JOHOR BARU, Nov 22 — There is something magical about road trips to different towns and cities in your own country. No need for passports and foreign currency, for one, but also discovering the new in the familiar.

Each state in Malaysia has its own unique character but there are things that remain the same.

Morning queues for the best roti canai and nasi lemak, evening-time runs for a made-to-order Burger Special at the nights-only stall, easily found in front of just about every convenience store.

We are in Johor Baru and it is nearly lunchtime. We crave something simple and nourishing. Sustaining, for we have another long drive ahead of us.

Chicken rice, then. Something familiar. No surprises.

Except there is always room for something new in the familiar, even for those practised in the art of cuti-cuti Malaysia.

Since we are in Taman Pelangi, an old neighbourhood famed for its streets named after every colour of the rainbow and then some (there is even a Jalan Kelabu!), we decide to drop by Agape Food Court along Jalan Jingga.

The nondescript corner lot kopitiam is home to a variety of food stalls. Nothing remarkable so far. Except the chicken rice stall here, conveniently located near the entrance so there is no chance of missing it, serves poached chicken made from kampung chicken.

The stall, Sin Bee Hiang Chicken Rice, has been run by the same couple — Mr and Mrs Lee — for many decades now.

The only concession to their advancing age is the hire of a couple of young workers to deliver the dishes to waiting customers at their respective tables.

It is a scene we have seen many times over at various coffee shops in KL and around the country. Food vendors get older and there is no one to take over the back-breaking labours.

It is not an easy job, getting up before the crack of dawn to reach the pasar in time to choose the best produce.

The produce in this case is free-range fowl — kampung chicken. For those who are used to eating battery-raised poultry, the "village” version can be a tad underwhelming at first glance.

Smaller, appearing tougher. None of that plumpness we are used to seeing.

A lot of that plumpness is water content, however, and for aficionados, a corn-fed broiler might be all meat and no flavour.

Me, I like my meat juicy and moist — a lot of it has to do with preparation. There is room for both types of chickens and ways to enjoy them equally.

Which might be why, as far as I can discern, only the poached chicken at Sin Bee Hiang is made with kampung chicken; the as-popular roast chicken is made with bigger, battery-raised birds.

As a matter of fact, most of the tables order half a roast chicken rather than the poached chicken so there might be a preference for moist meat (and more of it). To each their own.

We opt to embrace both versions and have the best of two worlds — just order the poached and roast chicken.

After ordering (there is a queue even for those eating in, to make sure you have the parts you desire), we make our way to our table.

The server swiftly comes around with a tray of condiments — squeeze bottles of light and dark soy sauces, and a small bowl of their homemade chilli sauce.

Soon, the server returns with a large bowl of soup — for sharing and to sip on while we wait for our chicken rice. The soup looks watery at first, and indeed it does taste very cheng — light and clear. But there is an underlying chicken flavour. Delicate, yes, but nourishing too.

Finally our plates of chicken rice arrive. We have opted not to get a half chicken to share but instead to go for our own personal favourites: a drumstick for the poached chicken, a meatier cut for the roast chicken.

Both versions are drizzled with some soy sauce and sesame oil, nothing fancy. The rice is pale but every grain is lightly suffused with the aroma of fried shallots.

We also asked for a side of one lou dan (braised egg) each, to bulk up our meal.

Kampung chicken works really well for the poached chicken; there is more of a chew which pairs wonderfully with the sweeter, natural chicken taste. The gleaming yellow skin is smooth and bouncy.

The roast chicken satisfies with its heft, though unlike many chicken rice stalls in KL, nothing is deboned here. Perhaps we have grown lazy and less appreciative when things are too easy.

Here, every bite is a reminder of the hard work and long years put in to create a plate of chicken rice that lingers in our memory even hours later when we are on the highway heading home.

Sin Bee Hiang Chicken Rice

6, Jalan Jingga, Taman Pelangi, Johor Baru

Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-1:30pm; Mon closed

Tel: 016-715 9372

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