and soft drinks.
The fit-out draws on Singapore’s kopitiam culture, with traditional tiled details and colonial-era design influences. There’s seating for around 50 diners inside, with another 15 outdoors.
Wee Nam Kee
Hours:
Tue to Sun 11.30am–10pm
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