Tonight, I went back to 85 Stew for one of my favorite “no-stress” meals, a Chinese-style chicken curry with rice. After a long day, I didn’t want anything too intense or too spicy. I just wanted something warm, filling, and satisfying in that simple hawker way… the kind of dinner that doesn’t need a big introduction because the smell already says everything.
The stall setup was classic: bright signboard, a straightforward menu with photos, and that familiar hawker rhythm where the auntie moves like she has a timer in her head. Even before the food arrived, I already felt that comfort that only hawker centres can give. You don’t have to dress up, you don’t have to wait for a fancy table, and you don’t have to pretend your stomach isn’t the real reason you’re there. You just order, sit, and enjoy.
When my tray came, it was exactly what I was hoping for: a bowl of curry that looked rich and glossy, and a separate bowl of steaming white rice. The curry itself had that orange-red look, with a layer of oil shimmering on top, and honestly, that’s the mark of a proper curry to me. Yes, it’s not the healthiest thing in the world, but tonight wasn’t about health. Tonight was about satisfaction, and this bowl is spot-on.
What I like about this curry is that it’s flavorful without being aggressive. It’s not the kind of curry that punches you in the face with spice until your nose runs. Instead, it’s creamy, fragrant, and comforting, the type where you can actually taste the curry base and not just the heat. The sauce clings nicely, and once you mix it into the rice, it becomes this simple combo that’s hard to beat.
For SGD 5.00, the portion felt genuinely worth it. The bowl was generous with chicken pieces and potatoes, and I appreciate that it wasn’t stingy. The potatoes were soft and comforting, the kind that breaks slightly when you scoop it, absorbing all that curry goodness. The chicken was tender enough to feel like a proper meal, not just “rice with sauce.” And once you start alternating between rice and curry, it becomes that steady, satisfying rhythm: scoop, mix, bite, repeat.
If I had to nitpick (just a tiny one), the curry is definitely on the richer side, and the oiliness is very obvious, but that’s also part of its charm. This is not a “light meal” kind of dish. This is the kind of meal you choose when you want to feel full and happy, even if you’re already mentally preparing for extra water later LOL.
What I really love, though, is how this meal represents hawker food culture so well: delicious, accessible, and full of effort behind the scenes. From the outside, it looks simple, curry and rice, but anyone who cooks knows it’s not that simple at all. Getting the curry flavor right, balancing it so it’s rich but not overwhelming, and serving it consistently… that takes time and experience.
Overall, this curry chicken is exactly my kind of comfort dinner, rich, satisfying, not too spicy, and absolutely worth the price. I’ll definitely be back when I’m craving something warm and familiar again.
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