The hawker stall in Fa Yuen Street Market in Mong Kok is partnering with Singapore food and beverage company, the Les Amis Group, for its debut overseas outpost. The Les Amis Group runs the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Les Amis, among its 15 restaurants here.
Mui Kee will take over a space vacated by Caveau Bar in Shaw Centre on Orchard Road, which comes hot on the heels of an eight month-long pop-up at Casa Verde cafe in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Both eateries are part of the Les Amis Group's stable of restaurants.
Unlike dace fish, a staple in Shunde-style cuisine from Guangdong, that is used in the Hong Kong stall, parrot fish will be featured here, as “local dace fish taste rather muddy and the supply also inconsistent,” according to a Les Amis Group spokesperson.
Besides congee and desserts, the menu has been expanded to include house-made chee cheong fun that are stuffed with dough fritters and shredded duck with preserved vegetables, noodles and claypot dishes. Targeting night owls hunting for supper joints on Orchard Road are the line-up of claypot dishes that are available only during dinner and supper.
The claypot dishes pair nicely with plain congee. Wok hei-filled claypot dishes include frog legs with ginger and spring onions and beef brisket. The restaurant will open till 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Les Amis Group, which has more than 20 restaurants to its name, also runs three restaurants in Hong Kong including Bistro Du Vin and Piccolo Pizzeria & Bar. The group’s chairman, Mr. Desmond Lim, tried the congee at Mui Kee, which his staff in Hong Kong recommended.
A spokesperson says: “The moment our Chairman tasted Mui Kee in Hong Kong, he knew that this was something he wanted to bring to Singapore. The taste and texture of Mui Kee’s congee is unlike anything he has tried in Singapore.”
Today, Mui Kee is helmed by its third-generation owner Mr Choi Kok Tung (left), who started mastering the family’s heirloom congee recipe since he was 22. He will be in town every quarter to ensure that the quality of the food remains consistent.
Prices for the congee starts from $7.80, while a bowl of congee in Hong Kong is priced at HKD34 (S$5.70).
Mui Kee is at 01-12 Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road, tel: 6737-2422
