Siam Square Mookata Clementi 321 · My First Mookata, Can You Believe It?

When Ben suggested we meet up for lunch at Siam Square Mookata, I wasn't full of enthusiasm for it (truth be told). I don't really like those meals where we have to cook our own food, have lots of meat and processed items, and cooking fumes getting into our clothes and hair (though I don't have that much). I have never been to a Mookata despite its raging popularity in Singapore since the last decade.

However, Ben's suggestion got me curious. Siam Square Mookata established in 2013 is still the leading mookata place among dozens that jumped on the Thai pork skillet bandwagon. It turned out that the food was delicious, I didn't smell like a walking BBQ after the lunch and I enjoyed the whole experience (otherwise, why would I spend a day writing this post 😬 ).

Restaurant name: Siam Square Mookata (Clementi outlet)

Address: 321 Clementi Ave 3, Level 3, #03-01, Singapore 129905

Nearest MRT: 10 minutes walk from Clementi station

Tel: 8826 1919

Hours: 12:00 noon - 1:00am (close at 3am on Fri & Sat)

321 Clementi is a small mall with a cinema and three levels of mostly restaurants. It is just a short 10 minute walk from Clementi MRT station.

Siam Square Mookata is at level 3 of the mall just beside the escalator. Siam Square Mookata has about 10 outlets across Singapore. This is the Clementi outlet.

The restaurant is spacious, bright, simply but comfortably furnished. No decor or interior design, just a no frills eating place. Each table is equipped with those "elephant trunk" exhaust chimney like those in Korean BBQ places. One of the rows of tables has full length windows looking out at greenery.

The purplish sign reminds me of Bangkok by night 😄

The sauce station is uncomplicated. I actually prefer this simplicity compared to those restaurants with have dozens of sauces.

Not familiar with the sauces, I simply took "Special" and garnished it with chopped garlic and chili padi.

The menu is on the ordering sheet. Simply tick off the food you want, pass it to the staff and they will deliver them to your table. Beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables, noodles, etc. Prices from around $2++ to $10++.

Our first order for two of us.

To start, pour the soup into the trough around the rim of the skillet. Siam Square Mookata has only one type of soup - it's a clear soup base.

Grease the hot plate with pieces of lard (available at the sauce station) and start cooking. So easy. (You don't have to grease the skillet if you don't like lard, as the hot plate is Teflon coated.)

Do it yourself cooking. The food is done when it looks and smells right to you 😬

The thing about mookata is everyone can have the food they like. My favourites were the beef and pork. The "Special" sauce was nice - it was a tasty blend of tangy, spicy balanced with savoury and sweet.

I enjoyed the pork most. Tender and sweet from the pork and marinate.

The grease and juices from the hot plate run into the trough of soup, giving it extra flavours.

The soup was too intensely savoury salty for me to drink.

Couldn't resist taking a snap of the food at the table beside us 😬

My first mookata. I like it. The food was tasty, the ambiance was pleasant though decor and furnishings were barebones, prices were reasonable.

To say it's life changing is too drama mama but this was my first mookata ever and I was never keen to try.  Now, if I am asked to suggest a conveniently accessible place for an affordable, casual get together, Siam Square Mookata would be one of the options in my mind.

                  

Written by Tony Boey on 8 Jun 2022