Hjh Maimunah Singapore Malay Cuisine📍Joo Chiat ☎ 63485457

Haven't been back to Hjh Maimunah at Joo Chiat since my last visit here nearly twenty years ago. I can't recall what I had but remembered that it was a good meal and we had great company. So, it is timely for a revisit.

Hjh Maimunah Restaurant was founded in 1991 by Mdm Mahiran Abdul Rahman at Jalan Pisang at the historic Kampong Glam area. Mdm Mahiran was inspired and supported by her mother Hjh Maimunah, hence the restaurant was named in her honour.

At the entrance of Hjh Maimunah, you will be met with a queue and a vast array of precooked dishes laid out neatly on shelves in glass cabinets.

Point to dishes that catch your fancy and the staff will scoop out the required portions (which you specify).

At the end of the line with your tray of dishes, the cashier will tally your orders. Pay and a staff will take your food to the dining hall upstairs.

It was spacious, bright, clean, casual and relaxed upstairs. The air conditioner was turned up to high cool, so the cool temperature was such a welcome relief from the heat, humidity and gloomy haze / smoke outside.

Before we head upstairs, let's walk through some dishes that caught my eye.

Here's what I ate.

Of course must have beef rendang. Come to Hjh Maimunah and neglect to order rendang will be a major police case 🚨

Hjh Maimunah's beef rendang differs from the Indonesian variety which tended to be dry and hard.

Here it was tender, moist with pronounced coconut milk taste and robust spice flavours over the meat's beefiness.

Spiced beef lung. I was expecting the spiced deep fried kind which is dry, stiff, and chewy with a slight bitter taste.

But, this at Hjh Maimunah was spiced, stir fried and remained soft tender and spongy. The lung slices also retained its natural subtle sweetness. I enjoyed this so much.

Ayam masak merah. Fried chicken stewed in a thick spicy, tomato based sweet savoury, tangy sauce.

Sotong masak hitam.

Thick squid meat sauteed and simmered in a dark savoury spicy sauce with chili pepper, squid ink, onion, lemongrass and other aromatics.

Kaki kaki ordered this baked fish roe and spice wrapped in banana leaves. I always enjoyed fish roe because I like its texture as well as the protein and cholesterol 🤭

I always have this crunchy juicy bean sprouts lightly stired fried with grated coconut pulp and crunchy wing beans (kacang botol).

The obligatory carb splashed with curry from curry siput (mud snail). I told myself I shall eat just half of this. In the end, I couldn't help myself. This was the first time I had a whole plate of rice this year 🤣

Today's lunch was beyond my expectations. It was more delicious than I remembered of my previous visit here. Pricing was slightly premium but well worth it for the quality of ingredients, spices, cooking skill, as well as very well kept environment and efficient service. I will have Hjh Maimunah in mind when I want to showcase Malay cuisine to foreign guests visiting.