Halal Hainanese chicken rice with a newspaper clipping to prove it

The rare halal chicken rice that would hold its own against any stall in Singapore. Order the steamed and the roasted.

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The Shin Min Daily News clipping on the wall is from 2007 and the sign says “since 1989”, and both are doing the same job: telling you that Evertop was the halal chicken rice of the west long before it was fashionable. It still is. The stall sits in a plain coffee shop under a Clementi block, with yellow plastic chairs stacked against the wall and a queue that builds from noon.

The chicken

Boneless, as the name promises, which means no fishing around and no wasted plate space. The steamed chicken is silky with a thin layer of jelly under the skin, and the roasted version has crisp, lacquered skin over meat that is still juicy. Get one of each for the table and argue about which is better. The braised tofu and mushroom on the side is soft and savoury and worth the extra couple of dollars.

The rice

Fragrant with chicken fat and ginger, each grain separate, not greasy. It is the kind of rice you would happily eat on its own with a spoon of the dark soy.

The chilli

Bright, sharp and garlicky with a real hit of lime. It is the reason the clipping calls the place a chicken rice heavyweight, and it is the reason to ask for a second saucer.

Worth knowing

Certified halal, so this is one of the few places where a whole mixed family can share a proper chicken rice lunch. Coffee-shop seating, so it is hot at midday and calmer after 2pm. Cash and PayNow.