Popular Chicken Rice Stall Katong Mei Wei Opens New Outlet In The CBD

Katong Mei Wei Chicken Rice is run by Goh Boon Hua and Tricia Cheng, both in their sixties, together with their son, Soki Wu, 33. Soki once dreamed of becoming an actor, but in 2019, he chose to set aside his thespian ambitions to join the family business and preserve what his parents built.

Bringing Katong Mei Wei to central Singapore

Back in February 2024, Soki opened a standalone outlet in East Village at Upper Changi Road, designed with a trendier interior. While business has been steady, he tells 8days.sg that the original no-frills Katong stall remains the busiest.

“We wanted to expand nearer to the central area. So we looked in the CBD area and happened to see that this unit had a vacancy,” Soki tells 8days.sg. The new Telok Ayer outlet was opened by Soki and his business partner who he had met during National Service, along with his parents. His folks mainly manage the original Katong stall, while Soki oversees the two newer outlets. 

New express outlet in Telok Ayer

Katong Mei Wei Express is located at ICON Link@ClubStreet, the underground mall that links Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre to Telok Ayer MRT. It sports a simpler yet more colourful aesthetic compared to the East Village branch. 

“We mostly do takeaways here, but there are some tables as well,” says Soki. There are about eight to twelve seats for those who prefer to dine in. 

Regular Chicken Rice, $8.80, served in a plastic bento-style boxes

Katong Mei Wei is known for its unusually yellow chicken rice (the hue comes from turmeric), a generous heap of fried garlic topping the chicken, and soup that changes daily. 

All the food at the Telok Ayer outlet is served in bento-style disposable takeaway boxes. The Regular Chicken Rice ($8.80) includes a portion of chicken, rice, achar, a bowl of soup, and packets of ginger, soy sauce, and chilli. Both poached and roast chicken are available. 

A whole chicken goes for $42, while half a bird costs $22.

As mentioned, the soup served with the chicken rice changes daily. Think old cucumber soup on Mondays, winter melon soup on Tuesdays, lotus root soup with peanuts on Wednesdays, radish and corn soup on Thursdays, and ABC soup on Fridays. 

Soup and achar included here

At the original Katong outlet, achar is only served upon request and soup costs an extra $1.10. However, at the new express branch in town, both are included in the meal, which explains why the price of a chicken rice set for one pax is about a dollar more. 

Add-ons and side dishes available from $2  

There are also add-ons such as Braised Tau Pok ($2), Roasted Pork ($3), Salted Fish Bean Sprouts ($6.50) and Chicken Liver ($4.20). 

How’s biz at the new joint so far? “It’s been very crowded today and yesterday as well,” Soki tells 8days.sg happily. 

Katong Mei Wei Express is located at ICON Link@ClubStreet, 8 Club St, B2 Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre, S069472. More info via Instagram or Facebook.