Is beggar chicken that special?
The chicken is wrapped in paper and then covered in mud before toasting into slow cooking for several hours. As it takes time, beggar chicken needs to be ordered 1 day in advance.
Taste:
- Chicken has some sauce, which is good to go with rice
- Meat wise, personally I feel that it tasted normal. I prefer the herbal baked chicken at Teck Sing, see post - Herbal Paper Baked Chicken @ Teck Sing
- Price at /Ban Heong Seng Restaurant 万香城餐馆 is at RM68, more expensive than Teck Sing, but chicken is bigger.
#JBFood , #foodjb , #special , #bakechicken , #specialfood
Beggar chicken is truly a culinary curiosity, given its cooking style where the chicken is wrapped and encased in mud for hours—resulting in tender, juicy meat infused with its own sauce. However, from my experience dining at Ban Heong Seng Restaurant in JB, the flavor was somewhat underwhelming compared to other herbal baked chicken varieties I've enjoyed elsewhere, like at Teck Sing. If you're considering trying beggar chicken, remember that it requires advance booking—as the cooking takes several hours, typically a day ahead. The dish is served at a premium price point of RM68 for a larger chicken portion, which may be a deciding factor for many. For those who appreciate the slow-cooked method and rich sauce typical of this specialty, it’s a unique dish to try at least once. Yet, if you prefer stronger herbal tastes or more intense flavors, other baked chicken options might appeal more. Also, when visiting JB or Singapore, checking local food forums can offer insights into the best places for authentic beggar chicken. This dish, while steeped in history and tradition including origins linked to Hangzhou, varies greatly in taste and presentation across regions. Overall, my personal takeaway is that beggar chicken is interesting more for its cooking technique and presentation than for an exceptional flavor punch—but food is subjective, and if you love exploring specialties, this might be a rewarding experience!
