Lights out, rats in: Mookata eatery in Boon Lay says rodent sighting is coffee shop's issue

While having a hearty mookata dinner at Boon Lay Shopping Centre, one woman's appetite was ruined by rats scurrying towards her.

But the establishment in question, Siam Square Mookata, not only disclaimed responsibility but also pointed out to AsiaOne that other eateries in the vicinity face the same ratty issue as well.

Taking to Facebook on Tuesday (July 5), diner Jamie Lee said: "Would anyone go to a place full of rats running up and down the shop?

In the accompanying videos, several rats were seen scurrying along the pipes in the eatery.

In an interview with AsiaOne, Jamie Lee shared that a rat "touched" her husband's foot while they were having dinner at Siam Square Mookata a few days ago. 

"They were bigger than my palm. It was horrible," the 24-year-old housewife said, adding that they left to have dinner elsewhere after staff at the eatery told them that finding rodents there "is normal". 

Speaking to AsiaOne on Wednesday (July 6), Siam Square Mookata said that they are aware of this incident and are conducting their own investigations.

"However, I think that the rats were there due to the coffeeshop issue and not our shop," a spokesperson for the eatery said. "The rats went in when our shop are [was] closed."

The spokesperson added that the rats may have been from other shops.

The eatery did not reply to our queries about what they intend to do about this rodent issue and whether they have highlighted this problem to the shopping centre's management. 

Responding to AsiaOne's queries, Singapore Food Agency said on Tuesday (July 12) that they are investigating this matter.

AsiaOne has also emailed Boon Lay Merchants Association for comment.

Other food establishments have had similar experiences with rodents infiltrating their eateries.

In Oct 2020, a diner spotted rats "as huge as his fist" at another Thai restaurant in Woodlands, while a rat was seen around food trays of a Toa Payoh eatery in March 2019.

Food establishments that are caught with pests infestation may be fined up to $2,000, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Under the Control of Vectors and Pesticides Act, these errant businesses might be ordered to close indefinitely or until specific measures have been taken to resolve the issue, NEA added.

READ ALSO: Raining rodents: Maxwell Food Centre has rats falling from ceilings and getting trampled underfoot

chingshijie@asiaone.com