don't believe everything you see on tv!!!

some weeks ago, i caught an episode of..oh i can't remember the name of that show..but ya it's this ch5 show hosted by fiona xie. every week, 1 local celeb will be featured and the host will follow the featured celeb to their favourite food places..so ya it's a foodie show. so that 1 episode i caught..featured taufik..our singapore idol. one of the stalls he picked as his 'fave' is actually one of the stalls of this coffee shop at bukit batok i frequent for really yummy chicken wings! =P
so i was thinking 'ooo..that stall really that good meh?"
the stall in question is called 'rex ayam' something..?
it sells halal chicken rice. so they spoke to the owner..this auntie with really funky watermelon pink hair..and she went on & on about marinating & flavouring their chicken & fried a few times..and how authentic this is..laa laa blah blah
so the host & guest order food and while they're waiting for the food
mr taufik tells the audience why he loves the chicken rice...blah blah
*food arrives*
ooos & ahhs by ms fiona
*fiona & taufik start eating*
*fiona starts praising chicken - i can't remember her exact words but she was talking about the flavour & aroma & how soft the chicken pieces were..blah*
*thumbs up all around*
blah blah blah

it did look pretty good on camera

so yesterday i was at bukit batok..i was hungry & craving for chicken rice so i decided to go try rex ayam.
got there..ordered..food arrived.
it looked normal.
first i try the rice..it was ok..normal..nothing spectacular
second..i try the chilli..not nice. wasn't the garlicky chilli that chicken rice is SUPPOSED to have..plus it tasted diluted
third..the chicken. it was soft alright..but tasteless. i even tried the skin coz it looked pretty crispy. the skin was tasty but not flavoured..you get what i mean? it's just salty..no other outstanding flavours.
oh and there was a bowl of soup..which was..well..tasteless =l

i have really high standards for chicken rice. besides the fact that i love food..i'm hainanese and chicken rice is a hainanese thing =P
it was so sad to eat that plate of rice. so disappointing.

bad sauce + boring chicken + boring rice = bad chicken rice

so the verdict for rex ayam..it's good that it's a halal place but..

DON'T GO LAAA..!!!

i'm sure there are better halal chicken rice stalls around..like at the banquet food courts or something

for a plate of chicken rice to be good..u gotta have good sauce, good chicken & good rice!! a yummy tasty bowl of soup would be a bonus!!
so here's 3 (in no particular order) recommended places for chicken rice
1) 5 star chicken rice at katong..if you eat pork..the pork chop is a MUST try!
2) chicken rice place at "the vines and seafood restaurant" of The Chevrons near jurong east
3) lucky plaza, level 2. i can't remember the unit but it's near the lift lobby =P

so ya..don't believe everything you see on tv! i think i'm not the only one who doesn't think much about that stall..so does the crowd i saw a week or 2 ago queueing for the rice..that i didn't see anymore yesterday =P

should you ever visit that coffeeshop..i can't remember the block but it's opposite the 7-11 near bukit batok interchange..'s-11 eatery' i think
go & try the $1 each fried chicken wings beside rex ayam..it's really yum!