Mr Hainan Chinese New Year 2026 Brings Rare Hainan Flavours

Chinese New Year 2026 ushers in a season of reunion, reflection and renewal, and at Mr Hainan, the celebration takes a quieter yet deeply meaningful turn. Instead of bold sauces and heavy seasonings, the focus is on purity of flavour, heritage cooking methods and ingredients that speak for themselves. Singapore’s first full-fledged Hainanese restaurant, direct from Hainan Island, marks the festive season with a limited-time menu anchored by a dish that redefines the traditional prosperity toss through a distinctly Hainanese lens.

Prosperity Tossed Kampung Chicken, Reimagined

Available from now until 2 March 2026, Mr Hainan’s Hainan Style Prosperity Tossed Kampung Chicken is the centrepiece of the Lunar New Year offering. Priced at S$38, the dish presents tender kampung chicken that has been specially bred for the restaurant over 180 days on an antibiotic-free diet. The chicken is served chilled, layered over crisp shredded vegetables, and lightly dressed with fragrant lime leaves and citrus notes. The result is refreshing, clean and balanced, staying true to the Hainanese philosophy of letting natural sweetness shine without excess.

Unlike conventional yusheng that leans heavily on bold condiments, this version is restrained and elegant, making it ideal for welcoming the new year with clarity and intention. Paired with Mr Hainan’s chicken rice made from aged rice that absorbs the richness of the broth, it offers a complete festive experience rooted in authenticity rather than spectacle.

Rare Hainanese Dishes You Seldom Find in Singapore

Chinese New Year 2026 also marks the introduction of eight new dishes rarely found outside Hainan Island, each reflecting the island’s close relationship with nature and seasonal produce. Hainanese cuisine emphasises wild and naturally reared ingredients, from free-range poultry to freshly caught seafood, with minimal seasoning used to enhance rather than mask flavours.

Highlights include the Braised Dongshan Goat at S$28.80, one of Hainan’s four signature dishes, lightly wok-fried with aromatic spices to preserve its fragrance and tenderness. The Hainan Drunken Duck in Jiaji style, priced at S$25.80, features duck gently marinated in Huatiao wine, resulting in smooth skin and tender meat with a refined savoury balance. Beef Brisket Pot at S$25.80 brings more than 500 years of Haikou culinary heritage to the table, slow-braised with tripe and infused with time-honoured spices for depth and warmth.

Other additions include Braised Pork Trotter, Paper-Wrapped Garlic Pork Ribs, and Hainan-styled Stir-Fried Lotus Stalk, each offering a glimpse into everyday Hainanese home kitchens and festive banquets. These dishes complement the Lunar New Year table with meaning and substance rather than extravagance.

From Sea to Countryside, A Celebration of Natural Sweetness

Seafood continues to play a vital role in the Chinese New Year menu, reflecting Hainan Island’s long coastline and prized fishing grounds. Baby Threadfin, known for its delicate texture and natural sweetness, appears in several preparations, including with assam sauce and yellow lantern chilli, or simply steamed with black bean sauce and lotus leaf to preserve its original flavour.

Vegetable dishes such as Hainan Fortune Pot and Hainan Vegetable Pot represent harmony and abundance, often served during weddings and festive gatherings back home. These comforting, lightly seasoned dishes underscore the Hainanese belief that food should nourish both body and spirit, especially during the new year.

A Sweet Finish Rooted in Tradition

No Chinese New Year feast is complete without something sweet, and Mr Hainan’s offerings remain true to tradition. The Handmade Golden Coconut Pastry, made with 100% hand-shredded coconut and baked daily, is a nostalgic favourite from China’s coconut homeland. The Hainan Cooling Dessert, Qingbuliang, combines coconut milk, taro and chendol for a refreshing close to the meal, offering balance after the savoury spread.

A Space That Tells a Cultural Story

Beyond the food, the dining experience at Mr Hainan is steeped in cultural detail. From handwoven wicker stools to design elements inspired by Nantian Yizhu, known as the End of the Earth in Sanya, every corner reflects Hainanese heritage. Motifs drawn from the Li ethnic culture and coastal landscapes reinforce the restaurant’s commitment to storytelling through environment as much as cuisine.

Founded in 2022 by Hainan native Mr Dong Haideng, Mr Hainan was created to showcase a cuisine that often sits in the shadows of more widely known Chinese regional food. For Chinese New Year 2026, the restaurant continues its mission to present Hainanese food as a complete culinary culture, one that goes far beyond chicken rice.

Plan Your Chinese New Year 2026 Feast

Whether you are gathering with family or hosting loved ones for a meaningful reunion meal, Mr Hainan offers a thoughtful alternative for Chinese New Year 2026. The festive dishes are available for dine-in for a limited time, making it an ideal moment to experience Hainanese flavours that are rarely seen in Singapore.

Mr Hainan is located at 1 HarbourFront Walk, VivoCity #02-116, Singapore 059858, and is open daily from 12.00pm to 9.30pm. Reservations and further details are available at www.mrhainan.com.

This Chinese New Year, celebrate prosperity with restraint, heritage and natural sweetness, and let the year begin with flavours that honour tradition in its purest form.