Heng Heng Chicken Rice

"Though Hollywood’s Heng Heng specializes in poached Hainanese chicken available in both white and dark meat, the fried chicken is also a standout. Order the half-and-half over rice to get the best of both worlds and rest assured it still costs under $20." - Rebecca Roland, Eater Staff

"Look around in this small diner in Thai Town, and you’ll see Thai-style hainan chicken rice on every table. That’s probably why you’re at Heng Heng Chicken Rice in the first place—it’s some of LA’s best. The juicy dark meat is lightly seasoned to balance the bold garlic rice, funky chili fish sauce, and a side of chicken broth with enough white pepper to send a tickle up your nose. It’s a beautiful plate of poultry, but still second to Heng Heng’s less famous but superior crispy zaab chicken: A pile of chopped fried chicken (or fried pork belly) coated in a lime-lemongrass-fish sauce marinade that’s zippy and so deliciously punchy that we inhale the entire plate in minutes." - brant cox, arden shore, garrett snyder, nikko duren, sylvio martins

"Heng Heng Chicken Rice’s titular dish is worth a visit to East Hollywood. This Thai take on Hainanese chicken rice comes with the choice of fried or steamed chicken atop garlicky rice with the option of adding on liver and gizzards, too. The dish is served with a side of comforting chicken broth and a fragrant ginger sauce. For heat seekers, be sure to also get the zabb crispy rice, a medley of pork belly, fried chicken, and herbs coated in a spicy and sour fish sauce dressing." - Kat Thompson

"The food at Heng Heng reminds us of why chicken is now officially the most popular meat on the planet. This casual diner in Thai Town is known for its Thai-style Hainan chicken rice, which is some of LA’s best. The juicy dark meat is lightly seasoned to balance the bold garlic rice, funky chili fish sauce, and side of chicken broth spiked with enough white pepper to send a tickle up your nose. There’s also Heng Heng’s less famous but unapologetically superior poultry dish: crispy zaab chicken. This pile of chopped fried chicken is coated in a lime-lemongrass-fish sauce marinade that’s zippy and so deliciously punchy we inhale the entire plate in minutes. If you want to throw a little pig in the mix, you can order the zaab with half chicken and half fried pork belly, too. For South Bay folks: Heng Heng also has a second takeout-only location in Hawthorne." - Sylvio Martins

"The Hainan chicken at Heng Heng is outstanding, but the fried chicken might be even better. So the obvious answer is to do half of each, over a bed of garlic rice. The delicate flavors of the poached chicken are a good contrast to the crispiness of the fried crust, and a full slate of sauces completes the meal." - Eater Staff