Boon Tong Kee Happynest at The Star Vista

Went for a weekday dinner with my family at Boon Teng Kee Happynest, located at the basement level of Star Vista. The restaurant offers plenty of outdoor seating and a few indoor tables. Given the Singapore weather, I opted for the indoor air-conditioned seating, which was a comfortable choice as the place was about half full. We ordered their signature boiled kampong chicken along with a few other dishes to share. The kampong chicken tasted okay, but given the price, I expected a larger portion. It's worth noting that kampong chickens are typically smaller and less meaty but offer a softer texture and better flavor. The saving grace was the chili sauce, which wasn't too spicy but had a nice kick and complemented the chicken and rice well. The other dishes we tried included Stewed Pork Belly with Mui Choy, Spinach with Assorted Eggs, Salted Egg Prawns, and Crispy Beancurd. While all the dishes were decent, my personal favorite was the Crispy Beancurd. The skin was thin and lightly fried, with a hot, steaming, and soft beancurd inside, paired perfectly with the wasabi mayo sauce. Overall, for the price point, some aspects could be improved, particularly the portion sizes. I believe their other branches, especially those at coffee shops, will be a better option.

Boon Tong Kee (Star Vista) Not the best chicken rice in town but definitely the best in Star Vista. The tender chicken paired with the fragrant rice was amazing. I am roasted chicken fan so this was something new for me. Food: 4/5 Service: 2/5 (there was basically no service rendered to me and my group of 11 pax) Atmosphere: 2/5

On April 6, we had a late lunch, which led us to order a set meal for one to share during dinner. The set included a plate of chicken, broccoli, Thai fish, and a bowl of chicken rice. We added an extra bowl of chicken rice and an à la carte sambal kang kong, along with lime juice. The chicken rice lived up to Boon Tong Kee’s reputation—fragrant and well-prepared. Given our late lunch, this portion was just right for two. We also appreciated the unique touch of fruity pearls in the lime juice, a thoughtful addition not commonly offered elsewhere. The service was excellent. The attentive staff relocated us to a more spacious, breezy table for four instead of our original table for two. However, with the fan set to full power, the disposable cutlery pack—including chopsticks, a spoon, a paper napkin, and a toothpick—was blown off the table on multiple occasions. Eventually, we decided to use the black sauce bottle to hold it down and prevent it from being blown to the floor again. The food met expectations, though the sambal kang kong could have been less oily. Ordering and payment were done through an app, which required entering credit card details—a step we weren’t entirely comfortable with. We later realized that if choosing to pay at the counter with an alternative payment method, the order had to be canceled and restarted. Aside from this, everything else was enjoyable.

The low reviews are unfortunate, yes they do use disposable cutlery but the service is great, the staff remembers my wife’s preference (she is GF) and food is consistent quality as I eat here regularly. I never had a bad experience and take a lot of my coworkers here for lunch as well.