The National Kitchen is a beautiful venue inside National Gallery Singapore. Catch up over a high tea session or go for crowd favourites like the umami-packed Pong Tauhu, tender Beef Rendang, and fusion dishes such as Buah Keluak Spaghetti - marked by a strong and subtly sweet nutty flavour. Don't forget desserts too. Burppler Felicia Sim loves the Kueh Beng Kah ($9) with its puddling-like texture. The softness of the tapioca cake was very alluring, what's more accompanied by that rich gula melaka syrup and coconut milk."
Photo by Burppler M *
Who better to open a national kitchen in the iconic City Hall building than veteran food connoisseur and Nonya chef, Violet Oon. Located on the "Singapore" floor at the National Gallery, National Kitchen by Violet Oon showcases Singapore's vibrant culinary roots. Step into the luxe black and gold Great Gatsby-esque hall, and take in the grandeur of mirrored walls, draping chandeliers, and colourful Peranakan tiles. Violet celebrates Singapore's food history here not just through her cooking, but also in the form of carefully curated photographs of old Singapore adorning the walls, allowing memories from the past to trickle into dinner conversation, creating the perfect setting for multi-generational meals. Start by sharing the Southern Indian staple, Idly ($7), a fluffy steamed rice cake served with fresh coconut and handmade chutney, and the crowd-pleasing Satay ($12), an ode to the defunct Satay Club at Beach Road. The menu proudly highlights Singapore's multi-cultural nature with new additions like Eurasian Beef Brisket Semor ($24) and Hakka Abacus Beads ($16), while retaining most of the Peranakan dishes found at Violet's flagship restaurant along Bukit Timah Road. A must-try classic is the Buah Ayam Keluak ($23), a spicy, tangy chicken stew infused with the buah keluak nut, blue ginger and tumeric — a wonderful representation of the complexities of Peranakan flavours. End the meal with Roti Jala ($10), a traditional laced pancake served with gula melaka and banana coconut sauce. Dinner reservations are filling up fast, so try to make them at least one week in advance! Note that all meat used here are from Halal-certified suppliers.
