Muslims don't dare to eat, Chinese also don't want: Stall owner on challenges of running a halal mookata eatery

A mookata dining experience almost always involves grilled pork accompanied with alcohol.

Having it otherwise might even be seen as a paradox to some.

But for Jackeline Goh, that's the idea she's been trying to sell to sceptics since opening Chickata in 2016.

The restaurant applied for halal certification in 2017 before being rebranded to Chice in December 2020.

In a TikTok video shared last Saturday (Jan 13), the co-owner explained that running a halal-certified food establishment may not always correlate to welcoming a large number of Muslim customers. 

@chice.sg We want you to dine worry-free, knowing every bite is 100% halal ? #fypsg #sgfoodie #sghalal #sgfoodhunt #sgwheretogo #sgfoodtrend ♬ greedy - Tate McRae

"We are non-Muslims so people might not have confidence in us," the 39-year-old said.

This was especially true when Chice was in the midst of applying for halal certification back in 2017. 

Sales were at "almost zero every day because Muslims don't dare to come and eat", Jackeline admitted.

Not only was attracting customers an issue, hiring Muslim staff was a struggle as some might not feel comfortable with working at a place that has yet to receive their halal certificate.

During the process of applying for the certificate, Jackeline also needed to convince a different group of people to give Chice a chance.

Mookata literally translates to "skillet pork" where diners cook raw meat on a tabletop grill lathered with pork fat.

Here lies a problem for Jackeline. 

"Chinese (non-Muslims) also don't want to eat because no pork," she lamented.

In fact, Jackeline mentioned how "a lot" of her friends have yet to drop by for a taste of her food.

In addition, alcohol is also prohibited at the restaurant.

Hence, some non-Muslims may simply choose to avoid Chice altogether.

While Jackeline shared the more unfavourable aspects of running a halal mookata, Chice seemed to have found its footing among those who gave it a chance.

At the time of writing, the restaurant scored a 4.4 rating out of 5 on Google from over 200 reviewers.

What is halal?

Halal translates to lawful or allowable in Arabic and according to Islamic worldview, any food or drink which falls under this category is permitted for consumption.

A common misconception is that halal simply means "no pork, no lard".

But non-halal ingredients must also be taken into consideration such as dressings containing alcohol.

This article has been edited for clarity.

ALSO READ: 'Mad respect for you': Ice cream boss explains why his cafe isn't halal-certified, wins netizens' approval

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