AmazingMelaka.com . Food@Melaka - Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball at Chung Wah Kopitiam

Food@Melaka - Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball at Chung Wah Kopitiam

November 27th, 2006

When it comes to food hunting in Melaka, the journey is never considered complete without Hainanese chicken rice ball. Personally, I prefer the Hainanese chicken rice at Kedai Kopi Chung Wah.

The Chung Wah chicken rice is not only popular among the local residents, but especially favorable by tourists as well. In fact, Chung Wah kopitiam (a popular word in Malaysia to describe a typical Hainanese coffee shop) is one of the earliest pioneers in Melaka to offer rice balls.

Chung Wah kopitiam occupies a relatively small business space, and food lovers often need to queue up during public holidays before securing a table. The interior is nothing fancy, but clean and neat. The wooden chair and stone-surfaced table which are typically seen in Chinese families during the olden days, are used in Chung Wah kopitiam to complement your meal.

A Simple Meal of Chicken and Rice Balls

Ordering at Chung Wah is simple; just tell the attendant the total number of people eating, and you’ll be served. Unless requested otherwise, each table is served with 5 rice balls per individual, and a plate of white chicken to be shared. If you are like me, of whom 5 rice balls are not sufficient, you can of course make an additional order.

The rice ball at Chung Wah is smooth and solid. If you use a chopstick to split the rice ball, the halves will still be staying intact in a solid structure, instead of scattering around as seen in some other places.

This is a plate of chicken for two. It’s tender and sufficiently oiled. Sorry but you should never expect roasted or stock chicken in a purely traditional Hainanese chicken rice shop. Some people prefer roasted chicken as they had “bad encounter” with white chicken. But believe me, the white chicken at Chung Wah is so good that, you will never bother to ask for roasted chicken here. Personally, I seldom enjoy white chicken as well, but this one at Chung Wah is good.

Though the white chicken and rice ball are good, but personally I think Chung Wah should be more generous with cucumber. In a plate of white chicken as shown above, there were only 2 pieces of cucumber covered at the bottom.

This type of chili source goes well with chicken rice.

Besides chicken rice, coffee is another flagship symbol of Hainanese kopitiam.

Where is Chung Wah Kopitiam?

Geographically specified, Chung Wah kopitiam is located at Lorong Hang Jebat. However, not many people know about the road name. The location can be alternatively described as follows:

Opposite OCBC Bank
At the corner of Tan Boon Seng Bridge
Visibly seen at the beginning of Jonker Street
2 minutes walking distance from Hoe Kee Chicken Rice and Famosa Chicken Rice Ball

You may refer to the Melaka Chinatown map for a better idea on the location of Lorong Hang Jebat.

Among all these descriptions, Chung Wah is most often described as “the one opposite OCBC Bank”

Hoe Kee Chicken Rice

Famosa Chicken Rice Ball

Non-Halal

Chung Wah chicken rice is a non-Halal food. If you’re looking for Halal chicken rice, you may try the Nasi Ayam Bebola at Melaka Sentral.

Your Opinions Are Welcomed

Do you have any personal preference and experience on chicken rice ball to share? Feel free to comment and insert relevant link.

GPS Coordinate: N2.19497 E102.24845

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27 Comments Add your own

1. Jason | November 27th, 2006 at 10:12 am

I am a Hoe Kee fan.

They say the two shops’ owners are brothers actually and split up because of family issues. Don’t know true or not.
2. dan | November 29th, 2006 at 11:28 am

try famosa chicken rice ball at 21 jonker street, good food, this building is old and long, nice deco and a lot to ” see”, highlt recommend.
3. Jason | November 29th, 2006 at 11:43 am

Dan, you must be out of your mind to recommend that chicken rice stall. LOL.
4. serine | December 7th, 2006 at 11:35 am

Hi , i need some comments…. is Chung Wah Chicken rice Nicer or the one at Ujong Pasir Aunty Lee Restn Chicken Rice Ball at Jonker Street ? Cos i am going malacca this coming sat on the 09/12/2006. will appreaciate ur comments.
5. Administrator | December 7th, 2006 at 6:59 pm

Serine:
Well, taste bud is something subjective among individuals. I can’t give a definite judge as in which is better than which But all I can say is, Chung Wah and Hoe Kee are generally the most preferred ones
6. ume | December 16th, 2006 at 10:20 am

Hey..I think that Chung Hwa chicken rice ball is better..But it’s quite weird for me that why the astro programme ‘é˜¿è´¤äººæƒ…å‘³â€˜only introduce Ho Kei?….
7. Administrator | December 17th, 2006 at 7:57 pm

ume:
As I replied in the 5th comment to Serine’s question, taste bud is really something subjective Different individual has different preference towards the same set of foods

Why Astro programme only introduced Hoe Kee but not Chung Wah? hehe… I doubt if I could answer this.
8. Vi | December 25th, 2006 at 5:54 pm

I grew up eating chicken rice from chung wah. My dad used to work at the bank next door.

Pity I live miles away now. I really miss their chicken rice.

I also miss the duck noodle at a kopitiam near limbongan (next to a boys’ school playing field? - used to be a stall under a very huge tree, just a street used to be called tech chye avenue, limbongan, melaka). IF anyone has a photo of the duck noodle, please post here on flick.com !!!!!!!!! thanks
9. Vi | December 25th, 2006 at 5:55 pm

sorry, re my comment about duck noodle above. I meant to write please post here at amazingmelaka site sorry about that.
10. Administrator | December 25th, 2006 at 9:39 pm

Vi:
Thanks for your comments to make this post a better one.

I know which duck noodle you’re refering to (assuming we’re refering to the same stall at Limbongan haha). I like the duck noodle as well Will share with you some photos on my next breakfast there
11. tan | December 26th, 2006 at 4:18 pm

Chung Wah is not bad but their attitude is very, very, very, very bad. And their price is expensive. I prefer Hoe Kee bscause they are very much friendlier and their environment is far too comfortable compare to Chung Wah.
12. Jason | January 5th, 2007 at 4:38 am

Neither Chung Wah or Hoe Kee are any better than any of the other because seriously, I feel that both chicken rice are very similar, except one is more into packaging (renovating the house and has other side dishes).

I only visit the shop when a non-local is in Malacca, else, I would rather go other places for chicken rice, like the one at Batu Berendam.
13. LocalBUs | March 2nd, 2007 at 11:23 pm

HOw to get to hoe kee ? is it along the jonker walk ? thanks.
14. Administrator | March 3rd, 2007 at 9:10 pm

Yes, Hoe Kee is along the Jonker Street.
15. Momo | March 31st, 2007 at 2:23 pm

I agreed with Jason. None of them are really good. esp the Farmosa. very expensive. Only packed with tourists during wkend and PH. Normal day is empty.
16. anthraxxxx | July 9th, 2007 at 10:59 pm

Jason, I think Dan was being sarcastic.
17. LocalBus | July 23rd, 2007 at 2:11 pm

Sorry to ask..

it the capitol the famous one for the satay celup ? how do i get there ? thanks !
18. Administrator | July 25th, 2007 at 8:43 am

Personally, I find Capitol Satay Celup to be the best satay celup in Melaka. Some people don’t like it, as it’s always full of crowd, and queue is a definite scene. Thus, waiting time could be long, especially during weekends and public holidays. My advice is, go there at 5.30PM sharp!

Please refer to the location map at http://www.amazingmelaka.com/2007/07/31/food-melaka-capitol-satay-celup/
19. Jenny | October 23rd, 2007 at 10:30 am

can some1 advise me where exactly is Hoe Kee chicken rice? and the operating hrs.The last x i went, i couldnt find it.. N which is the best nonya resturant in malacca? Nonya makko or ole sayang? i think there is 1 opp n near equatorial hotel
20. Administrator | October 23rd, 2007 at 3:49 pm

Jenny:
I’m sure you know where Jonker Street is. If you don’t, then please refer to the Melaka Chinatown Map. When you’re at Jonker Street, you will surely notice the red color Famosa Chicken Rice building as shown in above picture. Hoe Kee Chicken Rice is just opposite the Famosa Chicken Rice

Hoe Kee Chicken Rice is located at Jonker Street. Unless you’re not at Jonker Street, else it shouldn’t be tough to locate the shop
21. Administrator | October 23rd, 2007 at 5:48 pm

Jenny:
As oppose to most people who suggest Ole Sayang for Nyonya cuisines, me on the other hand, personally find that the Seri Nyonya in Equatorial Hotel Melaka to be one of the best
22. Lilian | November 26th, 2007 at 11:06 am

Great website. Keep up the good job! I too grew up with Chung Wah…but never knew its name till now. Not sure if it was because I was smaller then, but the rice ball seemed to be a lot bigger in the past : ) Possibly 2-3 times larger than it is now. Still yummy though mmm….

I haven’t explored all your posts yet, but if you could, please do reviews of food at the Triangle place (hawker food) near Great Wall shopping centre and the hawker centre under the Big Tree, near Tengkera. Hope you understand which makan places I’m talking about.
23. my.cosybay » Malacc&hellip | May 2nd, 2008 at 1:57 am

[...] cut short and jump to our first meal in Malacca! The must-try Chicken Rice of Kedai Kopi Chung Wah (中华茶室). It is often described as “the one opposite OCBC Bank”. 8 people shared a whole chicken [...]
24. Ammie | July 21st, 2008 at 6:18 pm

I prefer Hoe Kee’s chicken rice. I never like chung wah because of their attitude.
25. gin | August 11th, 2008 at 6:04 pm

To answer comment 6 & 7,
from my understanding, chung wah is seldom been featured in TV prog is because they usually rejected such requests. They are already been very busy even without further promotion by any TV food program, and they don’t want to get further exhausted by more crowds. Luckily, Hoe Kee’s chicken rice is not bad too…
26. tam jia gui | June 1st, 2009 at 8:56 pm

hey i everyone!! i found a new chicken rice ball in melaka, which seving good food and reasonable price, with aircond and good service too….maybe they are new, but new doesn’t mean is not good, so i give it a try and i never regret for my trying…coz i will go there in the future even. thy sell nyonya pongteh chicken, so while eating the chicken rice ball u even can try the nyonya taste also. they even sell indonesia tauhu telor which i never eat and see b4, well taste great also….. so nxt time if anyone go to melaka and wana try the chicken rice ball, y not go to this place:

Title: Jonker Street Chicken Rice Ball
Add: 17, Loring Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka
Tel: 06-2847377
website: http://www.jonkerchickenriceball.com

i got their name card, that’s y i can provide their information and share with everyone who’d like to go melaka having nice and good food
27. AmazingMelaka.com . Food@&hellip | June 3rd, 2009 at 1:46 am

[...] have written about the famed Chung Wah Chicken Rice before, and recently we noticed a new place for Hainanese chicken rice balls, named Malacca Jonker [...]

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