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With Mr Blecky’s iconic chef pose plastered on its storefront, Mr Blecky Mala Hotpot in Ang Mo Kio started operating on 18 Jun 2023. For those who do not know of Mr Blecky, he is Indian chef Devid Retanasamy who went viral in 2022 for his fluent Mandarin and Cantonese, as well as his Chinese culinary skills.
He is no longer involved with that first stall but currently has another stall that specialises in seafood zi char fare. The business has garnered a reputation for perfecting classic dishes such as the Moonlight Hor Fun (S$6). For more adventurous eaters, the ‘celebrity’ chef has got you covered with unique items, including the very creamy Buttermilk Cheese Prawn (S$20).
Mr Blecky Mala Hotpot’s price point may be considered slightly steep — all ingredients are charged at S$2.50 per 100 grams. This means that vegetables, meat and carbohydrates are all sold at that price.
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In comparison, cheaper mala stalls offer 100 grams of vegetables at S$1. Nonetheless, a wide array of fresh, chilled ingredients are displayed neatly in refrigerators. Kelp, sweet potato noodles, squid rings, quail eggs… and the list goes on.
My colleague dined at the newly opened stall and was impressed by the impeccable balance of spice and numbness in their mala stir fry. Mr Blecky also knows generosity and entitles customers to a free flow of peanuts and garlic. The latter is especially attractive to me as other mala joints usually charge extra for additional garlic.
The brand doesn’t only sell the famed Sichuan dish that won the hearts of virtually everyone. Other popular Sichuan specialities are available, too. Pork lovers will enjoy the Claypot Braised Pork with Preserved Veg Rice (S$6.50) and Claypot Black Vinegar Pig’s Trotters Rice (S$6.50). The super well-known Sichuan dish known as Mapo Beancurd is on the list, too.
Head down to Mr Blecky’s 2-in-1 concept store at Ang Mo Kio to enjoy your share of zi char dishes and mala hotpot stir fry!
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