What is Mookata? A Guide to Thai Barbecue Steamboat in Singapore

Mookata is a Thai dish that combines barbecue and hotpot at the table. You cook meat on a domed griddle while vegetables, noodles and other ingredients simmer in a ring of broth around it. It is popular in Singapore for group dinners, late suppers and birthday meals, and many outlets are open late.

What is Mookata?

Mookata is a do-it-yourself meal. A charcoal or gas burner sits in the middle of the table, topped with a dome-shaped metal pan. Diners grill thin slices of marinated meat on the dome and cook the rest in the soup that collects in the channel around its edge.

Where Mookata comes from

Mookata is a Thai street food. The name is usually explained as a mix of Thai words for pork (mu) and a pan or skillet (kata). Singapore has had Thai-style barbecue steamboat outlets for years, and they are now found in HDB estates, coffee shops, and the Golden Mile and Geylang areas.

What makes Mookata different from steamboat or BBQ

• Two cooking methods in one pot: the dome gives a smoky, charred flavour, while the moat works like a light steamboat.
• The fat flavours the soup: as the meat grills, the juices and rendered fat run into the broth, so the soup gets richer as the meal goes on.
• You control the cooking: how charred or tender the meat is, and when the vegetables go in, is up to you.

What you usually get

Most places offer sliced pork (belly, neck, collar), chicken, beef, seafood such as prawns and squid, sausages, tofu, mushrooms, leafy vegetables and noodles. Dipping sauces are usually a spicy, sour Thai-style chilli dip and sometimes a sesame or soy-based one. Menus differ by outlet, so check what is included before ordering.

Ordering tips

• A la carte or buffet: some outlets sell by the plate, while others run all-you-can-eat sets with time limits. Check the terms, pricing and any wastage charge on the outlet's own menu or page, as these change often.
• Oil the dome first: most outlets give you a piece of pork fat to grease the pan. Use it before the meat goes on.
• Keep the soup topped up: ask staff to refill the broth, since it boils off over a long meal.
• Ventilation: a charcoal or gas grill makes the table smoky, so expect to smell of barbecue afterwards.
• Book ahead for groups: popular outlets fill up on weekends.

Finding Mookata in Singapore

Outlets open and close often, so a fixed "best of" list goes out of date quickly. Check the outlet's current opening hours, menu and reviews before you go. Lookup's directory lists Thai restaurants and barbecue steamboat places by area, and you can narrow the list by neighbourhood.