There is a reason why some foreigners think our Hainanese chicken rice is nothing to shout about (I am a big fan, don’t get me wrong). This rendition by a Chinese restaurant in Bangkok certainly exceeded all expectations. The chicken used are kampung (not Gamnam) style, so more gamy and succulent texture. The icing on the cake for any Hainanese chicken rice is the soy sauce, and Hong Bao’s done it with the right umami and sesame oil along with lots of red shallots - braised not fried. The result a dish that wets your appetite way before you even taste it, and bound to make you savour the goodness of that soy sauce to the last drop.