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This Halal Chinese Economy Rice Stall In Singapore Is Where You Should Go For A Budget-Friendly Meal

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Faruq Senin •  Jul 28, 2020

We get excited whenever we uncover new halal eateries in Singapore. If you're a fan of Chinese food, we've got great news! There's a stall selling halal economy rice (or cai png) at Padi Emas Coffeeshop at Senang Crescent, Chai Chee ? Padi Emas Economical Rice just opened their stall recently in late June after shifting over from Bedok Reservoir.

For the uninitiated, economy rice or "cai png" is rice and a mix of vegetable and meat dishes that you can commonly find at hawker centres/food courts across Singapore. So how it works is that you tell the stall owner which dishes you'd want on your plate. It's called "economy rice" because prices are usually wallet-friendly, between $2-$5, depending on the dishes you choose. It's also a great option for a quick and fuss-free lunch!

This is how the spread of dishes looks like at a typical economy rice shop. The dishes are usually laid out in metal trays which makes it very enticing! All you have to do is just pick and choose what you want to eat.

If you're new to economy rice and not sure what you should order at Padi Emas, don't worry! We got some recommendations from Denise Deanna of Deanna's Kitchen. She also has an outlet at the same coffee shop so you can have a taste of their delicious halal prawn mee too.

If you love brinjal, you'd have to try their stir-fried brinjal which comes with minced chicken. The sauce is salty and tangy which goes well with the brinjal. The steamed egg is also recommended and will remind you of Japanese chawanmushi, except this is in a huge tray! They also serve Chinese-style Assam Stingray, prawn paste chicken wings, curried cabbage and a variety of stir-fried vegetables among others. They change their menu daily too, so you won’t get tired of eating the same thing ?

Padi Emas Economical Rice is the place to go if you're craving Chinese home-cooked dishes. Deanna told us that it's so difficult to find halal economical rice in Singapore and it reminded her of her experience eating economy rice at coffeeshops before she reverted to Islam. She also recommends that you visit during lunchtime when the dishes have just been freshly prepared and warm.

P.S. Love Chinese food? You'll want to check out these 19 halal Chinese eateries in SG!

Credit: Hady Jay on Facebook

So, if you've been wanting to try halal economy rice, head over to Padi Emas Coffeeshop at Senang Crescent in Chai Chee!

Halal status: Halal certification in progress. The stall is partially Muslim-owned; we spoke to one of the owners, Yusoff, and he has confirmed that all the ingredients are halal but as it is a new outlet, it will be a while before they get their halal certificate from MUIS. We recommend that you dine at your own discretion.

Average price: $2-$5 (depending on the dishes you choose)

Opening hours: Tue-Thu; 10AM-7PM, Fri-Sun; 10AM-9PM (coffee shop hours)

Address: 28 Senang Cres, Singapore 416601