Remember the hype when Jollibee first landed in Singapore back in 2013? Today, the popular Filipino fried chicken fast food chain still draws lines on weekends (especially at their Lucky Plaza flagship), and loyal fans claim it is the best fast food chook on the island.

On October 1st, Jollibee launched its new $5 Nasi Lemak Chickenjoy — a fusion of their famous Chickenjoy (what they call their signature battered bird) and our local comfort rice dish. Available with either the Original and Spicy fried chicken, the Nasi Lemak Chickenjoy is now available at all 10 outlets for a limited period, as well as via Grabfood, Deliveroo and FoodPanda. We tapow-ed two boxes from the Suntec City Jollibee outlet to see if this hybrid falls flat, or turns out to be the best of both worlds.

We went straight for the rice and sambal first. On first bite, the rice misses the mark — fluffy but a little too mushy, and not nearly fragrant or lemak enough. However, the accompanying sambal is quite pleasant with the right balance of sweetness and a surprising amount of spicy kick. Potent but not overpowering.

The sambal does its bit to elevate the rice — along with the crisp, savoury ikan bilis — though we wish there were more of both to pair with the grains. Meanwhile, the boiled egg is pretty basic and nothing to shout about. A runny-yolked sunny side up would’ve been preferable.

The Original Chickenjoy rice box does not disappoint — succulent and tasty thigh meat, with a coat of crispy batter. The mild seasoning in the batter is nicely amped up by the punchy sambal.

The Spicy Chickenjoy lives up to its namesake — juicy and crispy, with a tongue-tingling batter that gives it an edge over the original version. That being said, even though we prefer the Spicy Chickenjoy on its own, the double dose of heat from both the chicken and the sambal can be a tad overwhelming. Pro-tip: If you order to go, pop the chicken pieces into the toaster oven for two to three minutes, just to get the batter crunchy again without drying out the meat.

Not bad! Definitely not for nasi lemak purists because the rice is a tad mushy and not quite lemak enough. But still worth trying if you aren't a food snob, because it’s overall pretty satisfying eaten in combination with Jollibee’s signature juicy fried chicken (get the Original) and the surprisingly punchy sambal. Decent value too at $5, since a single piece of Original Chickenjoy already costs $3.30 a la carte.

Available at all Jollibee outlets, as well as via Grab Food, FoodPanda or Deliveroo, while stocks last. Takeaway orders can be placed here.

Photos: Alicia Teng/8 Days