Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice Review: Long-Queue Pig Trotter Rice At Old Airport Road

Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice at Old Airport Road Food Centre

I’ve never been a big fan of eating pig trotter since it always looks too greasy and fatty. My grandparents, however, absolutely love it, and they aren’t alone━Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice recently opened their eighth outlet at Old Airport Road Food Centre. I decided to head down to give it a try and attempt to understand why ter kah is so well-loved. 

Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice first started out in 2019 as Lin Ji Pig Leg Rice, with a recipe that they inherited from Tommy’s parents. Tommy, if you didn’t know, is one-half of the pair behind Nic & Tom Eatery; their families also own Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu, a popular yong tau foo chain.

Food at Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice

We started with their bestselling Pig Trotter Rice ($5.90). The bowl is drizzled with their house-made braising liquid, and topped with their signature braised pig trotter. The dish also comes with salted vegetables and a slice of prawn cake. 

Based on my previous encounters with eating pig trotter, I thought the meat here would be oily and tough. To my surprise, I found that Shi Nian’s version was tender and boasted a thick, gelatinous layer of skin, with juicy fat sandwiched in between, but I felt it was inconvenient to eat, with all the bones. 

I also enjoyed the braising liquid that’s made with premium, high-quality light soya sauce, herbs, and spices. No dark soya sauce, salt, rock sugar, and MSG was used━it was lighter than the usual braised meat gravy, but still delicious.

I moved on to the Pig Leg Rice ($5.90) to compare the different cuts of meat. I found the meat succulent, and I liked how I didn’t have to pick it apart from the bones, unlike with the pig trotters. If you prefer a less gelatinous mouthfeel, go for the Pig Leg Rice: it has thinner skin and more meat. 

Another of their recommended items is Swirly Intestine ($9). It came in a small soup bowl, which I thought was too little for the price. They were well-prepared, though, with a good amount of chew.  

There was a slightly bitter aftertaste, but dipping the intestines in Shi Nian’s thick, house-made sweet chilli added a spicy kick while balancing out the gamey flavour. Should I visit again, I’d definitely go for their Pig Intestine ($5) or Large Intestine ($5) instead. They’re more affordably priced and I prefer the taste and texture of these parts. 

Another side dish that you could order is Prawn Cake ($4.90), which is reminiscent of fishcake, but with a subtle prawny taste. This is house-made, which probably justifies its price tag. You also get a slice of this with any bowl of Pig Trotter or Pig Leg Rice.

Ambience at Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice

Old Airport Road Food Centre is a convenient five-minute walk from Dakota MRT Station. As expected, the hawker centre does get busy, especially at meal times. We’d arrived just when Shi Nian opened at 10:30am, so we didn’t encounter a queue at the store. Still, I would recommend getting there early as Shi Nian sees long queues later in the day.

The verdict

I found myself pretty satisfied with the offerings at Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice━it was, I’d say, the best ter kah I have tried. My colleagues would have preferred if it was more melt-in-your-mouth, but I thought it was satisfying enough. I’d even bring my grandparents here to eat this!

If you’re looking for more food gems at Old Airport Road, check out our guide on 25 best Old Airport Road Food Centre stalls, with Wagyu beef noodles and famous hokkien mee! Alternatively, if you’re just a big fan of rice bowls, read our Billion Bowls review for affordable Japanese rice bowls.

Address: 51 Old Airport Road, #01-63, Old Airport Road Food Centre, Singapore 390051
Opening hours: Daily 10:30am to 9pm
Tel: 9627 0063
Website
Shi Nian Pig Leg Rice is not a halal-certified eatery

Photos taken by Tan Jia Hui.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg