Nana Dolly's

Saw some reviews raving about this family-owned Peranakan eatery, and coincidentally we were craving the cuisine. Very homely ambience, with young-ish staff manning the counter and serving the customers. We ordered the:

- Mengkabo Pork Belly ($17.90) in tamarind sauce but it wasn't as spicy/sweet/tangy as I thought. But as this was the first time we tried this dish, didn't know if the flavours were supposed to be muted. However, the pork belly was pretty tough and chewy which was a shame.
- Laksa Pasta ($17.90) which was pretty delicious with a rich laksa flavour. This was on the drier side which we preferred over the creamier renditions elsewhere. Recommended.
- Otak Otak ($13) came in a huge and thick slab, but this leaned towards the floury side although the flavours were there. I thought this could've been grilled to give it more smokiness.
- Ngoh Hiang ($11) was thick, chunky, and meaty and quite tasty on first bite (don't forget to dip it in the sweet sauce!). But as I took more bites of it I thought it was lacking some crunch - chestnuts or carrots would have worked - and in the end this felt more like a pure meatball with crispy skin.
- For the month of November they're having 1-for-1 drinks from 6-8pm so we got the Raspberry Honey ($8) and the Blue Pea Lemonade ($7). Both were refreshing and pretty to boot.

Overall, it was a good meal but some improvements could be made to make the food even better. Service was also just average. I also saw the leftover kueh being thrown into the trash which was such a waste - perhaps they could have been promoted to the remaining guests in the restaurant, and even better offered at a lower price so as to prevent wastage.

Well-balanced coffee & chocolate taste with hint of coconut fragrance; smooth, mildly sweet & not bitter..

Al-dente pasta tossed in right amount of rich & savory laksa sauce to coat every strand of noodles; came with 2 fresh & firm prawn, fried beancurd puff & hard-boiled egg; best for sharing..

Barramundi fillet is lightly seasoned & deep-fried to slightly crispy outside; tastes fresh with no fishy taste; paired well with the thick, tangy & aromatic assam sauce; came with mild charred lady's fingers & juicy cherry tomatoes..

Braised sauce is flavorful with well-balanced sweet & salty taste; pork is well-braised to tender & potatoes are cooked till soft; served with fragrant blue pea rice, achar, sambal egg & fish crackers..

If you are looking for quality authentic peranakan food that does not break the bank, this is the place to visit!

Featured here are the following food items:
-Babi Pongteh Don: $15.90 for a set that comes with the babi pongteh, blue pea rice, achar, keropok ikan and sambal egg! You can also top up to get an accompanying coffee/ tea / chocolate / mocktail/ alcohol! The braised pork was so tender and I love the soft braised potatoes!
-Laksa Pasta ($15.90): Interesting fusion dish! Comes with 2 fresh prawns, taupoks and a boiled egg.
-Kueh Pie Tee ($12 for 6 pcs): Crispy kueh pie tee shells with sweet savoury turnip mixture! Be warned that the accompany chilli sauce dip is VERY spicy!
-Otak Otak ($12): Super fragrant otah made of ground fish with fragrant spices! Love the crispy exterior edges and smooth fish paste!
-Pandan Kaya Croffle ($15): Do not leave without trying their desserts! Their croffle was so good! The croffle had pandan kaya sauce on it too, so it was so good even on its own! This comes topped with pretty aesthetic blue pea soft serve, drizzled with gula melaka syrup and sprinkled with coconut flakes!
-Momo Sencha: Hot fruity tea!
-Raspberry Honey: Super refreshing drink that is also soothing on the throat!

Be sure to bookmark this place and head here for your next culinary adventure!