Address: 210 East Coast Road, Katong, Singapore 428909
Operating Hours: 11am-230pm, 6-930pm
Tel: +65 64406195

This place is a long time favourite of mine. Nestled in the quieter part of Katong, you would probably give this restaurant a miss. Any indications that good food will be served here is not exactly conveyed to the first time visiter - what with the dark tinted glass doors and the bright neon signs that would not be out of place hanging outside the girlie bars in nearby Joo Chiat.

But step inside and you will be brought into a family setting that is incongruous to the seemingly seedy facade. Old school marble-top tables populate the interior. Pictures of their signature dishes line the walls. A genteel old man fronts the joint and bustles around giving out instructions to his staff in quite proper English.

A quick introduction to the world of Peranakan cuisine. Brought about by the assimilation of the early Chinese immigrants into the local Malay communities, the cuisine is a mixture of both Chinese and Malay influences. I would think that this combination is unique to this part of the world and should definitely be sampled. The Peranakan dishes are hot and spicy, and some say that their womanfolk are just as feisty as well..heh.

As said, this place is old-school. The menu faithfully documents all the dishes in either Malay or romanised Hokkien (a chinese dialect). No translations of the menu items in English, Japanese, Chinese or Zuluian for you - a sure sign that this place is still untainted by the all-conquering Japanese/Taiwanese/Chinese/American… tourist horde.

My dinner-mates ordered Ngo Hiang (S$4.50 per piece), Ayam Buah Keluak (S$7.50), Kuah Ladar (S$6.50) and Sambal Kang Kong (S$6). Sounds greek? No worries, descriptions as follows.

The Ngo Hiang is essentially a wrap with a minced prawn and meat filling. It is deep fried till golden brown and served with the essential condiments of chilli sauce and dark sweet sauce. A traditional Hokkien delicacy, it has obviously been adopted by the Peranakans too (did I mention I am a Hokkien too?). The Ngo Hiang here was packed chock full of the fillings - no skimping on the good stuff here. And equally important, the condiments accentuated the taste of the crispy outer fried wrap (or popiah skin to those in the know) and the well seasoned morsels lying within.

The Ayam Buah Keluak looks like your unassuming curry chicken..but its not. The Ayam refers to the chicken and the Buah Keluak refers to the black nut that you see floating in the mix. This black nut is what gives the dish a truly unique taste. Something like a souped-up curry chicken with a sour tinge to give it the extra ommph. Some trivial on the Buah Keluak - apparently poison can be extracted from the crushed raw seeds of the nut. I did not know this fact prior to my consumption of the dish … but I have trust in the establishment (just to be sure…have your buddies taste the gravy first and look out for signs of delirium…heh).

The Kuah Ladar is only available on Fridays. It is stingray cooked with gravy. I am unaware of this method of cooking being more familiar with the usual way of just barbequing the fish. Initially, I faced the dish with scepticism. “What was the cook thinking??! Shouldn’t Stingray = BBQ….mumble mumble…mumble…”
However, I was pleasantly surprised by the tastes invoked. Not fishy and a nice thick consistency to the gravy. Nothing overpowering. Good concoction. Guess the Peranankans know what they are doing.

The Sambal Kang Kong is quite ubiquitous in Singapore. Go to any Chinese or Malay restaurant and you can get Sambal Kang Kong. Stir fry the Kang Kong (vegetable), add in the Sambal(the chilli paste) and throw in the cuttlefish. Wah lah…
The version served here is top-notch. Spicy sambal, fresh supple Kang Kong stems and juicy cuttle fish slivers. Top marks.

So indulge in a little bit of heritage and sample some Peranakan flavour the next time you come across this restaurant.