I generally look at the signboards and what I’m looking for is authenticity. No I don’t mean authenticity of the food but of what is written on the board. Ok I’m not looking for the kind that says Xing Long Bak Chor Mee or Li Fa Fishball Noodles. I’m looking for the kind that says Jurong Char Kway Teow when the hawker centre is actually in Hougang!

Sims Place Food Centre is at Sims Place and for those who don’t know, it is actually in Aljunied. Now the million dollar question is how did a Havelock Hainanese Curry Rice stall ended up there? Well this stall is obviously connected to the stall at Havelock Road or Beo Crescent as most are familiar with.

The seller of the Hainanese Curry Rice at Beo Crescent is the uncle of this Havelock Hainanese Curry Rice at Sims Place. Once operated from Bukit Timah Hawker Centre, the owner moved east to Aljunied when Bukit Timah Hawker Centre was temporary closed for upgrading works.

Having not eaten at the original one at Beo Crescent, I really didn’t know what to expect here but nonetheless went with the usual stuff which is Hainanese stewed cabbage, Hainanese pork chop, Hainanese pork belly(lor bak) and…. Hainanese pork curry! Yes I couldn’t resist trying this purportedly best Hainanese style pork curry in town. For those who don’t know, the stall at Beo Crescent is famous for it’s pork curry. At the same time I couldn’t really see myself missing out on the other authentic items on display that looked so shiokadodoly good. So for the first time, I had 4 Hainanese items to go with my rice.

Hainanese Curry Rice: 7.25/10  

Hainanese curry on rice: 7.5/10  

The pork chop looked very good and tasted just as good. Well if you have high cholesterol, I don’t recommend you go for this because this is practically ‘Pork Lard Cutlet’. 80% of whatever they’ve deep fried is infact pork skin. So this is no pork chop or even pork cutlet, ok? That’s why this is so delicious. The flavour of the goreng is very good. It is sweet and has a nice little aroma(not that strong) that smells like a combination of five spice and KFC 11 herbs and spices. Well I seriously like this a lot and might consider buying $5 of it just to munch for fun in my next trip!

The pork belly aka lor bak here is also quite good though I thought the top part of it could be that tad softer. The meat has a strong herby flavour which I find to be quite pleasant eventhough I don’t usually like things that have a smell that is too herby. The meat which is the bottom bit has very good texture. I think it’s got to do with the way it was sliced(or chopped). All in all, it tasted very much like wild boar meat, for those who have eaten 野豬肉 should know what I’m talking about. I quite like this and it easily can be eaten with nothing else but just some sour chilli.

Hainanese stewed cabbage: 5/10  

Hainanese pork chop: 8.5/10  

Hainanese Pork Belly: 7.5/10  

The stewed cabbage was a little let down. It seemed to be fried with hae bee aka dried shrimps which is not what you’d usually find in a Hainanese stewed cabbage. Was pretty tasteless and oily. Sweetness no enough. Hainanese flavour no enough. Crunchiness no enough. In my next trip, this is one item that I would definitely skip.

I don’t really know what to expect for a pork curry but I must say that the one here tasted very much like pork minced in black bean sauce which can be found in a lot of teo chew porridge stalls. The gravy was a little sweet, slightly sour and spiced but also has a strong hint of saltiness. So it’s overall flavour is quite good. The pork used were lean meat so it was a little chewy but nonetheless still hit the mark for me. Not a die die must order but more of a “good to have” item.

It is hits and misses for me at Havelock Hainanese Curry Rice at Sims Place. Definitely authentic in some ways but certain items are pretty worthless to me. Cabbage stir fried with hae bee is something I can eat at most zhap chai peng stall. The lor bak tasted very much like wild boar pig which you can eat at some places too. Luckily the pork chop and pork curry did it for me. The curry on the rice was pretty good though I thought it was a little diluted.

All in all, the level of authenticity is ‘medium’ for me and just only managed to pass for justifying the brand “Havelock” in their signboard.

Price: $3.80

Recommendation: Hainanese pork chop and Hainanese pork curry.

Conclusion: Not a bad meal since some of the items are quite authentic. Some other items that a lot of people buy are curry sotong and char siew. The lor bak is good but still loses out to Tian Tian Hainanese Curry Rice in some ways. Pork chop is world class though it’s just lard you’re chewing so you’ve been forewarned!

Likes: Quite authentic. Pork chop is shiok and pork curry is good. Lor bak can do.

Dislikes: Stewed cabbage is quite normal.

Address		Overall Rating
Havelock Hainanese Curry Rice Blk 49 Sims Place #01-70 Sims Vista Hawker Centre Off : Wednesday		Food: 8/10   Value: 7/10   Authenticity: 8/10   Service: 7/10   Ambience: 7/10   Cleanliness: 7/10   Overall: 7.25/10