Mooi Chin Restaurant —
If you find yourself searching for a little slice of age-old tradition in Singapore’s aggressively progressive food landscape, take respite in Mooi Chin’s comfortingly authentic Hainanese cuisine. Tucked away on the third floor of the Golden Landmark Hotel, the restaurant is said to have been in operation since the 1930s. Fortunately, despite its long-standing existence, the restaurant has been well-maintained, so one can savor its age-old cuisine comfortably in modern comfort.
The restaurant makes its boast in its signature dishes such as its Fried Chicken in Soya Bean Sauce, Pomfret Sambal, as well as the Hainanese Pork Chop.
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The Fried Chicken in Soya Bean Sauce is delightfully crispy, and when you break through the first layer of crunchy sweetness, the meat is tender and oozing juicy goodness. The chicken comes coated in an aromatic, mild, sweet soya sauce which leaves a pleasant buttery aftertaste after each bite. A bowl of white rice makes the perfect accompaniment to this flavourful dish.
Another hot favourite with Mooi Chin’s Indonesian guests is their Sambal Pomfret. The crispy deep-fried fish comes smothered in the restaurant’s fiery and flavorful sambal sauce — tantalising! Wash it down with a glass of hot Chinese tea, and you’ll have the perfect experience of Singapore Hainanese cuisine.
Mooi Chin’s more Western menu does not disappoint either. The history of Hainanese cuisine in Singapore is interesting: many Hainanese cooks found their way into the households of the British officers before World War II. They became experts at turning out British cuisine, and some of these recipes, in particular the famous Hainanese Pork Chop, are inspired by English dishes, and have been passed down Hainanese generations and become a mainstay of Hainanese cuisine.
Mooi Chin’s Hainanese Pork Chop comes wonderfully fried and coated in a cream sauce, accompanied with a generous serving of chunky fries. The restaurant claims their particular recipe has been passed down from its ancestors. We’d like to believe it! This dish is highly addictive, and should definitely be included in your order at Mooi Chin.
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