Maddie’s Kitchen: Hidden Dining Gem Serving Huge Hainanese Pork Chop Curry Rice For S$4.80 + Affordable Quality Seafood Dishes In Orchard Rd

My friends and I often have trouble deciding where to eat when we’re around town as they are often on the higher end or grab-and-go. When I heard of this new eatery, Maddie’s Kitchen, located conveniently at Far East Plaza, I decided to try it out.

As I walked in, I was greeted by a comfortable and chic ambience. The wooden tables were paired with soft, cushioned chairs and I appreciated the homely interior. The seatings were well-spaced out for conversations to roll out too.

The menu is extensive, with set meals for lunch and zi char-style mains after 2pm. Mui Leng, the owner of Maddie’s Kitchen, kindly recommended me some of her well-loved dishes.

The first that arrived was the Pork Chop Hainanese Curry Rice Set (S$4.80). The huge slices of pork cutlets completely enveloped my rice. It came with a side of vegetables and a fried egg as well.

The pork cutlet was pretty thin, but the ratio of batter to meat was perfect. It was a nice bite of tender, lean meat with a crisp savoury coating. The coating for the pork cutlets were cream crackers pounded by hand, unlike most places that use ready-made bread crumbs for convenience.

The curry was leaning towards runny and was less lemak than the usual. I found it slightly spicy but not overwhelming. The distinct punch from the spice added an extra dimension to the meat.

The accompaniments were equally delicious. The fried egg was perfectly gooey in the centre and provided a touch of creaminess to the rice. The stewed cabbage was soft as well. You’ll definitely get a bang for your buck with this.

We also ordered a portion of Lor Bak (S$4) to complement our curry rice.

The braised pork belly was succulent and flavourful as it absorbed all the seasonings. It was slightly salty on its own but paired nicely with rice.

The star of the show was definitely the Oyster Omelette (S$10.80), which uses fresh oysters shipped directly from Korea.

The plump oysters exuded a delectable creaminess, with a subtle hint of pleasant brininess. They nailed the proportion of egg and starch, with a thin crispy edge and a fluffy chewy centre. Easily one of the best oyster omelettes I’ve had. Add some of their tangy sambal to elevate the full-flavour profile of the dish.

I also ordered a Signature Superior Seafood Soup Set (S$8.80), which comes with rice or your choice of noodles. The soup was filled with a plethora of ingredients. Besides the usual vegetables and tofu, there were slices of batang fish, meatballs, lala, fish maw, mock abalone and prawns. The clear broth was light, yet robust with a distinct sweetness.

The huge prawns were incredibly fresh, and I liked that they were already peeled. Their prawns are live and sourced daily, which probably explains its firmness and juiciness.

I was most surprised by the batang fish. The slices were thick yet flaky, with a smooth and soft texture. The usual fishy taste was indiscernible with a sweet aftertaste. Mui Leng mentioned they were air-flown in and even have plans to directly import fishes from her husband’s fish farm in the future.

The meatballs were handmade, as you would be able to tell from their asymmetrical shapes. While time-consuming and tedious, Mui Leng insists on making all her ingredients from scratch. They were tender and moist, with a nice bite to them.

One of their most popular signature dishes was their Seafood White Bee Hoon. However, I decided to try their Seafood Hor Fun (S$8.80) instead. In hindsight, I’m glad I made that decision because it was delectable. It had the same generous serving of fresh seafood, but the Hor Fun itself completely won me over.

A good plate of Hor Fun is not easy to master, but the one at Maddie’s Kitchen is really good. The Hor Fun itself was smooth with a nice chewy texture. It was full of wok hei, as you can tell from the charred bits throughout the noodles. The silky eggy gravy added a touch of creaminess to the smoky wok hei aroma. A full-bodied dish that can definitely satisfy two average eaters.

To round up our meal, Mui Leng insisted we had to try her Mango Sago Pomelo (S$5), made without any added sugars or artificial flavourings.

A scoop in and I could immediately tell the difference. The mangoes were sweet and juicy, definitely fresh and not frozen. The milk was not diluted with ice, yet wasn’t too sweet, which I prefer. It allowed the natural sweetness of the mangoes to shine. Juxtaposing with the bittersweet bits of pomelo and a nice bite from the sago, it made for a refreshing dessert.

I left Maddie’s Kitchen feeling fulfilled and pleased with my new find. The food here gave me a homely feel as if my grandma prepared it for me with love and I definitely had an enjoyable meal.

There were many other items I really wanted to try such as the Black Bean Fish and Salted Egg Chicken Fried Rice but I’ll save them for another time. Now I know where to go whenever my friends and I are in town. Premium quality food at an affordable price, nothing comes quite as close as this.

Expected damage: S$4.80 – S$10.80 per pax