Cover The best Thai mookata restaurant in Singapore (Photo: Facebook / Kin Tub Thai Mookata)
The best Thai mookata restaurant in Singapore (Photo: Facebook / Kin Tub Thai Mookata)
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Combining the grill and steamboat into one dining experience, the popular Thai mookata has since captured the hearts and tummies of many in Singapore
The greasing of the grill with a sliver of lard. The strategic lining of the grill with raw pieces of marinated meats. The careful observation of the meats while they cook with each crackle and pop. These are just some rituals of enjoying mookata, an often communal dining experience in Singapore that has risen in popularity over the last decade.
Moo in Thai means pork while kata loosely translates to skillet, and hence the namesake dish, marrying the best of both worlds of grill and steamboat. This ingenious contraption features a dome-shaped grill plate with a surrounding soup trough, allowing the oils from the grilled meats to flow into the soup, intensifying the bone broth.
Best enjoyed in convivial settings with friends and family or as a late-night supper, here are the best mookata joints in Singapore.
Read more: The best har cheong gai in Singapore, according to local chefs
1. Mr Mookata Plus
A direct import from the night markets of Hua Mum Night Market in Bangkok, Mr Mookata Plus SG is the first outpost of the viral Sathanee Mee Hoi. Besides serving up the wildly popular Thai barbecue hotpot, your meal is accompanied by raunchy entertainment, courtesy of hunky modelesque men with exposed abs. Whether male or female, you’re entitled to stunts where the men carry and parade you in their arms as witnessed on all viral social platforms. From Mondays to Thursdays, the buffet runs an all-inclusive programme with free-flow Thai draft beer. For a night of no-holds-barred fun and feast, perhaps, one might consider leaving the kids home.
Mr Mookata Plus
Address: 320 Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park, S(247980)
2. Kin Tub Thai Mookata
This sizzling spot finds itself in Boat Quay where one can grill and chill along the scenic Singapore River. Unlike typical buffet-style mookata joints, Kin Tub offers à la carte menu that doesn’t require one to stuff themselves silly. Instead, cherry-pick from a selection of high-quality meats: think marinated pork jowl, pork belly, beef short plate and even well-marbled beef short ribs. Seafood options are not an afterthought either, as the restaurant is known for its juicy prawns. Cooked dishes such as grilled crab or spicy garlic king prawns are also available to spruce up the table. Suppergoers rejoice as Kin Tub opens daily till 6 in the morning.
Kin Tub Thai Mookata
Address: 51 Boat Quay, S(049840)
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3. Aroy Mak Mookata
Established in 2013, this mookata joint hails from Chiang Rai. From flavourful bone broth made from pork bones and the zippy tom yum soup to the fiery chilli dipping sauces, Aroy Mak Mookata insists on making its soups and condiments from scratch to best complement the marinated meats. As the owner hails from Northern Thailand, diners are treated to an excellent rendition of Thai herb pork sausages. To elevate your spread, the premium buffet category comes with unlimited serves of Australian Wagyu beef, oysters, flower crabs, crayfish and other premium beef cuts.
Aroy Mak Mookata
Address: 534 MacPherson Road, S(368220)
4. New Udon Mookata
Touted as one of the pioneering mookata restaurants in Singapore, New Udon previously called the now-defunct Golden Mile Complex home. Today, the flagship restaurant is situated in Jalan Besar where the grills continue to sizzle. The quality proves itself: meats are well marinated, especially the garlic chicken, and the seafood is plump and fresh. Don’t skip on the a la carte order of the grilled squid, which always arrives succulent and packed with flavour. In the first half of 2024, the restaurant opened its second outlet at Orchard Towers where it promises a smokeless grilling experience thanks to the installation of exhaust suction technology.
New Udon Mookata
Address: 119 Lavender Street, S(338731)
5. Cheese Story Mookata Buffet
Gooey savoury cheese wrapped around juicy grilled meats is a mouthwatering combination indeed. At Cheese Story Mookata Buffet, the winning blend of stretchy mozzarella cheese and creamy nacho cheese keeps the foodies coming back for more. The buffet selection spoils diners of all ages with over 50 options including marinated meats, oysters, prawns and assorted vegetables. The recent move to the new location promises poolside dining where diners can enjoy both buffet and a la carte options. Like more options? The restaurant also specialises in seafood claypot dishes.
Cheese Story Mookata Buffet
Address: 31 Ah Hood Road, HomeTeamNS-JOM Balestier, #01-07, S(329979)
