Ricky’s Chicken Rice

Long time customer, Ricky’s steamed Hainanese Chicken rice is the best around, succulent chicken, served with great tasting spring onion and chilli sauces is my fave. I eat this dish every time I visit the Central Market. The Char Kway Teow is a winner also. Cheap, consistent, quality dishes every time.

Service was quick and easy to follow with a variety of systems in place to communicate your order. Having a number pick up can be difficult without the calling of the number as you miss seeing the number when you have you back to it. Food is fantastic and was a real pleasure to eat. Chicken is cooked perfectly for me.

Love this place.
First things first — get the Hainanese steamed chicken rice. There are other options, and they’re not bad, but the chicken rice is why this place is here.
When you get your dish it’s not much to look at. Rice, steamed warm (not hot) chicken and some chicken soup. Expect some bones in your chicken. And there are two sauces on the side — one red (chili), one green (?). Those are important.
But then you start to eat it, and it is so wholesome and moreish. Dip the chicken in the sauces if you like. I prefer to pile the chicken on the rice and and pour every last drop of the sauces on top. Then once the chicken is gone, spoon the chicken broth on to the rice and dig in. Then the soup. It’s my ritual. But blaze your own trail.
Now to be completely honest, this isn’t as good as the chicken rice I’ve had at various places in Singapore. The chili sauce isn’t as potent, and the rice isn’t as fragrant. But you know what? It’s cheap, it’s filling, and it’s very satisfying. It’s good food court eating. That’s good enough for me.

The Central Market food courts may be unassuming in appearance, but don’t let the plastic chair/​cheap and cheerful décor fool you: this is some of the best food in Adelaide.
Exhibit b: Ricky’s Chicken Rice.
Ricky’s menu isn’t huge, but there is one thing, and only one thing that brings all the boys (and the girls) to the yard. Hint: it’s not milkshakes. It’s Hainanese chicken rice. Hand over $ 7.50 and you’ll get yourself a plate of the famed stuff: either crispy or steamed chicken on a bed of «chicken rice», served with two addictive, piquant, mysterious sauces and bowl of soup. Sound simple? Yep, it is. It’s filling, tasty, cheap and one of the most delicious, most comforting meals of all time.
Like the rest of the food court, it’s often very busy, especially during lunch hour on a weekday, when you’ll spot office-​attired patrons in the hundreds. If you can, get there a little later and have a bit more space to yourself — though even in peak hour Ricky’s dish out the chicken fast and hot.
Ricky, I don’t know who you are, but I kinda want to give you a hug.