British Hainan

Revisited my Hainanese roots last night with a visit to British Hainan for a dose of their famed oxtail stew - and I wasn’t disappointed. Although it is not a traditional Hainanese dish, oxtail stew or oxtail soup appears on the menus of many Hainanese western eateries. It is the same with fish & chips and pork chop. 

To understand a little more why, we’d have to look back to when the early immigrants from China first set foot on local shores. 

As the Hainanese arrived here much later than the other dialect groups, and were also largely poor, illiterate & lacking relevant skills, they had to settle for jobs in the service sector. Hence, they took up employment in places like colonial homes, bakeries and hotels. Many became seamen; critically, some (like my grandfather) worked on board ships as chefs and hence became familiar with western food & drinks.

Over time, they learnt how to make western fare, sometimes tweaking their recipes to suit local taste buds. 

During the Depression years, many Hainanese took the chance to set up restaurant businesses as rental rates of shophouses dipped. Swee Kee Chicken Rice and the ubiquitous Ya Kun and Hans are but a few successful eateries whose founders are Hainanese.

British Hainan doesn’t go as far back - it opened only in 2013 - but it already has its own trove of loyal following. I am at their Joo Chiat outlet and am delighted that owner Frederick (also known as Uncle Fred) is here to greet me with warm hospitality (“Welcome home!” he chimes every time someone enters - his own little way to create a feel-good dining atmosphere). 

Olden-style Barber Chair

Does this jukebox trigger fond memories of your 1st date..?

Here, you get to see his impressive antique collection too. A jukebox here, a barber chair there, a coin-operated weighing machine at the corner… it’s a very unique dining experience that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.

The Food

Traditional Hainanese Oxtail Stew ($32.90) (Recommended)

I was here specially for this, because not many places do this well. British Hainan's Traditional Hainanese Oxtail Stew is done the traditional way, without using any wine. I was sure I tasted butter, but found out I was wrong - there’s neither butter nor flour, instead the secret ingredient is…. steamed sweet potatoes. The resultant texture of the stew is thick and delightfully viscous. It is a sweet-savoury dual-flavour and they (helpfully) give you some toasted French loaf slices to soak up all that goodness. Plus you get 3 huge sections of oxtail that has a good mix of meat & fat. Wonderful stuff.

Hainanese Pork Chop ($16.90)

It would be a travesty not to have the Hainanese Pork Chop at a Hainanese eatery. Based on a family recipe, the marinated pork chops are first seared, then coated with breadcrumbs before going into the deep fryer. This retains the meat’s juiciness while the exterior remains crisp. The accompanying sauce is tangy, sweet & savoury all at once. I liked it that the sauce was slathered on only half the meat so that I could enjoy both the crispy and sauce-coated versions.

Definitely one of the best versions of traditional Hainanese Pork Chops I’ve had.

Hainanese Chap Chye ($12)

Unlike many other versions I’ve tried, the Hainanese Chap Chye here does not have much gravy, although everything (I identified cabbage, beancurd skin, carrot strips, black fungus) was well-stewed till soft. The hae bee (dried shrimp) smell was very distinct in every part of the dish. I liked this dish very much, although I must add that it is a little pricey for the portion given.

Hainanese Curry Rice ($17.90) (Recommended)

If you are dining on your own, I think this Hainanese Curry Rice would be a good dish to order - as you get a bit of everything on a platter. You get a long strip of braised pork belly, half a pork chop, their signature chap chye and a rich curry gravy with potatoes over steamed white rice. Everything was good on the plate and I am sure you will find it extremely satisfying too.

Herbal Mutton Soup ($32) (Recommended)

If this dish was taken in winter, you can rest assured the Herbal Mutton Soup would keep you nicely warmed up from the inside. The herbal soup was mildly sweet from the herbs and wolfberries, and there were generous strips of ginger and some coriander to neutralise the distinct mutton smell. I found the meat tender and the ribs were of fall-off-the-bone standard.

My mum and wife found this too gamey for them, though. No worries - Dad and I gladly “settled” the issue.

Hainanese Pork Chop Pasta ($16.90)

Spaghetti is always a kids' favorite and my daughter approved of this Hainanese Pork Chop Pasta (except the green peas of course), but it's still good enough. Very generous sauce provided to go with the spaghetti.

Hainanese Ngoh Hiang ($14)

I was pleasantly surprised with this as I wouldn’t say we Hainanese are known for this dish, but this Hainanese Ngoh Hiang was flavourful and juicy. I think there’s a little bit of Peranakan influence here. It’s very good when paired with their house-made sambal.

Hainanese Toufu ($6.50)

I don't really fancy beancurd done this way but the Hainanese Toufu was a good excuse to wallop more of their power sambal chilli. To be frank, I'm not really sure what hainanese element there is in the toufu - I'll make sure to clarify with Uncle Fred the next time.

British Hainan is a great place to enjoy Hainanese cuisine, and it's an ideal place to entertain guests in a setting that is not too formal as well. For dinner reservations, there are 2 seatings: 6pm and 7.30pm and dining is capped at 90 minutes. They are open for walk-ins too, but it is advisable to make bookings in advance to avoid disappointment.

Address: 75 Carpmael Road S(429812)

Opening Hours: 11am to 3pm, 6pm to 10 pm. Closed on Tuesdays 
(2 other outlets in Kallang Way & Purvis Street)