Obsessive foodies, especially frequent travelers, go to great lengths to hunt down meals that evoke strong memories. A deceptively simple Southeast Asian poached chicken dish—called Hainan (or Hainanese) chicken rice in Malaysia and Singapore and khao man gai in Thailand—ranks high among such coveted treasures. In those countries, each night market and street vendor serves its own proprietary combination of meat, rice, and sauces that visitors pine for long after they return home.

In the Mile High City, khao man gai sightings are rarities. Thanks to the recent opening of a new street-food eatery from Daughter Thai co-owners Ounjit Hardacre and Dueanphen “Pom” Rungrueang, however, Denverites can satiate their craving for the light, supple dish before barhopping along LoHi’s Platte Street. We break down what makes the chicken rice at Insee Father Noodles House worthy of its cult following. 1700 Platte St., Denver (LoHi)

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  • The rice: Chicken skin is fried, with slivered garlic, to render out the fat. The rice is then cooked with the fat and some of the broth in which the poultry was poached. Insee’s rice carries delicate chicken flavor in distinct grains that hold together without clumping and a bouquet of ginger rising in the steam.
  • Seasoned soy sauce: This dark, sweet soy sauce adds salty, umami flavor and a hint of heat from sliced Thai green chiles.
  • The chicken: Whole birds are poached in a mild broth of water, ginger, scallion, and other aromatics. Insee serves only the juicy white meat with firm, elastic (never flabby) skin and a topping of crunchy garlic.
  • The broth: A side of light broth (in which the chicken was cooked) is great for sipping and dunking.
  • Nam jim jaew: Insee’s bright and funky fermented-soybean sauce is flavored with ginger, garlic, and chiles. Ask for it spicy for a little extra burn.