Gao Man Gai @ Bangkokya, ArkCube, Daimyou, Fukuoka

 

Chicken rice, specifically Hainanese style chicken rice is one of my weekly staples when I was based back in Malaysia. Chicken flavoured rice and then served with a plate of boiled chicken and several condiments, sometimes alongside a plate of fried chicken, that is a weekly indulgence that I can find almost everywhere. And it is one of the few things that drives that economy. Well, I am in Japan now and this instead has become somewhat of a rarity. There are fortunately many Thai restaurants that serve this street food classic. But how about a shop that only sells chicken rice? Now that is something else. Which had lead me to Bangkokya. 

I guess I will have chicken rice?
I mean the decision has been made for me already...

In Thailand, Chinese style chicken rice is called gao man gai. In fact, if you put a plate of gao man gai and chicken rice from a hawker in Ipoh, you probably may not see the difference. The reason is fairly simple, there is none! Despite coming from a different country this Thai style cousin of the Hainanese chicken rice traces back to the same ancient Chinese roots where the Hainanese legend gets its amazing flavour from. And speaking of different country, I found it pretty spectacular that Bangkokya only serves this in its menu and only serves this treat during spring and summer. I have to thank my Italian friend Lorenzo for the recommendation. Talk about international!

Lunch is ready. 

Anyway, I was there during a wet weekday lunch as the rain was pouring nonstop. Lucky for me a plate of chicken rice helped me fight through this nasty weather without much trouble. A serving of rather generous chicken and rice stood at 1230 yen. And what can be said? it was just chicken on a bed of rice that was cooked in the broth that the chicken was simmered in. Yet, this was what I really needed. 

What a close up 

The chicken had a clean yet flavourful taste. Being just boiled in broth, it retains much of its original flavors. It was spiked with a bit scallion oil and well seasoned so do not worry if you are about to just chew on plain boiled white meat. The sweet soy sauce that came alongside it does help things a lot though. What I did enjoy was pieces of fresh and very spicy chillies that was given alongside this heavenly dish. The heat reminded me of what I had back home, and that kick was what I needed to bring this lunch to another level entirely. 

First of many wonderful spoonfuls. 

However, chicken rice needs well, rice. And said rice was just sublime. The chicken taste was very evident there. It has a deep savoury taste without being too overpowering. It was slightly oily, thanks to the chicken skin that was involved and a slight hint of boiled garlic and ginger was evident. More importantly, they used Thai rice, which is essential since local Japanese rice has a consistency that is not suitable for such a dish.  I also requested for some coriander which I feel it is a necessary step when it comes to enjoying such a dish. I know not many people like this herby leaf. But to me this is totally necessary and I enjoyed it thoroughly. 

Quaint. 

As I was the only customer at the time, I was able to have a chat with the staff there. They mentioned that this shop is opened in the warmer months, specifically spring and summer, is because they have another shop in Habuka (among all places!) and hot Thai food is a big hit with snow skiers and snowboarders. I mean once you hit the colder months, especially when it is frosty, some green curry would just repair any broken bits of you after an intense snowboarding session. 

Front of the house. 

After wolfing down my lunch and having a nice chat, I left the premises very satisfied. And yes, it tasted just like Hainanese chicken rice, which is not a bad thing honestly. Rather, it provided me with a nostalgic touch to the meal and reminded me how amazing the food culture is in South East Asia. And yes, even in Singapore. So if you wish to try this place out, please do so before summer ends. The address is as follows:

〒810-0014 Fukuoka, , Chuo Ward, Daimyo, 1 Chome−3−5 ArkCube No 102