UK model “a little underwhelmed” by chicken rice, but loved nyonya kueh

SINGAPORE: Chicken rice is practically an institution in Singapore, but a model and influencer from the United Kingdom confessed to being “a little underwhelmed,” when she tried it. However, having discovered nyonya kueh, it was pretty much love at first taste.

“Where can I find nyonya kueh in London pls,” asked TikTok user Ambar Driscoll in a video earlier this month, calling the sweet treat her favourite food in Singapore.

Ms Driscoll, who is half-Bangladeshi and who has modeled for brands such as Converse and Schwarzkopf, was in Singapore for a short “kind of a business trip” earlier this month, where she ended up in an Anime Convention at Gardens by the Bay, was surprised by a family toilet, and got to roam around Jewel Changi.

But like any good visitor to Singapore should, she tried out the food.

First up was the nyonya kueh served at the hotel for teatime where they stayed. And since Ms Driscoll described herself as a “big texture person,” she really enjoyed it.

@ambardriscoll

Where can i find Nnonya Kueh in london pls 😭😭

♬ original sound – Ambar Lee

Taking a bite of the treat, she said that it was the perfect level of “not too sweet” and added that it reminded her of mango sticky rice.

“I’m going to have to find a place in London that does these,” she said, appearing to regret that she had only “discovered” nyonya kueh as her trip ended.

As for chicken rice, she and a friend headed to Maxwell Food Centre. They joined a long queue for “rice and chicken, the famous Singaporean dish, but this is supposed to be the best one.”

Unfortunately, since she had no cash on her, she had to leave her friend, Sabrina, in line, while she went to an ATM, sweating profusely.

Finally, they were able to buy chicken rice from Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice stall.

“The chicken is very soft. It’s nice, I guess,” said Ms Driscoll, after taking a bite, and then laughing.

Her friend Sabrina, on the other hand, called it “perfect.”

@ambardriscoll

Okay i was a littlee underwhelmed 😭 maybe my expectations were too high

♬ original sound – Ambar Lee

Ms Driscoll added that perhaps she had really high expectations for the dish, later admitting that the rice was very tasty and flavorful, and that at least she could “tick the box off” that she had tasted the famous dish.

And when she asked TikTok users what else she should try, many obliged her by suggesting: chilli crab, salted egg crab with fried mantou, satay, laksa, carrot cake, char kway teow, chicken curry, popiah, sambal stingray, hokkien mee, satay duck noodles, and fried hokkien prawn mee.

Many commenters, however, invited her to come to Malaysia and taste their food offerings there. /TISG

Read also: ‘FROM ALL OF US IN SINGAPORE – WELL DONE’ — Singaporeans cheer Canadian foodie’s success in cooking “Singaporean” chicken rice