Peranakan

Indulge in a table full of Peranakan cuisine with @indocafesg’s Ala Carte Buffet from now till 5 Jan 2017 ($55/lunch and $59/dinner, not available on 24, 25, 31 Dec and 1 Jan). Think unlimited Kueh Pie Tee, Ayam Buah Keluak, Chap Chye and our favorite was the Ikan Masak Merah — a pan roasted cod fillet with homemade sweet sauce. The cod was so smooth and buttery!

Not the most photogenic dish around but the Nasi Campur definitely stole our tastebuds tonight. Candlenut never fails to deliver the ultra lemak Peranakan flavors — especially that beef rendang, homemade sambal & fried salted vegetable duck ball!

The dry curry 1824 grain-fed beef bone-in short rib is another recommendation from the staff and definitely made for meat lovers with that huge chunk of meat. But fret not, the meat was wonderfully fork tender and can be easily pulled apart. The curry is full of rempah flavor and probably a whole lot of other spices that are beautifully blended together to create a grainy yet smooth curry that is nutty and flavorful.

I've heard that you can either love or hate the taste of buah keluak. This black nut is an iconic Peranakan ingredient that is commonly used with chicken. This was my first time attempting a full buah keluak dish and I really loved it! The depth of the flavor and how I didn't get sick of it is an indication of how much I liked it! There were 2 rather fat chicken legs and 2 thigh meat in the dish that were very tender — and remember to drench a generous amount of sauce over it!

You must order this when you dine at Candlenut — firm and sweet chunks of blue swimmer crabmeat in a sea of yellow aromatic curry filled with tangy notes that will definitely whet your appetite. Best enjoyed with a plate of white rice!

YAY to the ala carte menu back on Candlenut's dinner menu and this Wild Caught Baby Assam Squid was a recommendation from the staff (thank you for your wonderful service!) which wow-ed our tastebuds. The sweet and sour tamarind greeted us in a long and smooth manner, made more wholesome with the squid ink while we enjoyed the tender squid body fully coated with the sauce and topped with fried shallots.

Served warm and with a pudding like texture, this kueh beng kah is easily a crowd pleaser! The softness of the tapioca cake was very alluring, what's more accompanied by that rich gula melaka syrup and coconut milk. The richness and sweetness just put a smile on our faces!

Light butter sponge cake with a baked canned pineapple ring and cherry on top, drizzled with a butterscotch sauce. Violet Oon's son shared with us this was a dessert commonly known in the olden days, and they would like to bring back such simple items to remind people flavors of the past. There is nothing too complicated here, but that sponge cake was SO FLUFFY that it amazed me. He shared that French butter was used and I would think that made the world of a difference. The sauce was on the sweet side, but complemented the sponge cake very nicely. Thank you for such a wonderful simple dessert that filled both my heart and tummy!

Thick beehoon tossed with Violet's laksa gravy —
so much hae bee and umami in this one! Though there was no laksa gravy, this tasted very very close to a real bowl of laksa. This was accompanied by some prawns, fish cakes and bean sprouts which were ordinary. But, the focus here is definitely that concoction of laksa spice.

Deep fried beancurd skin rolled with prawns, shredded crabmeat, chicken and water chestnut seasoned with five spiced powder. The filling is made of chunky pieces of the ingredients which gives you a satisfying crunch into it, instead of them being all mashed up. The ngoh hiang is also double fried, which made it extra light and crispy!

Beef shin stewed with a rich and velvety coconut curry. A well blended sauce of the various spices is what makes a beef Rendang complete — smooth on the throat and flavorful to the tastebuds. You'll have no problem finishing up your rice!

Durian puree drenched with gela melaka on a bed of pandan flavored jelly, red beans and coconut milk shaved ice. Rich and fragrant are the words that came to my mind immediately upon my first mouthful! And that durian puree? Extra brownie points for that on a chendol - too damn shiok!