A while ago, I made a Snaps post saying how today felt like a blessing because of the beautiful weather. It was one of those days when the sky looked nice, the air felt good, and staying at home the whole day would feel like a waste. I mean, it would be easy to just stay in bed and watch Netflix shows, right? But with this kind of weather, I felt like I should make the day worthwhile.
So I decided to wander around the city area and took the MRT ride to Maxwell MRT Station.
By the time I reached Maxwell, it was almost 12 noon, which was just the perfect timing for lunch. Since I was already there, I went straight to Maxwell Food Centre to look for something delicious to eat. Maxwell is one of those food centres that always feels full of character. It actually becomes even more lively at night, but even during lunchtime, the place was already packed with diners.
Some of the stalls were still closed and probably opening later in the day, but there were already plenty of food choices available. That’s the nice thing about food centres like this. Even if some stalls are not yet open, you will still find something interesting to eat.
Among all the good food choices, my eyes were caught by Somerset Delicacies. Their bright yellow signboard was very easy to notice, and when I looked at their menu, I saw that one of their specialties was fried rice. And honestly, fried rice sounded like the perfect lunch for me that day.
So I ordered the Yang Chow Fried Rice. I also got the large version because I wanted to make sure that I would be fully satisfied with my meal. LOL.
Fried rice may look like a simple dish, but I actually think it is very technical. It’s one of those dishes where a small mistake can easily turn it into something disappointing. If the rice is too wet, too oily, too bland, or overcooked, then the whole dish loses its charm. That’s why I would rather order it from a stall that knows how to cook it properly.
Yang Chow Fried Rice has a little bit of everything in it. There’s rice, scrambled egg, char siew bits, shrimp, and spring onions too. It already sounds complete, but of course, I still wanted to make it even better. So I added a sunny side up egg on top and also took some pickled green chili on the side for that tangy kick.
And now, it was perfect!
As soon as I received my plate, I was really amazed by the sunny side up egg. The yolk was still beautifully runny, and that made me excited right away. I immediately mixed it into the fried rice because I wanted the yolk to act like a rich sauce. That golden yolk coating the rice made the dish even more enjoyable.
The rice itself was cooked perfectly. The grains were firm but still soft inside, and it was not oily at all. There was a good balance of seasoning, egg, and smoky wok flavor. Every spoonful had something nice in it, whether it was a bit of shrimp, char siew, or scrambled egg.
The pickled green chili also worked so well with the dish. It added acidity and a little sharpness that helped balance the savory fried rice. I always like it when a simple side condiment can make the whole meal taste more complete.
To go along with my lunch, I also got myself a nice cup of iced coffee. Fried rice, runny egg, pickled chili, and iced coffee on a beautiful Sunday afternoon? That really made my day feel even better.
