Authentic Hakka Eight Treasure Chicken

How many times have we heard the phrase “Authentic Hakka cuisine”, or “Authentic Hakka restaurant”? Well, if you’re a connoisseur of Chinese food, then I’m sure you have heard of it often enough. But how many of those claiming to be “authentic” Hakka are really authentic at all?… Well, we tried the Eight Treasure Chicken from Michele’s Kitchen, a modern reinterpretation of a traditional Hakka dish.

Disclaimer – *** This article references to, or contains non-halal elements! ***

Michele’s Kitchen – Hakka Cuisine

Before you ask, yes, “Michele” spells with a single-L, not a double-L… Anyway, let’s get back to our train of thought. Michele’s Kitchen – Hakka Cuisine, and their featured dish, the Eight Treasure Chicken. That’s one of their signature dishes. One of a handful that requires pre-order, preferably a day before, which we did. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t full of anticipation when I finally arrived there.

The signature dish pre-order already done. Now it’s time to browse through the menu to see what else do they serve there. Well, we can’t just have just the Eight Treasure Chicken alone, right?… A typical Chinese meal usually consist of three (or more) dishes – protein, vegetables, and served with rice. So let’s go through the menu, shall we?

So let’s get on with ordering some side dishes to go with the much anticipated Eight Treasure Chicken. Of course, it’ll be great if we can stick to Hakka dishes. After all, Hakka cuisine is in their calling card. So we ordered a characteristically Hakka tau fu soong, smashed tofu pieces braised with minced pork and salted fish. And kangkung belacan, stir-fried water convolvulus (aka water spinach) with fermented prawn paste. Not a typical Hakka dish per se, but one that’s common with Southeast Asian cuisine.

Serving The Hakka Dishes

Let’s start with the star of the show – Eight Treasure Chicken. As the name suggests, it’s a whole bird, stuffed with “eight treasures”, sealed, and slowly steamed to perfection.

Are you a detailed person?… If you are, then you’re probably trying to identify exactly what the “eight treasures” are in the stuffing. As for me, well, I’m more interested in savouring the dish itself, and not in reverse engineering the recipe.

Next up, tau fu soong, another characteristically Hakka dish. This one, however, doesn’t look like the image I had in mind. I’m more familiar with the wet-braised version, with the tofu and minced pork soaking in thick gravy. This one looks more stir-fried than braised. But upon eating it, it tastes exactly like what I remembered… minus the thick gravy… Nevertheless, it’s still characteristically Hakka.

And to balance up the heavyweight dishes, a simple stir-fried vegetable dish, the humble kangkung belacan. Of course, not forgetting the plate of white rice too. Rice is, after all, an Asian staple.

A Homely Ambience For A Homely Meal

Serving good food alone isn’t enough. And Michele’s Kitchen knows exactly how to create this homely ambience. Dining here is just like dining at home. No need to rush through your meals.

Savour every moment of interaction with your extended family here, whilst enjoying good food. No need to rush through your meal. Who cares about the long queue outside, waiting for a table…

But How Authentic Is The Hakka Cuisine Here?

Well, I’m no expert in grading restaurants on how good their service or food are. But would you trust the World Gourmet‘s opinion?… Well, they awarded Michele’s Kitchen the World Top Gourmet Award in 2024, for the Hakka Cuisine Category.

Michele’s Kitchen is the World Top Gourmet Award recipient for the Hakka cuisine in 2024. I’m pretty sure this award confirms pretty much just how good they are.

The Faces Behind Michele’s Kitchen

What’s the best testament for adhering to Hakka culture and cuisine? Have an actual Hakka descendent run the restaurant… Michele Tan, a Hakka descendant, is the face and identity of Michele’s Kitchen. Her son, Vincent Tan now carries the torch… or rather, the family’s recipe book, as the head chef. And finally, Agnes Chua, Michele’s daughter, manages the restaurant as a whole. What better way to ensure a cosy family dining experience than to have an actual family run a restaurant?

There’s only so much I could taste during my short visit there. I would very much like to visit them again, and try out their other traditional Hakka dishes. What about you? Are you in the mood for authentic Hakka cuisine? Would you give Michele’s Kitchen a try?

Spend more time to bond with your elders, and bring them out to dine here. We have a wide selection, from nostalgic traditional Hakka dishes, to contemporary dishes with a modern twist.

Agnes Chua

If you’re planning to visit Michele’s Kitchen, don’t forget to pre-book in advance. Most of their signature dishes are available for pre-order only, preferably a day in advance. All their contact details are available in the Google Map above. Leave your critiques and comments below.