I stumbled upon a new restaurant tucked somewhere in Joo Chiat/Haig Road area called British Hainan.
It may be a wee difficult to locate because it’s tucked inside a residential area. But you can’t miss the pair of wooden lions flanking the entrance of this antique store cum eatery at the corner of Carpmael and Crane Roads.
The restaurant itself isn’t very large, with just a handful of tables inside. There are also outdoor seating though. When you step inside British Hainan though, you may second-guess whether you’re indeed inside a commercial establishment. Because the interior looks like someone’s home.
The draw of British Hainan is the plethora of knick knacks and collectibles from yesteryears peppered all over the place. It’s like stepping into a time capsule. There are so many retro objects to feast your eyes on!
British Hainan decor
A closer look at the antiques and collectibles:
British Hainan food
The food is primarily British-inspired food with a Hainanese slant, thus the restaurant name. Hazel, Daniel and I decided to try out the Sambal Chicken Wings as appetizer. We also shared the Braised Lamb Shank and Fish ‘n Chips for main courses.
We didn’t get to try the signature Traditional Hainanese Oxtail Stew. :(
Prices were affordable, portions were generous and between the three of us, we polished everything off the plates happily.
Drink-wise, I highly recommend the Lemongrass drink which tasted like it had a bit of barley water in it. That was very refreshing, especially on a hot muggy afternoon.
Because the occasion was a belated birthday lunch for yours truly (I’m another year older!), Hazel got cakes and tart to share from a cafe elsewhere. British Hainan was gracious enough to let us enjoy the cakes and tart on their premises. Thank you. :)
We had so much fun goofing around with the retro props. =^^=
The food was decent and I don’t mind going back again to try other items on the menu. They were reasonably priced and the portions were generous.
British Hainan
75 Carpmael Road
Tel: (+65) 6336 8122
I drove past over the weekend during dinner time and place was packed! It was much quieter during lunch time when we went. So if you’re planning to go with a group, best to call and make a reservation in advance.
I hope to bring my parents to British Hainan next time as I know they’ll enjoy the quaint vibes there.
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