What restaurant did you go to this time?
I went to a Malaysian restaurant called “Hjh Maimunah” in Bugis! It is a very popular restaurant, especially among Malay people, and has been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Malaysian food, huh? There are a lot of Malay people living in Singapore, and there’s a strong cultural influence.
Oh yeah, that’s why it was so authentic. I’ll be reviewing it again in detail, so be sure to read to the end!
General Review
Score
⭐️⭐️
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Must repeat! A highly recommended restaurant. |
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Should repeat! A highly satisfying restaurant. |
| ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Would repeat! A good restaurant. |
| ⭐️⭐️ | A great place to go and recommended. |
| ⭐️ | An ordinary restaurant. |
Recommended Usage
| Family | Gathering | Relax | Date |
| Solo | Anniversary | Traveling | Reception |
Pros / Cons
Atomosphere
Appearance
The restaurant is located off Bugis MRT station, north on Victoria St. and a little to the right on an alley called Jln Pisang. You will see the green shade here. The restaurant is quite large.
This is the entrance to the restaurant. There is a line to order food and wait your turn. This entrance is where you order and pick up your food, and tables are available on the next floor and on the second floor.
Interior
The first thing you notice when you enter the restaurant are the many awards and articles about the restaurant displayed on the walls. No wonder the restaurant is so popular among the locals.
The food is prepared by specifying what you would like to eat from the many plates on display. First, you are served white rice on your own plate, and then you communicate with others by pointing to them.
We will start from the entrance side at the very front. This is the corner where seafood such as FRIED FISH is placed. You can smell the unique smell of Malay food.
Another step forward from there is this corner. Beef dishes are placed on the far side, vegetable dishes on the front, and curry dishes on the lower front. Ordering is easy enough, just point to what you want. There are so many items on the menu that it is quite difficult to determine which one is good at first sight, so you have to choose intuitively.
Further on from there, you will see this booth. Snack foods were available here. After you have ordered and received your plate, go straight to the cash register to pay.
Once outside, the Dine-in space is located in the next entrance. In addition to first floor seating, there is also second floor seating. This picture shows the second floor, which is quite spacious. Even so, it was quite crowded, which shows the popularity of the restaurant.
Food
The following is the menu I ordered this time.
- RICE $1.2
- BEEF RENDANG $4.5
- FRIED FISH $4.5
- SPINACH SINGLE $1.2
- FRIED CABBAGE SINGLE $1.2
- ACAR SINGLE $1.2
The rice is a typical Malay dish. It is richly colored. I think I overdid it a bit with the rice, but the total cost was $13.8. Vegetables are surprisingly reasonable, while meat and fish are a little more expensive. If you choose either meat or fish, you can fill up for less than $10.
Spices and herbs were used for the meat and fish, as is typical of Malay cuisine. The taste is very unique, so you may not like it. Personally, I enjoyed the BEEF RENDANG very much, but the FRID FISH did not suit my palate as much.
The vegetable dishes had a texture and taste similar to a Chinese stir-fry, and all were very tasty. By the way, when you receive your plate, you are asked if you want chili sauce on top. This time I had them put chili sauce on my plate, and it was quite spicy. (It is the top part in the photo.) However, I recommend that you stir it with rice and other ingredients to accentuate the taste.
Access
Get off at Bugis MRT station and go north along Victoria St. Turn right at the alley named Jln Pisang and you will soon find the store. It will take you about 5-6 minutes to walk there.
Summary
The restaurant was very crowded, especially with Malay people. There was quite a long line of people waiting to place their orders, indicating the popularity of the restaurant.
As for the food, there is a very large variety on the menu, and you will find that you will like and dislike and hit and miss. It might be fun for you to try different things including that.
Since authentic Malay cuisine is available, I think this restaurant can be recommended not only for residents but also for travelers. I think it is a good place to go if you are in the mood for sightseeing. By the way, please note that the restaurant closes quite early at 6:30.
I encourage everyone to check it out.
Address : 11 Jln Pisang, Singapore 199078
Tel : 62974294
OPEN : 7:30 am–6:30 pm / Sunday Closed
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