Geylang Bahru Market & Food Centre may not be the most well-known or the most accessible hawker centre out there. Just like every food stop out there, however, it is home to some hidden gems.
Founded in 1991, Cheok Kee Boneless Braised Duck 祝记无骨卤鸭 at Geylang Bahru Market & Food Centre was recently recognised with the Michelin Bib Gourmand award.
Cheok Kee first opened at MacPherson. The hawker’s love for braised duck inspired him to start this business 30 plus years ago, coupled with the dedication to develop his recipe.
Decades later, it has settled at Geylang Bahru, where it continues to attract its band of loyal customers.
This is due to none other than the quality of the single protein they serve – Braised Duck.
In the morning, fresh birds are put through Cheok Kee’s own blend of braising liquid (made of soy sauce and spices) and cooked through.
By noon, a full row of braised duck is ready in the display case. The number rapidly depletes through the lunch crowd and steadily for the rest of the day.
The ducks are said to be braised for two hours, using more than 20 ingredients and aromatic spices.
The hawker also emphasises the importance of understanding the varying fat content in different breeds of ducks – some breeds have more fat, some less.
This allows him to adjust the amount of fat in the cooking process, ensuring the colour of the braised duck is not too dark or too light, and the taste not too bland or too salty.
Items served include Braised Duck Rice ($3.50), Duck Drumstick Rice ($5), and Braised Duck Porridge ($3.50). A whole Braised Duck goes for $36.
The queue could take about 15 to 20 minutes. And be clear with your orders with auntie.
The Braised Duck Rice ($3.50), which people arrive in droves for, comes looking ordinary. Rice grains, coloured from the braising liquid it was cooked in, was topped with deboned duck slices.
An additional scoop of gravy was poured over the duck for good measure.
The rice was considerably flavourful, though I thought the duck pieces was slightly on the dry side.
Instead, I found the chilli sauce more of a standout.
While the usual sort of chilli accompanying the dish are either the sour kind or the salty anchovies-filled kind, what they have at Cheok Kee is composed of both a sambal belachan and a sour-ish chilli sauce.
On a colder day, perhaps the Braised Duck Porridge ($3.5) could be better.
The bowl of gooey congee is, like its rice counterpart, topped with braised liquid and duck meat.
While you are in the vicinity, just take a short walk over to Cheok Kee for some of the most affordable Michelin-recommended dish you will ever get.
Cheok Kee Boneless Braised Duck 祝记无骨卤鸭
Geylang Bahru Market & Food Centre #01-35, 69 Geylang Bahru, Singapore 330069
Opening Hours: 11:45am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)
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Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck (Ghim Moh)
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Cheng Heng Kway Chap and Braised Duck Rice (Holland Drive)
Read: DFD Singapore Michelin Bib Gourmand Reviews
* Written by Daniel Ang and Dean Ang. Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
