7 Best Mookata Restaurants In SG To Visit With The Gals 

Mookata, meaning “pork” and “skillet” in Thai, is a hybrid dining style that combines both barbecue and steamboat (hotpot).

• Mookata: Uses a unique dome-shaped grill with a surrounding moat for broth. The meats are grilled on the dome, and the rendered meat juices (traditionally from pork lard) drip down into the soup moat, enriching the broth’s flavour. The focus is on Thai-style marinated meats and dipping sauces.
• Korean BBQ (KBBQ): Primarily focuses on grilling meats, typically on a flat or slightly sloped grill. There is usually no soup/broth component on the grill itself. It emphasizes different cuts of meat, banchan (side dishes), and specific Korean dipping sauces like ssamjang.
• Chinese Steamboat (Hotpot): Focuses solely on cooking ingredients in a pot of simmering broth. There is no grilling component, and the flavour comes entirely from the soup base and dipping sauces.

Mookata in Singapore is most commonly cooked using a gas stove for convenience and temperature control, especially in commercial eateries.

However, a few establishments use charcoal (sometimes binchotan charcoal) which is generally considered more traditional. Charcoal provides a distinctly smoky and aromatic flavour to the grilled meats that gas stoves cannot replicate. This smoky depth is highly sought after by mookata purists.

The dipping sauces (or nam chim) are essential to the mookata experience. Most places offer at least two main types:

• Thai Seafood Sauce (Green/Red Chilli): This is usually the spicier, tangier sauce, made with fresh chili, garlic, lime juice, and sometimes coriander. It is excellent for seafood and chicken, as the acidity cuts through the richness.
• Thai Sweet/Savoury Sauce (Darker Brown/Orange): This sauce is often sweeter, richer, and less spicy, sometimes with a bean paste or sesame base. It pairs perfectly with marinated pork and beef.

Many diners like to create their own mix by combining the two sauces and adding extra condiments like chopped chili padi, garlic, or a squeeze of lime.

The secret to a flavourful mookata broth lies in the rendered fat and juices from the grilled meat.

1. Start with the Lard/Oil: If pork lard is provided, start by rubbing it generously on the dome grill to grease the surface. This fat will melt and drip into the broth, adding a rich, savoury base. (For halal options, beef or vegetable oil is typically used.)
2. Grill and Drip: Place your marinated meats (pork belly, beef, chicken) high on the dome to grill. As they cook, the fat and juices will naturally flow down into the moat.
3. Use Vegetables as the Base: Place hardier vegetables (like cabbage, carrots, or corn) into the broth early on. They release natural sweetness and flavour, and they also help catch the meat drippings, enhancing the broth’s depth.

The price can vary significantly depending on the style of dining:

• Buffet (All-You-Can-Eat): Typically ranges from $18 to $35 per person on weekdays, and slightly higher on weekends or for premium buffets that include fresh seafood (prawns, crayfish, scallops).
• Set Platter (À la Carte): For a set platter that feeds 2-4 people, the cost usually ranges from $25 to $60 per platter, which works out to approximately $15 to $25 per person. Ordering additional à la carte items will increase the final bill.

Yes, there are several halal-certified mookata or Thai-style BBQ steamboat options in Singapore.

In halal versions, beef fat or vegetable oil is used instead of pork lard for greasing the grill, and the meat selection focuses on marinated chicken, beef, mutton, and a wide variety of seafood. The broth is also made from chicken or beef stock.

To prevent sticking, ensure the dome is well-greased before placing the meat on it.

• Greasing: Continuously rub the pork lard (or oil/butter substitute) across the dome’s surface throughout the grilling process, especially as new pieces of meat are added.
• Temperature Control: Keep the heat at a medium level. A flame that is too high will rapidly burn the sugars in the meat’s marinade.
• Laying the Meat: Avoid overcrowding the dome. Cook in small batches and turn the meat frequently to ensure even cooking and browning without scorching.

Marinated Meat (Pork, Chicken, Beef): Cook these on the dome grill. The high heat sears them quickly, locking in the flavour.

Seafood (Prawns, Squids, Clams): Cook prawns and squid on the dome grill for a smoky char, but you can also poach them briefly in the broth for a softer texture. Shellfish like clams should be cooked in the broth.

Hard Vegetables (Cabbage, Carrots, Corn): Put these into the broth early on to soften and release their sweetness into the soup.

Processed Items (Fishballs, Hotdogs, Crabsticks): Cook in the broth as they are better when fully heated through and infused with the soup’s flavour.

The broth level will inevitably drop due to evaporation and absorption by the ingredients. When this happens, the service staff will typically provide a top-up of clear chicken or pork bone broth (depending on the establishment’s base). You should always ask the staff for more broth before the moat runs dry to prevent the hot plate from overheating and becoming damaged.

Yes, many mookata operators in Singapore offer delivery and takeaway services. For delivery, they usually provide:

• Pre-marinated meats and ingredients packaged separately.
• Broth concentrate or pre-cooked broth in a sealed container.
• Dipping sauces in small containers.
• Rental of the mookata stove and pot, which is often collected the next day (sometimes with a refundable deposit), or you can use your own personal steamboat/grill equipment.