I’ve always wondered what the fuss was all about; $25 for a plate of chicken rice? Can the food really be worth that hefty price tag?
Singapore is a foodie haven. From hawker stalls to high-end restaurants, there’s something for everyone. And if you’ve ever been to Singapore, you will know about chicken rice. It’s basically the national dish and for good reason too – it’s delicious, affordable, and also very accessible, given how you can find it at almost every hawker center and coffee shop that you see.
But at over $25 a plate… is it really worth it?
If your wallet is feeling a little light this month and you just want to fill your stomach, Chatterbox might not be the place for you.
If you’re looking for a unique dining experience on a dish that everyone is familiar with, Chatterbox might be just the place for you.
And if you’re looking for a place to bring businessmen with whom you might want to secure working partnerships with, foreign friends and potential parents-in-law whom you seek to impress, Chatterbox would definitely be the place for you.
This award-winning restaurant is famous for its luxurious plate of chicken rice. And mind you, at $25 a plate, (this is already cheaper than what it used to be), it is a lot of work to justify its price tag when you can find a plate of chicken rice at your local neighbourhood for $3-$4.
But open mind, open heart. This is the Hilton Singapore Hotel after all (Note: previously the Mandarin Orchard); the company’s largest hotel in Asia Pacific. I refuse to believe that their ‘expensive’ chicken rice is the only thing we are paying for here; I am rarely one to pay for highly-priced food; it’s often more so for the experience.
So, with much curiosity and anticipation, I headed down to Chatterbox for a weekday dinner with my editor.
And now?
I get it.
I get why people are willing to pay for a meal at Chatterbox, because it isn’t just their $25 chicken rice we are paying for; it’s an entire experience that starts even before you enter the dining area.
This post is here to chapter us through the experience you will get when you take a visit to this highly-raved restaurant.
Keep Your Chin Up, And Walk
There are 2 ways to get to Chatterbox; via Mandarin Gallery or by taking a stroll through Hilton Singapore Hotel’s grand entrance herself.
Go for the latter; because that’s where you’ll find that the experience of dining at Chatterbox truly begins from the entrance of the hotel.
Cue a doorman’s slight bow, gestures from another doorman towards the hotel lobby, and the lifts granting you a dignified ascent to the 5th floor.
It becomes an absolutely wondrous change of environment from what we usually would experience on a daily basis; the 5th floor of the Hilton Hotel simply spells luxury. Truth to be told, Chatterbox’s lightly pastel and gentle forest palette had it standing out rather sweetly amidst the classy and chic black and polished colors of its neighbors.
As you travel down the long aisle towards the restaurant itself, you might want to slow down. Be they businessmen you’re looking to impress, or the parents of your potential spouse, this is an opportunity for shared admiration and observation (which is crucial for building on the strength of relationships).
A mural stretches across your left, capturing soft and vibrant birds and flora within wooden-framed panels. Chatterbox’s name fixes itself at the very end of the walkway, patiently waiting for you and your guests as you move in closer towards the dining experience.
Take a left, and you’ll then find yourself in a rather spacious seating area before you are finally introduced to the reception. Somehow, the fact that this exists, adds a touch of class to the experience. The way the walk towards Chatterbox was designed right from the start, seems rather thoughtfully crafted out; a journey to smoothly transit us out of the rush and rumble of our lives, into the safe space of Chatterbox.
Who Would We Bring To Chatterbox?
Chatterbox doesn’t feel like the kind of place that we simply decide to go to for lunch or dinner.
Rather, it’s a place we bring people to. Think of an exclusive club; someone invites you there, and you just show up.
Even then, a freshly blooming date wouldn’t be at the top of the list, unless your date truly adores chicken rice.
However, Chatterbox is where you can bring a date and her traditional parents to be impressed. Parents who are most comfortable with local Chinese food, yet also impressed by a touch of class and novelty to the dining experience.
Do away with meals at those typical dim sum restaurants; Chatterbox would fit the bill much better, in the arena of both ambience, service and food.
A Variety Of Drinks You Wouldn’t Expect From A Place Known For Chicken Rice
Let’s start with the drinks at Chatterbox. A glance over their options, and I found myself nodding in appreciation.
Brownie points to Chatterbox; my own parents would be pleasantly surprised at what they have to offer.
Not too young a selection, with a modern twist on the classics. Perfect.
Blackforest Mojito Cooler, wines to impress, Mountain Oolong kombuchas, and freshly squeezed juices that tap into rarely seen flavours such as grapefruit and pineapple.
Oh, and their 2 signature beverages fall into the alcohol and non-alcohol category respectively;
The Signature Chatterbox’s Punch (alcoholic) is a gin, “infused with Chilli, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon and banana, served with house tonic”. The description itself sends tingles of excitement, given how the ingredients are welcoming spices and familiar in the scene of drinks.
A sip of this widened my eyes slightly; the concoction of flavors was a fascinating performance on its own. The presence of chilli nips at the throat just a little; the chilli sets the stage for the spices, fruits and vanilla to come together and play. The punch wasn’t too aggressively spicy, just a nudge of it coming with every sip. Another sip had to follow up, for me to move past the initial surprise and novelty, into a full appreciation of the drink itself.
The Chatterbox’s Coconut Shake (non-alcoholic) gifts to you the elements of chin chow and adzuki red bean, and if you’re a light eater like me?
This drink would seem less a drink to be accompanying a meal, and more like a dessert to be shared. A densely packed coconut shake, mixed with a generous ratio of chinchow pieces to red beans was served in what seemed like those old-school enamel mugs commonly found in the hawker places of 1980s?
However, lift the cup and you’ll be surprised;
It’s a weighty ceramic.
And at this point, you might want to turn to your parent-in-law in awe, to share with them about the beauty of your discovery. Years of dining out with my parents have taught me that when it comes to dining ware, weight is (somehow) often associated with wealth and class.
Noisily Comfortable, Customisable Ambience.
This was a dinner, on a typical weekday.
And when it comes to noise, it’s comfortable.
Low hum of chatter, occasional loud raucous laughter and sparse remarks of appreciation by fellow customers make up the range of noises you will encounter in Chatterbox.
It’s comfortable, and ideal.
Though beware, I’m speaking from the context of bringing parents or relatives here.
People whom you would like to impress, but perhaps aren’t extremely conversational with.
You’re able to lead your own conversation but yet, never have to worry about drowning completely in those pockets of awkward silence, when the conversation falters off. The hum of chatter from fellow tables in the restaurant bring in a level of background noise that’s just right.
At Chatterbox, the ambience is invitingly pleasant.
You get to design the environment you want your guests to be in;
Place a prior booking for a quiet table with the restaurant, for business meetings where weighted conversations have to happen and impressions made.
Place a booking for a table in the mid- or end-section for meals with parents and relatives, if you’re looking for light-hearted, connecting conversations and company.
Service Smiling, Food Beaming.
Let’s talk about the service, then the food.
C was undeniably charming, the sweetest when it comes to service. She’s a senior service staff with Chatterbox, and she has such an endearing personality.
C spoke with such an air of certainty, but never straying into assertiveness. The way she guides us through our decision-making with her ability to weave in personal opinions, popular customer opinions and factual descriptions of the dishes was admirably skillful.
And now, the food. The focus is on what seems to be the star of Chatterbox and why you are reading this article – the chicken rice.
Chatterbox Chicken rice
The first bite of rice was impressionable; it was delightful. Fragrant, fluffy, and yet each grain still retains firmness.
As for the chicken… I’m not a huge fan of chicken rice, though I have eaten at enough hawker stalls and Chinese restaurants to say that this chicken has not only been cooked well, but is one of quality too.
The chicken sinks into a balance of tenderness and moist texture. It didn’t feel too soft nor too tough; the chicken could be munched on to a satisfying extent.
Chatterbox didn’t go out of their way to tinker with their chicken rice.
There was no significant modification to the flavor or presentation of the chicken rice.
It’s impressive, how they managed to gracefully retain the fundamentals of this local dish, while skillfully enhancing the quality of its different elements.
That’s what I call, a true display of skill and class.
We also went for their Kueh Pie Tee, another dish deserving of a review of its own.
This time, Chatterbox did make some alterations; their version of this local snack is topped with a dash of fish eggs and shreds of crab meat.
Though despite the addition of these luxurious ingredients, the pastry cup shells were what stole the show.
Biting into them didn’t send loud and awkward cracking sounds across the table, nor were the shells soft and limp. Chatterbox’s pastry cup shells were crisper than crunch; it was such an enjoyable time eating them.
Overall? Chatterbox is worth it.
What defines CHATTERBOX for me isn’t just that $25 chicken rice itself; it’s also about the dining experience one gets to journey through even before you enter the restaurant, and the non-dining experience when you are dining itself.
What we don’t consciously see, is how they managed to transform what most people would dismiss as basic hawker food into a must-order at a classy restaurant in a 5-star hotel, by designing the entire experience beyond just the edibles. Everything from its very location, the walk towards the dining area, the dining ware, and also the experience with their service staff… $25 isn’t just for chicken rice; we are paying for both the tangible and intangible experiences.
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