Spicy, punchy and aromatic, mala xiangguo has been a dish that many have fallen in love with since their foray into the Singaporean market a few years ago. Numbing (ma) and spicy (la) are the two pillar flavours of the dish and is made by stir-frying a variety of vegetables and meats in a heady, aromatic sauce that is usually accompanied with noodles and rice. So if you’re looking to satisfy your love for the hot and numbing dish, keep scrolling for the best mala xiangguo in Singapore.
A name that you would have definitely heard of if you love mala xiangguo is Ri Ri Hong. Spanning two stores in People’s Park Complex in Chinatown, you would often find long, snaking queues waiting (Singaporeans love queueing after all). People who can’t handle spicy food would also find Ri Ri Hong acceptable as they don’t use a lot of Sichuan peppercorn while loading up on garlic instead.
Address: 32 New Market Road, People’s Park Complex Food Centre, #01-1036 and #01-1152, Singapore 050032
A stone’s throw from Ri Ri Hong, Ma-La is an alternative for those who don’t like to stand in a queue. Unlike the former, Ma-La is more conservative on the garlic but employs more peppercorns in their dish. As such, go with a less spicy variant if it is your first time here or if you’re a lightweight in the spice department. Also, Ma-La gets bonus points for using pretty bowls.
Address: 32 New Market Road, People’s Park Complex Food Centre, #01-1060A, Singapore 050032
Ri Ri Sheng is must-go for all the Easties out there. Located in Tampines, the store has caught favour with its punchy flavours, both on the spicy and numbing front. Moreover, Ri Ri Sheng has generous portion sizes, so order conservatively, be there extra hungry or grab a friend to share it with.
Address: 823A Tampines Street 81, Singapore 521823
Mala xiangguo can get pretty oily and cloying, which is why rice or noodles are great at balancing the flavours while fulfilling your carbohydrate needs. Here at Ma La, however, you have the option of having mantou buns with the dish. Pro tip: don’t forget to get boiled quail eggs to soak up the addictively spicy sauce too.
Address: Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, 208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-48, Singapore 460209
With 14 branches dotted across Singapore, there will definitely be a You Ma You La near you to satisfy your cravings. A plus point is that the brand has fairly consistent standards across all its branches. You Ma You La also charges their ingredients by weight rather than by the number of ingredients, so you’re able to control the portion size and not overeat.
Address: Multiple locations.
Incorporating over 20 different herbs and spices, Lao Wang Mala prides itself on its heady sauce that includes Sichuan peppercorns. Their prices are relatively wallet-friendly too, starting at $1 per 100g for vegetables to $3 per 100g for beef, mutton or seafood. Definitely check them out if you’re in the Yishun vicinity.
Address: 293 Yishun Street 22, #01-207, 293 Eating House (Silver Spoon Coffeeshop), Singapore 760293
When we think of mala xiangguo, meats and seafood tend to come to mind. But if you’re looking for a healthier option to match the sinful sauce, try Green On Earth. The vegetarian establishment serves up a plethora of vegetables, soy products, mushrooms as well as mock meats that will satiate meat-lovers out there. So if you’ve converted to vegetarianism or veganism, or just want to eat more greens, check this place out.
Address: 2 Phoenix Rd, Singapore 668156
Opened till 3am daily, Wan Xing is the place to be for night owls and supper fiends. Besides the extended opening hours (from 11am), Wan Xing has strong flavours that will definitely deliver the kick you want. Do note that Wan Xing is on the pricier side, perhaps due to it being housed in an air-conditioned setting and its convenient location.
Address: 1008 Upper Serangoon Rd, Singapore 534746
Finding halal Chinese cuisine can be relatively difficult to find. Fortunately, the Mala Hot Pot store at Paya Lebar Square’s Cantine is here to fulfil the mala hotpot-shaped hole in any Muslim Singaporeans reading. Flavours are authentic and strong. The downside, however, is its prices, which vary from $1 per 100g for vegetables, $3.20 for meats to $4.20 for seafood.
Address: 60 Paya Lebar Road, #B1-51 Paya Lebar Square, Singapore 409051
Located walking distance from Clementi MRT, Joyful Palace Mala is conveniently located for Westies. Fans of mala xiangguo will fall in love with their fragrant, flavourful and spicy chilli and with their pricing by weight, it is also a budget-friendly option.
Address: 443 Clementi Avenue 3, #01-55, Singapore 120443
A restaurant tucked within the HDB blocks of Tampines, La Bu La has been a favourite in the neighbourhood especially among the students of nearby Temasek Polytechnic. Not only does it serve mala xiangguo, the restaurant also has a whole list of Northern Chinese and Sichuan-style food so you can get a variety of dishes at one go.
Address: 822 Tampines Street 81, #01-196, Singapore 520822
A short walk from Sultan Mosque lies Le Fuse Cafe, a Muslim-owned halal cafe serving mala xiangguo. If you’re not in the mood for mala xiangguo, Le Fuse also sells a range of Sichuan food ranging from grilled fish to fragrant crispy duck. Check out their menu here.
Address: 47 Arab St, Singapore 199744
Yang Guo Fu is a popular Chinese chain restaurant that boasts over 6,000 locations worldwide. While they don’t serve the traditional stir-fried mala xiangguo, they are known for their mala tang (soup). After choosing your ingredients as per usual, pick between Spicy Mala Beef Broth and Tomato Broth or get the Mala Ban, which is the dry version.
Address: Multiple locations.
Gong Yuan is another establishment that specialises in mala soup. They currently have 10 restaurants islandwide so a location wouldn’t be too far away from you. For their Ma La Soup base, you have four levels of spiciness to pick from. But if you can’t handle the heat, they have non-spicy soups too – Tomato, Pickled Vegetable, Pork Bone and Mushroom.
Address: Multiple locations.
Located in Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre that’s a short distance from Pasir Ris MRT and Pasir Ris Park, Tian Tian Xiang Shang is helmed by a chef named Ah Gang. With an ethos of wanting to serve up the best food he can, the hawker has been a haunt. Tian Tian Xiang Shang also serves a small selection of Chinese food such as various iterations of grilled fish.
Address: 110 Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre, #02-21, Singapore 519639
Located within Maxwell Food Centre, Dingdinghong faces stiff competition from many famed hawkers around. Yet, they have managed to pull a crowd with their own take on mala xiangguo coupled with affordable pricing (against other CBD selections). For those who can’t take spicy food, Dingdinghong has a non-spicy option too.
Address: 1 Kadayanallur St, #01-41 Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184
57 Degrees currently has five locations mainly in the northern and eastern regions of Singapore. The main star here is, of course, the mala xiangguo, which is said to be cooked by chefs hailing from Sichuan. Other Chinese dishes such as grilled fish, fried rice, noodles and more are available to fill your belly as well.
Address: Multiple locations.
Don’t be deterred by the weird-sounding name 0f the restaurant. Located in the corner of Djitsun Mall in Ang Mo Kio, fans flock to Ah Gu Kaka Wa for their range of Chinese food, chiefly among them is their frog-based dishes. The mala xiangguo too is another fan favourite that you shouldn’t miss.
Address: 5 Ang Mo Kio Central 2, #01-01 Djitsun Mall, Singapore 569663
Although you’ll have to take a bus from nearby Yishun MRT to get here, the travel is well worth it. The storefront doesn’t look like much, but Zhen Pin is a hidden gem. After picking your ingredients, you can have it stir-fried into mala xiangguo or have it in a mala soup form.
Address, 51 Yishun Avenue 11, #01-38 Yishun Park Hawker Centre, Singapore 768867
Like Yang Guo Fu, Zhang Liang is another popular Chinese chain hailing from Harbin and boasts over 5,000 stores globally. They currently only have one location in Cross Street Exchange but more are slated to open. Choose your ingredients then pick from three soup bases to complete your dish – Mala, Tomato and Mushroom, all of which are made with beef bones.
Address: 3 Pickering St, #01-36/37 Cross Street Exchange, Singapore 048660
