Chicken and rice is anything but bland. I haven't had Hainanese style but the Thai style khao man gai that Nong's serves in Portland is a flavor that I still remember more than a decade later.
chicken and rice has oil and some savoriness but it's not jacked to the tits with spice like an indian curry or any thai food - in that regard, compared to other asian cuisines, yes it is bland. compared to midwest mac & cheese, sure, maybe it's less bland but even then I bet a midwesterner could pleasantly eat the dish where they would be on the struggle bus eating indian food
