Hawker Chan 2.0 (Philippines): The Michelin-Starred* Hawker Becomes Posh and Adds More Singaporean Dishes!

*Unfortunately, they lost their Michelin Star last year. I sincerely hope they win it back.

Hawker Chan is a global chain serving Cantonese meats and is famous for offering the world’s cheapest Michelin-Starred meal. Initially called Liao Fan, It was founded by Chan Hon Meng, a native of Ipoh, Malaysia. Even before the Michelin Star, Liao Fan already has a loyal following, with people queuing before it opens.

The humble hawker stall started (and is still located) at Chinatown Complex Food Centre (read about my visit here). Then it expanded throughout Singapore and eventually overseas. It opened its first Philippine branch in 2018.

Hawker Chan at Chinatown Complex Food Centre

The queue at the original Hawker Chan stall

Recently, Hawker Chan Philippines has been opening new stores dubbed as “Hawker Chan 2.0”. It has posh interiors and more Singaporean dishes that are store-exclusive. Moreover, customers don’t need to line up as orders will be taken from the tables (at least in its SM Megamall branch where I ate). As of this time of writing, there are already 3 Hawker Chan 2.0 branches: SM Grand Central, SM Mall of Asia, and SM Megamall. (Is SM, the Philippine mall giant, monopolizing Hawker Chan 2.0? LOL.)

Of course, no visit to Hawker Chan will be complete without ordering their signature Soya Sauce Chicken and Cantonese meats. I love everything namely, Beef Brisket, Char Siew or barbecued pork belly, Poached Chicken, Roast Pork, and the famous Soya Sauce Chicken.

Soya Sauce Chicken (upper left) and 3 Meat Combinations (lower right)

Like I mentioned earlier, Hawker Chan 2.0 offers store-exclusive items. One of these is Roast Duck, which has a savory and herbal taste. It also has a soft yet slightly crisp skin. My only issue is that it’s bony. Maybe I can ask the bones to be removed next time.

Another exclusive is Char Kway Teow, which is one of my favorite Singaporean dishes. I like that Hawker Chan Philippines serve it Singaporean-style, which is a mix of kway teow (flat rice noodles) and yellow egg noodles. It’s smoky with a hint of sweetness from the lap cheong (Chinese sausage), bounciness from the fish cakes, and crunch from the bean sprouts and chives. My only wish is that the noodles be chewier.

To end your Hawker Chan 2.0 meal, get a Chendol (a Southeast Asian shaved-ice dessert) or an Ice Kachang (the Malaysian/Singaporean version of the Filipino Halo-Halo), which are both exclusives, too. It is a refreshing way to end a delightful Hawker Chan meal!

I must say that Hawker Chan Philippines never fail to serve great and authentic Singaporean food at affordable prices. Its quality is close to its Singaporean counterpart. It’s so good that it has become my go-to food spot if I don’t know where to eat. Needless to say, I highly recommend Hawker Chan Philippines to you!

What Hawker Chan dish above have you tried or would like to try? Comment them below!

For branches and operating hours, check out Hawker Chan Philippines’ Facebook and Instagram pages.