If Singapore is short of any one cuisine, it ain’t Peranakan. Whether it be the famous Joo Chiat and Katong stretches, downtown Orchard or the heartlands, there is sure to be a local Peranakan joint there. And now, little heard of PeraMakan Place at the Keppel Club near VivoCity. A pleasant restaurant that actually lives up to its namesake by imbuing it with nostalgic elements, while adding modern touches to keep with the times (bright layout, wooden flooring, clean white walls)—this is a welcome respite from the regular old-school Peranakan places. Food here’s pretty good too, if not thoroughly outstanding. We always order Peranakan signatures like ayam buah keluak (chicken braised in rich Indonesian black nut gravy, $16), babi pongteh (pork belly braised in taucheo gravy, $14) and nyonya chap chye (cabbage and Chinese dried ingredients panfried in bean sauce, $10) to find out if a place is truly worth its mettle. All three lived up to expectations, although our personal favorite was the babi pongteh—the oily pork bits braised to tender perfection with mushrooms on the side for that extra aroma. The pungent taste of the buah keluak also brought an extra oomph to that dish, even if the chicken meat should have been cooked a little longer. We also ordered the cincalok omelette (egg omelette fried with green chili, spring onions and preserved shrimp, $10) as a main, which was humongous in portion, although we tasted none of that cincalok—the dish looked and tasted like a regular egg dish, albeit a decently made one. Our dessert of bubor cha cha (steamed yam and sweet potatoes with tapioca jelly served in fresh coconut milk, $5) was also pretty standard, and could well have done with more ingredients. Sure, all the dishes at PeraMakan fared pretty well for a newbie and service too was generally great, but considering that its location is just a wee bit far off and the price slightly on the high side, you’re best advised to stick to your local favorite.
Peranakan food is one of Singapore’s favorite and most unique cuisines. Here are our recommendations for where to get Peranakan food in Singapore.
