We Tried The Viral “Singapore Fried Chicken” Co-Owned By Rayston Heem—Is It Any Good?

Xiang Xiang Ji has “Singapore fried chicken” at Beauty World

Xiang Xiang Ji is a new stall at Beauty World Food Centre that’s been getting all the attention, though it has also sparked some controversy. It’s hard to miss the stall with its bright orange exterior, boldly labelling its items “Singapore fried chicken” as if it were the equivalent of Korean fried chicken or other national varieties. Yet a quick search online reveals that it is co-owned by the highly polarising entrepreneur Rayston Heem.

For the uninitiated, Rayston Heem is a 19-year-old who became a millionaire through dropshipping and other online ventures. His brash online persona and questionable money-making schemes have sparked significant backlash, with some netizens even stating that they are boycotting Xiang Xiang Ji. However, it is worth noting that the new hawker stall is co-owned and manned by Rayston’s aunt and uncle, and the recipe is entirely theirs.

All that buzz aside, though, how does the fried chicken here actually taste?

Food at Xiang Xiang Ji

Xiang Xiang Ji offers single-portion sets with rice or fries, and you can choose from various cuts of chicken, including leg, wings, and fillet. Since we wanted to try the best they had to offer, we went for the King’s Cut ($25.80), a two-person set that comes with two boneless legs, five fillets, a large pile of fries, and two sides of your choice.

Since all the chicken is fried to order, it took a while for our food to arrive. But the wait was worth it—when it came, the chicken was piping hot and shatteringly crispy. Take the sizeable boneless chicken leg, for example—biting into the crispy exterior revealed tender, juicy meat. The batter was perfectly seasoned, with a savoury, slightly peppery kick.

The first few bites were honestly quite an amazing experience, as this was exactly the kind of fried chicken one hopes for. While it was neither greasy nor did it have the unpleasant old-oil taste that some fast food chains are guilty of, after a while, the chicken became a little too oily and jelak for our liking. The oil was just everywhere, and it almost felt sinful to eat.

The fillets fared a little better in that regard and were pleasant, more bite-sized treats to enjoy. The trade-off was that they weren’t as succulent as the chicken leg, though that difference made for a pleasing contrast.

For sauces, we got Ah Ma’s Power Chilli. For those expecting a mean spicy kick, we’re sad to say that it wasn’t exactly “power” in that regard. It was also a little bit bland and flat, though there was some tanginess that went well with the chicken.

The Cheese Dip, meanwhile, was a fairly standard cheddar sauce that gave the meat some creaminess and extra savouriness.

Now the fries were actually pretty decent—their crispy, golden-brown exterior and soft insides did the job and paired well with both sauces we got. The stall was also quite generous with the portion, so those with larger appetites can look forward to that.

Ambience at Xiang Xiang Ji

Located in Beauty World Food Centre, Xiang Xiang Ji neighbours plenty of popular stalls, yet it still draws a steady crowd—though that could be due to its slightly longer-than-usual wait times. Either way, the hawker centre has a good number of seats and feels more spacious and airy on the outskirts. Xiang Xiang Ji also has its own dedicated seating area.

The hawker centre is a four-minute walk from Beauty World MRT Station.

Xiang Xiang Ji – Eatbook Review

Despite its somewhat controversial associations, we have to admit that Xiang Xiang Ji does make some good fried chicken, even if it can feel a little too sinful at times. You’ll probably enjoy it if crispy, steaming-hot chicken is your thing.

For another fried chicken stall worth checking out, read our Dip Fried Chicken review. For a famous Korean Fried Chicken chain, read our Lotteria SG review.

Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #04-65, Beauty World Food Centre, Singapore 588177
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 2:30pm, 4:30pm to 8:30pm, Sat 11am to 8:30pm, Sun 4:30pm to 8:30pm
Tel: 8896 1875
Website
Xiang Xiang Ji is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.