Singaporean restaurant Mei Mei is a concept from star chef Elizabeth Haigh, who previously won a Michelin star at Pidgin in Hackney. Mei Mei is part of street food hall Borough Market Kitchen, which you’ll find towards the back of the world famous market in Jubilee Place.
There are plenty of grab-and-go options in the market, but guests looking to linger can dine at Mei Mei’s counter and watch food come out from the open kitchen. Mei Mei’s speciality is Hainanese chicken rice which is made using Yorkshire chickens from Ginger Pig, as well as other fresh ingredients which are sourced directly from Borough Market.
Aside from the signature chicken rice, you can also find other dishes such as ox cheek rendang curry, and nasi lemak, which is a Malaysian breakfast staple that consists of coconut rice, fried egg, peanuts and cucumber paired with a spicy sweet sambal oelak (chilli sauce) made in house.
You can also try a Captain’s Curry which is made from 100-day old chickens which have been braised in a blend of onion, potato and spices, while there are vegetarian and vegan options to choose from too.
Targeting Borough Market’s huge lunchtime crowds, the entire menu at Mei Mei is available to takeaway, while for both dine-in guests and those on the go, the chicken rice bowls can be tailored to your liking by adding on sides such as extra sambal chilli, or swapping out the rice for stir-fried greens if you’re looking for a lighter lunch.
Mei Mei takes its inspiration from Singapore’s kopi tiams, which are popular dining spots throughout Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia combining an all-day coffee shop with food vendors. Like the kopi tiams, Mei Mei serves its own range of Singaporean nanyang kopi, a blend that is rich and smooth with dark cacao and burnt toffee notes.
Kitsch tableware adds some colour to the food stall, while Mei Mei has a conscience too – all packaging used is fully decomposable and biodegradable, while a special effort is made to minimise the use of single-use plastics.