Ho Fook Hei Soy Sauce Chicken by Joyden – For Cantonese Roast Meats, Noodles & Congee in Great World City

Money money money, always sunny, in a rich man’s world~ I bet it’s everybody’s wish to enjoy prosperity and good fortune! Well, you’ll get that translated into plates and dishes at this comfortable eatery nestled in Great World City! Now that sounds equally good to me!

Ho Fook Hei, which stands for 好福气 in Cantonese, is a relatively new tenant after Great World City’s major facelift in 2018. Nevertheless, this dining establishment under Joyden certainly did not disappoint in bringing diners delectable Cantonese dishes with its spacious restaurant with strong oriental vibes. Of roast meats, noodles and congees, step in and be pleasantly surprised!

If you’re expecting an extremely extensive menu selection like that of Ding Tai Fung or Crystal Jade, you will be disappointed. However, this simply goes to show that they have placed utmost focus and emphasis on perfecting their signature dishes with meticulously sourced ingredients, which was evidently the case after our taste test.

As the name of their shop goes, their top specialty is none other than their Specialty Rose Wine Soy Sauce Chicken ($19 half, $35 whole)! Using a time-honoured recipe passed down for generations, the chefs insist that the chicken has to be prepared in a traditional Cantonese way, which is extremely rare these days.

To create this succulent roast, farm-fresh chickens are brined overnight and slowly poached in their homemade braising liquid of superior soy sauce and a plethora of Chinese herbs and spices.

This slow-poach method yields these tender meats carrying a hint of rose-scented wine with golden-brown skin that glistens under the lights. Even the toughest breast meat could not help but succumb to a slab of pull-apart tenderness! The top quality rose wine from Hong Kong imparted a slightly bitter aftertaste with a floral fragrance, which was pretty unique.

Do not forget to check out their roast meats as they were really well-executed! I particularly adored their Honey-glazed Black Barbeque Pork Belly ($13), which had a nice lean-fat ratio and most importantly, had a nice char!

Absolutely loved the smoky flavours from the caramelisation of the meat and despite being thick cuts, the pork slices were sufficiently tender and bursting with meat juices in every bite. The sweet-savoury honey glaze played a complementary role and made this treat even more luscious. So good that it got me going slice after slice.

Feeling slightly heavy from all those meats? Cleanse your palate with their Shrimp Dumpling Soup ($8.80 for 5 huge dumplings)! The clear broth was light and refreshing, while the plump shrimp dumplings were bursting with natural sweet juices of the prawns and meat!

A thin layer of smooth wanton skin encases a generous amount of minced pork and shrimp filling with black fungus & chives, all nicely seasoned and perfectly crunchy, rendering a nice texture.

Their homemade Egg Noodles ($3.80) are pretty springy without the unpleasant alkaline taste too, which makes them awesome choices for those who want some carbs but not a fan of rice.

Tossed in their flavourful braising liquid and accompanied by blanched greens, you can pair this with their roasts or shrimp dumpling soup for a complete meal. My tip would be to pair the noodles with their homemade chilli sauce, which scored a perfect score from me!

While the chefs refused to divulge their secret recipe, a generous amount of dried shrimps was evident. Taste-wise, it was savoury with a hint of sweetness from granulated sugar, a subtle smoky fragrance and a mild spicy kick, with lots of crispy bits that created a pleasant texture. Reminiscent of the typical seasoning for fried fish skin snacks, I fell in love deeply with this umami blend.

Those looking for a lighter meal can opt for their Cantonese Congees ($7.80-$9.80), the ultimate comfort food that will keep both your bellies and heart warm with its smooth texture and robust flavours despite being plain-looking.

I tried their Red Grouper Fish Fillet Congee ($9.80) and it was evident that the porridge has been cooked for hours to absorb all the essence of the ingredients used, resulting in a silky smooth consistency and full of natural sweetness. The fresh and thick fish slices had a nice firm bite and did not have any fishy smell or taste at all.

Setting the bars high with their roasts and mains, I was worried that their sides will pale in comparison but my worries were uncalled for. The crispy Hae-Zor (deep fried pork & prawn rolls) ($7.80) is bound to delight you with its full-blown savoury flavours with 5-spice seasoning, whose taste profile completely levelled up when eaten with the accompanying sweet dipping sauce.

Moist and soft pork and prawn filling with finely diced carrots, water chestnuts, onion and spring onion, encased by a thin layer of beancurd skin fried to the perfect golden brown and crisp, just who can resist these gems?

Being specialists in seafood, how can this casual dining concept under Joyden not offer seafood right? Here at Ho Fook Hei, you can choose between Sea Bass, Threadfin or Cod Fish to be steamed with any of their sauces of your choice (Signature Nonya Assam sauce, Old Ginger Sauce, Superior Soy Sauce or go Teochew style – preserved vegetables, salted plum and tomatoes).

As I’m not a fan of ginger, I thought that the Cod with Old Ginger Sauce ($24.80) would naturally not match well with my taste buds, but I was so wrong! It was really life-changing as I uncontrollably slathered a generous amount of those finely-grated blends of ginger over my piece of cod after my first mouth.

Void of any pungent taste or smell, it was hard to believe that it was ginger as its taste bore a resemblance to butter garlic. I super love this rich and aromatic sauce, which was extremely complementary to the fatty cod fish which was absolutely flaky and tender.

One look at their Sea Bass with Signature Nonya Assam Sauce ($14.80) and you’ll know that this goes very well with a bowl of fluffy white rice! Donning an alluring bright orange hue, the freshness of the fish was well-complemented by the tangy-sweet sauce with a tinge of spice.

To end off your meal on a sweet note, you can try their Red Bean Soup with Aged Mandarin Peel ($4.50), or the classic Mango Sago with Pomelo for an icy cold treat.

It doesn’t matter if you’re dining alone or in a group because Ho Fook Hei has got you covered with different portion sizes. Upholding such high quality for their food at pocket-friendly prices, I must say that it was really my 好福气 to discover this hidden gem and I can’t wait to share this good eats with you!

 

 

Ho Fook Hei Soy Sauce Chicken

1 Kim Seng Promenade, #01-141, Great World City, Singapore 237994

Mon to Sun: 11.30am-3.30pm, 5.00pm-9.30pm

Tel: (65) 6219 2262

Website: www.joyden.com.sg

 

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Words and images by @serenetomato

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