If you're looking for some Hainanese-style Western fare, then you might want to give British Hainan a try.

It is known for its Braised Oxtail Stew (S$29.90), basically, the tail of a cow — chopped up and stewed in a hearty gravy with carrots, potatoes, and celery — until it becomes tender and falls off the bone easily. The dish also comes with toasted bread so you can mop up every last bit of gravy.

Not many places serve oxtail stew today, so you might want to visit British Hainan if you want to try this dish.

We also had the Fish & Chips (S$14.90). Its batter was crispy and light (so you don't jelak after the meal) while the inside was soft, flaky, and very well-seasoned. It comes with a side of fries and a simple yet refreshing salad.

Lastly, we also had the Hainanese Curry Rice (S$15.80). You can't choose the sides for the curry rice here; it comes with a Hainanese pork chop, Chinese stewed pork, chap chye (mixed vegetables), and Peranakan curry.

The sides go well together, special mention to the chap chye which was elevated by hae bee (dried shrimps). However, some might balk at paying S$15.80 for curry png.

Other popular dishes at British Hainan include the Hainanese Porkchop (S$14.90) which comes slathered in a very traditional tomato sauce and Braised Lamb Shank (S$28.90).

Owner's father worked as cook in British household

According to food blogger Leslie Tay from ieatishootipost, the man behind British Hainan, Frederick Puah, grew up in the servant quarters of a British colonial household.

Puah's father used to work as a cook in a British household.

In colonial times, Hainanese immigrants typically found work as servants and cooks because they were among the last Chinese communities to arrive in Singapore, after the Teochews, Hokkiens, and Cantonese.

Unable to break into the businesses dominated by the other dialect groups, the Hainanese took up jobs as servants (runner boys) and chefs for the British colonial masters.

Over time, Hainanese cooks started to produce fusion Western food, like the Hainanese pork chop above — pork cutlet combined with a tangy tomato sauce.

3 outlets in Singapore

British Hainan has three outlets: Carpmael Road, Kallang Way, and Purvis Street.

We highly recommend visiting the Carpmael Road outlet because the interior dining space also functions as a quirky museum of sorts, filled with antiques and old photographs.

Do remember to make a reservation before visiting.

For those who cannot visit its physical outlets, you can also place your order online and have them deliver it to you.

The food is a little on the expensive side, especially the curry rice, but the dishes are well-executed and based on Facebook reviews (4.9 stars out of 5), quite popular too.

British Hainan

Address:

1. 75 Carpmael Road, S429812 (map)
2. 158 Kallang Way, #01-06, Performance Building S349245 (map)
3. 23 Purvis Street, #01-01, S188600 (map)

Operating hours: 11am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm, closed on Tuesdays

Online: Website • Instagram • Facebook

Reservation:

1. Carpmael Road outlet: WhatsApp 9633 8122 for reservation
2. Kallang Way outlet: WhatsApp 9022 6233 for reservation
3. Purvis Street outlet: Call 6977 9711 for reservation

More Hainanese food:

Top images by Joshua Lee.