The Hainan Story is opening a 5-in-1 multi-brand Hainanese restaurant in Hillion Mall on 1 December. In honor of the Hainan settlers who landed on the shores of Singapore shortly after the British, The Hainan Story wants to preserve Singapore’s vibrant food heritage while offering a wide variety of tasty, traditional dishes.
The Hainan Story
In Asian culture, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and they think the same thing in The Hainan Story. Here you’ll find old-school breakfasts made just the right way, with traditional Hainanese toasts featuring thick, fluffy buns with a soft pillow centre and a beautifully crisp crust—unlike the thin flat toasts typically seen elsewhere.
Down with the tasty old ‘Kopi Gu You,’ the quintessential Hainanese breakfast – whether Kopi C (milk coffee) (hot: $2.00, cold: $2.60) or Kopi O (black coffee) (hot: $1.60, cold: $2.20) with a slice of butter ($0.60 extra) added. Introduced by Hainanese coffee shops in the 1930s, Kopi Gu You is Singapore’s very own version of the trendy Bulletproof Coffee—a long time before it even became a hipster drink. Adding butter to the coffee – which is by the way prepared with the Hainan Story house blend of coffee beans – gives the otherwise acidic bitter coffee a full-bodied, tasty taste.
Newspaper Curry Rice
Hainanese curry rice is a favorite dish that originated in Singapore during the British colonial era. The enterprising chefs have chosen to mix pork chop from British cuisine with ingredients like the curry chicken, chap chye, and baby saucepan of Peranakan. It’s made by Hainan settlers from the region, who were employed by the British and rich Peranakan. The Hainanese curry chicken was born in this manner.
At Newspaper Curry Rice, guests will choose from 6 different sets, such as their signature Mama Wee’s Hainanese Curry Chicken Drumstick Set ($7.80)—served with a generous helping of tender chicken and irresistible curry sauce—and Mama Wee’s Hainanese ‘Kou Rou’ Set ($8.80), which includes a succulent roasted pork belly. All sets are accompanied by freshly steamed rice, prawn crackers, sambal tempeh, sambal belacan, and a choice of homemade vegetables and egg dishes.
Uncle Robert Western
Hainanese Fried Pork Cutlet Covered with Potato Chips Crumbs ($14.80) in the 1980s is sure to evoke nostalgia. In the past, cream crackers were once used as crumbs that would impart the cutlet’s crisp golden exterior—today, in a modern twist, Uncle Robert Western prefers to cover his thick pork loin cutlet in a blanket of potato chip crumbs, giving the dish a more aromatic profile—and a more satisfying crunch—when fried. The pork loin is also marinated in a special blend of celery, carrots, spring onions and seasoning to make its natural flavours. The cutlet is served with your choice of Yogurt Rojak—a smooth, nutty sauce that mixes perfectly with the delicious cutlet—or Zesty Alabama White BBQ Sauce.
Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice
What makes Wee Nam Kee’s chicken rice so special? Each aspect of a simple dish was carefully and meticulously considered. In the first place, only the freshest chickens are used to ensure the best texture and taste – the chickens are moderately cooked with a range of ingredients at a controlled temperature in the premium chicken bone reserve and a secret recipe – resulting in a tender and delicious Wee Nam Kee signature poached chicken.
Ah Chiang’s Traditional Porridge
Nothing is more comfortable than a traditional, home-made porridge dish. Ah Chiang’s Traditional Porridge is well versed in preparing a perfect bowl of comfort food, with almost a half-century of experience in porridge making. Ask himself Mr Chiang, the 73-year-old patriarch and eponymous restaurant owner, how Mr Chiang has mastered porridge making with years of work and effort. Since then, his restaurant has been the ideal place for Hainan’s – and Singaporeans’ – comfort food.
All the food supplies are fresh, never stored frozen in the restaurant. First-time enthusiasts must try their well-loved Mixed Pork Porridge, which comes with hand-made, springy pork balls, succulent sliced meat, and an array of pig intestines, all cooked to perfection.
Address: 17 Petir Road, #01-15/16 Hillion Mall, Singapore 678278 Operating Hours: 7.30am to 9.30pm daily Seating: 130pax (80pax with safe distancing measures in place) Telephone: 6970 8191 Email: office@baoshi.sg
