Located in a small alley of the Nishi Ogikubo neighborhood of Tokyo, Mu-Hung is a lovely restaurant that specializes in traditional Singaporean steamed chicken. This dish, which originated from the Hainan province in southern China, is one of the most famous dishes in Singapore and Malaysia. It is also popular in Vietnam and Thailand. The traditional method of cooking Hainan chicken is to poach a chicken and use the remaining chicken stock to cook rice. Ginger and garlic are added, creating a flavorful and tasty pot of rice.
Mu-Hung is a modestly decorated store, reflecting the humble origins of its signature dish. There are wooden tables outside reminiscent of the small street vendors of southeast Asia, and the inside is spacious and clean. There is a wooden counter top for people to dine alone if they wish. Service is quick and easy, so whether you're in a rush or want to hang out for a little, Mu-Hung can definitely accommodate you. The restaurant does get very busy during the weekends though, so if you're planning to visit on a weekend be prepared to wait ten to fifteen minutes.
Mu-Hung serves the traditional Hainan chicken in three sizes: small, medium, and large. I would recommend ordering either the medium or large, because the portions aren't that big. But although the portions aren't huge, they do not lack for taste. The rice is extremely tasty and Mu-Hung gets serious points for using jasmine rice instead of Japanese. The dish is served with raw vegetables and chicken soup. Surprisingly, while the steamed chicken is excellent I would argue that their variation dish is even tastier. They also serve a fried version of the Hainan chicken, with very crispy skin. The crispy chicken adds another dimension to an already wonderful recipe, and isn't overly fried like some traditional Japanese dishes.
The menu is quite big and there are plenty of things to order besides Hainan chicken. They also serve Laksa, which is a spicy noodle soup from Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. They have variations of Southeast Asian style porridge, which is extremely tasty compared to the bland Japanese Okayu. One of the best things is that they serve Chinese vegetables, my favorite being stir fried water spinach.
So if you're in the area and would like tasty meal, give Mu-Hung a try and you won't be disappointed.
