Today, I revisited the Food Place food court, located at Pavilion Mall. The food court is located beside the Oriental Kopi Restaurant.
This time, I ordered Sesame Chicken (Honey Chicken) rice from the Chong Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice stall, which costs RM12.50 per bowl.
The Sesame Chicken (Honey Chicken) rice features sliced Sesame Chicken (Honey Chicken) on top of the rice, accompanied by a generous amount of julienned scallions, which are arranged in a small, fresh pile on the chicken, providing a vibrant green contrast to the brown and yellow tones of the main components. Two long, thin slices of fresh cucumber are placed alongside the rice on the plate, adding a refreshing visual and textural element.
Sesame chicken (and its close cousin honey chicken) is not a traditional Chinese dish but rather a creation of Chinese-American and Chinese-Malaysian restaurants that adapted Cantonese cooking techniques for local tastes.
In southern China, dishes like sweet-and-sour pork or orange chicken already used the frying + sweet glaze method. When Chinese immigrants brought these techniques abroad, they adapted to local ingredients and preferences for sweeter flavors.
Sesame chicken became especially popular in Chinese-American restaurants in the 1970s–1980s, alongside dishes like General Tso’s chicken and orange chicken. The sesame seeds and honey were added to make it distinct from earlier sweet-and-sour variations.
Honey chicken rice gained traction in kopitiam-style eateries and food courts, sometimes closer to Cantonese “chu char” cooking. Here, the dish leans more toward using real honey in the glaze and serving it with plain rice for a more meal-like presentation.
Today, Sesame or honey chicken rice is considered a comfort food and takeaway staple.
