FatFuku

“Babi Pongteh” done in the traditional style - a first for me at @fat_fuku private dining, if I am not mistaken. So shiok it was with the “tau cheo” and garlic-heavy sauce, succulent pieces of bamboo shoot and chunks of pork that fell apart at the sight of a fork. By the way, those sliced green chillies weren’t there to simply beautify but to help counter the richness with a subtle fruity-fresh heat.
Judging from the sounds emitted by the others around the table, everyone else obviously shared my enthusiastic approval of Annette’s take on the classic Peranakan dish.

And to answer the question most likely on everyone’s mind, yes - the Russian Hybrid Caviar from @caviarcolony worked beautifully with the elements in the dish.
Annette of @fat_fuku Private Dining had prepared this as the first course of our special menu last week. Knowing Ben (@the_caviar_king) was bringing a tin of his caviar to the dinner organised by @uncle_lim_chiak, she tweaked her signature Crispy Mee Siam into small “pancakes”, topped them with sambal prawns, an onsen egg and chopped chives - all the more befitting of those glistening pearls. The Russian Hybrid caviar‘s unique sweetness and nutty flavour, and its creamy finish, intermingled surprisingly well with the spicy fried noodles and luscious egg.
I also tried it with a splash of the mee siam gravy and a dab of sambal too, and thought the flavours and textures became even more cohesive although admittedly, the caviar took a bit of a backseat once the punchy gravy entered the picture. So avoid that if you prefer a more pronounced taste of caviar on your palate.

Verdict: This just goes to show there should be no rules on how to enjoy caviar 😄

When @safarislim asked me to join his dinner booking at @fat_fuku’s,I didn’t hesitate to say yes. What an awesome evening it turned out to be.
Annette, our dear hostess with the mostest, got our stomachs growing new stretch marks without complaint as she brought out a succession of satisfyingly shiok dishes throughout the evening. Mostly modern Peranakan, there was one Singaporean Chinese creation of “Moonlight Char Kway Teow” that showed up towards the end and the story behind the very tasty noodles tickled me so much I had to do a separate post about it.
Like on all my previous visits, dinner commenced with Annette’s signature “Crispy Mee Siam”. The crispiness game has been upped with the use of a heavy metal press (it’s the same one chefs employ in the cooking of steaks and burger patties) for the spicy noodles “pancakes”.
Next came the “Pork Belly Biryani” with its thick slices of melt-in-the-mouth meat smothered in rich buah keluak sauce atop fragrant, flavoured rice. As for the accompaniments of @uncleacharsg’s crunchy achar and the housemade sambal belachan, I guess they’re the equivalent of surprise guests you decide to welcome to a party, whom end up instigating extra crazy fun.
I can’t think of a place that serves a softer “Beef Rendang” than the one we had. The stage also belonged more to the balanced aromas of its blended spices rather than chilli heat, which meant those among us who’re unable to handle too much spiciness, could easily enjoy the Rendang too.
The “Winged Bean Salad”, another item I look forward to having each time, was as crisp, bright and complex as I remember. Totally my kind of wonderful.
However, the undisputed highlight for me was the fragrant and really appetising “Ayam Lemak Chilli Padi”. Garnished with two kinds of fresh chilli plus crispy fried shallots, it had a gravy that demanded every drop be slurped up. I am sure I could have finished that whole plate by myself.
The aforementioned “Moonlight Char Kway Teow” with “lap cheong” from Hong Kong, made its appearance at this point and after much paparazzi action, was promptly wolfed down by all.
A delectable piece of homemade “Coconut Jelly”, composed of coconut water and coconut milk, was our palate cleanser. Its minimalist beauty accentuated by a lushly painted @ongshunmugam dishware.
Then “Bingka Ubi Kayu” found its way to the table, each wedge lightly toasted to ensure it would be compelling enough to overcome any resistance from us on grounds of being too full.
Finally, when our waistbands were threatening to give up completely and leave the room, we had the very last course of homemade “Coconut Ice-cream” drizzled with gula melaka.
I think some of us didn’t eat for days after this meal. Right, @momofuku? 😂

Didn’t expect this treat from Annette - it must’ve been my lucky day!
Below is an excerpt of what I’d posted after my first taste of her unique one-dish creation many moons ago:

“Pork Belly Buah Keluak Nasi Biryani”. Yes, it is a mouthful of a name but every word is necessary to convey what this dish is - a literal melting pot of different races and cultures found in Singapore.
The pork belly that represents the Chinese (as it is a meat the majority seems to favour), is braised in a gravy of “buah keluak”, the black nut synonymous with Peranakan cooking till-fall-apart-tender. And although it smells just like a typical Indian Nasi Biryani, the fluffy rice of Annette’s version comes with an extra ingredient - a coating of the same said #buahkeluak.
Continuing the theme are the two condiments of ”achar” (pickled vegetables) and “sambal belacan” (fermented shrimp paste pounded with fresh chillies). Both of which have variations found across a couple of cuisines belonging to the main races in our country.”
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I wouldn’t change a word. It is still all that ❤️😋😋

Private dining in a cosy East Coast condo. Peranakan inspired dishes with unique twists. The famous crispy mee siam with sambal prawns was the best dish for me (vs buak keluak biryani which was too mild for my strong taste buds). Free corkage 🥃🥃🥃 min. 6 pax.
🚗 : free visitor parking available just below the block

It was serendipity bumping into Annette Tan at a media tasting a few weeks ago. Somewhere between the third and fourth courses, Caecilia (Instagram: @singaporeliciouz who also happened to be there) and I planned a visit to Annette’s established Peranakan private dining: @fat_fuku. This was to be my second meal at her place, and besides that highly-instagrammed Crispy Mee Siam, every other dish she served was new to me. I must say, I enjoyed her food even more this time.
What was to be ranked as one of my top two favourites of the night was her Pork Belly Buah Keluak Nasi Briyani. The name had me momentarily baffled (there‘re Chinese, Peranakan and Indian elements in it) but the taste unquestioningly wow-ed. Supremely fragrant, the fluffy grains of rice were coated in the black nut’s earthiness, making it a carb befitting the fall-apart-soft, fatty meat that’d been braised in the same inky buah keluak sauce.
I loved how the accompaniments of sambal belachan and achar added savoury spiciness and a bright tart crunch to the flavour profile.