Lunch at HarriAnns Table Cafe @ Bugis Junction

230 Victoria Street #01-01A Bugis Junction Towers, Singapore 188024

Tel: 6238 1200

Website: http://www.harrianns.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Harrianns

Whenever I exited the MRT Station at Bugis, I would find myself being treated to aromas from HarriAnns Cafe. The Peranakan cafe has a small enclosed interior and long open-air exterior area, serving up traditional Nonya dishes at good prices.

I had the Nonya Curry Chicken with Rice (SGD$7.90) - thick and tasty curry broth pooling utterly tender chicken and soft whole potato. The plate of white rice was served with Achar aka pickled vegetables, whetting the appetite further.

Could not resist the colorful mini Nonya Kuehs (SGD$3.00) so I ordered a box. They tasted every bit as good as they look so I happily lapped up the cubes of red bean kueh, multi-layer kueh, yam kueh and pandan kueh etc.

Casual dining concept with hearty food generoualy portioned- I will be back to try more for sure.

[Invited Tasting] Gila Durian High Tea Set by The Peranakan @ Orchard Hotel

442 Orchard Road #02-01 Claymore Connect, Orchard Hotel, Singapore 238879

Tel: 6262 4428

Website: http://www.theperanakan.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePeranakanSG

Durian lovers (or, strangely, as I have met - non durian lovers but those who love durian desserts) alert. Here's some stunning indulgence by The Peranakan to keep your cravings satiated, a tea set consisting of creative desserts involving aromatic durian.

Gila Durian Set (SGD $38.00 per pax; minimum 2 to go), including free flow Pandan or Lemongrass tea, consists of 7 courses in all, made with your favorite Malaysia Kampung durian, D24 durian and Maoshan Wang durian.

We started with Toasties with Durian Puree, fluffy with a crunchy edge and piled lusciously with a dollop of creamy durian puree.

Next up, D24 Durian Pengat, rich and velvety so it melts in the tongue and flows through the body sweetly.

Then it was Pandan Chiffon Cake with D24 snd Kampung Durian Puree. The Pandan Chiffon was cottony and light on the palate, a beautiful contrast to the dash of moist, creamy puree.

This was followed by the Intermezzo of the day - Crispy Fried Fish Skin with durian. The crackling, savoury snack paced the palate for more sweet treats to come.

Pulot Enti D24 comprised a sticky rice stained dark blue with pea flower and a nice scoop of fragrant durian cream.

Moving on, Fragrant Rice with Maoshan Wang Durian - cunningly contrasting the robust flavor with a plainer accompaniment, savoured delicately.

Finally, D24 Durian Chendol, a piquant touch to a traditional dessert complete with brown sugar and green jelly strips, chillingly pleasant.

Might be a little overwhelming, but the creations were perfections in small portions; satisfying but not cloying.

Thank you Chef Raymond for the sweet treat.

For other reviews on The Peranakan, check out here:
(i) Dinner dishes at The Peranakan
(ii) Chinese New Year Yee Sang
(iii) Mother's Day Set 2017

[Invited Tasting] Mother's Day Specials at The Peranakan @ Orchard Hotel

442 Orchard Road #02-01 Claymore Connect, Orchard Hotel, Singapore 238879

Tel: 6262 4428

Website: http://www.theperanakan.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePeranakanSG

Having visited The Peranakan for dinner (review here) and Chinese New Year (review here), I was honoured to be back for their Mother's Day menu, consisting of 9 superb courses at SGD$200.00 for 4 persons, available exclusively on 13th and 14th May 2017. The "Peranakan Set Menu of Yesteryears" bring back quality food prepared from scratch, just like how the authentic, traditional Peranakan dishes should be.

As usual, the array of decorations is shatteringly beautiful - intricate and dazzling; the display of Peranakan ware is growing as The Peranakan plans to acquire more space for a gallery soon.

Our favorite Belachan Shrimp Rolls were served as appetizers while waiting, in their signature colorful miniature weaved baskets.

So, to start on the "Peranakan Taste of Yesteryears" menu, one gets to choose from a choice of soup, between the Sup Bakwan Kepiting (clear crabmeat broth with pork-prawn balls) or the Itek Tim (clear boil duck soup with tender duck leg, salted giam chye vegetables and sour plum).

Next up, Nasi Ulam shaped like a beautiful giant heart and adorned with flour rosebuds so yes, everything is edible. The aromatic Nasi Ulam is served lukewarm and is made of 6 raw herbs julienned to no more than 30 minutes, salted threadfin fish, minced threadfin fish, lemongrass, chopped long beans and toasted coconut.

The Sambal Pisang Jantung was up next - an assortment of fresh shrimps, onions, banana flower, sambal belachan,  and coconut, to be placed on these crackling, bitter Emping Chips and eaten together. The spicy-sweet flavour created an addiction that made it easy for one to reach for servings repeatedly.

Following that, we enjoyed the Telur Goreng Chinchalok - omelet served with chinchalok, the latter being a spicy shrimp paste causing fiery stirrings within the palate.

Then the Babi Asam, easily translated into Asam Pork - a zesty tinge among light spiciness; the succulent pork surpassed expectations of the waiting tongues and teeth.

The Ayam Buah Keluak was a personal favorite - a traditional Peranakan chicken dish cooked using the black nuts from the Pangium Edule tree. Stewed from tender chicken from grandma's recipe, the contents of the buah keluak were taken out to be blended before putting back in - resulting in a creamy, velvety texture with bittersweet cocoa taste.

Next, Udang Masak Nenas, a taste of home even for most of us - Pineapple with Prawns, immersed in a spicy-sweet gravy, so that the prawns themselves soaked up the fiery Midas' touch turning their luscious flavour hot.

Last but not least, Bittergourd Asam Busok - a rarity in which the bittergourd was soft and anything but bitter (I personally would've welcomed more bitterness), tossed in a pool of savoury sauce with long beans. Deep-fried Dough Fritters lounged invitingly on the sides of the plate, ready to be torn and dipped together into the mix and eaten together.

Finally, Apom Bokwa Pisang which was our dessert and conclusion to a sumptuous meal. This is a traditional Nonya kueh (cake) made of rice flour, a thick gravy and banana. It was not too sweet, and I enjoyed the slightly chewy, sticky texture of this dessert.

Don't forget the delicious beverages when you are feasting. Our Soursop Drink was filled with generous pieces of the fruit itself; utterly refreshing. The hot Lemongrass Tea lent a soothing touch and many other benefits when consumed. Milk Tea a must-have as well - not too sweet, but very aromatic of the tea fragrance.

If you would like to bring your mothers out for an exotic feast on Mother's Day weekend, wait no further. She will enjoy the lavish settings and these thoughtfully prepared dishes. Contact The Peranakan now (details above) to make your bookings to avoid disappointment.

Thank you Chef Raymond and team for hosting us and ChubbyBotakKoala for extending the invite.

Lunch at Chong Wen Ge (崇文阁) Cafe @ Telok Ayer

168 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068619

Tel: 8688 3028

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chongwengecafe

Named after the Institute of Veneration for Literature, and situated within the compound of Thian Hock Keng Temple itself, Chong Wen Ge Cafe is an interesting spot to check out for sure.

The cafe is decorated in traditional Peranakan design, from the intricate, colorful tiles to the tableware. Within the cafe or sharing its space are a Music Museum and Peranakan Tiles Gallery, so diners can take in some culture after their meals.

On the menu are Peranakan dishes such as Laksa, Nonya Curry, Nonya Kuehs (cakes), etc. Orders are taken at the counter ourselves, and so is food / drinks collection. Wait for the small beeper to vibrate. There is also a wide range of colourful Nonya desserts to choose from, at the counter.

*Chantal had the Nonya Laksa (SGD$10.80) - piping hot and mildly spicy bowl of springy rice noodles, huge glass prawns, Pacific clams, fishcakes, beancurd puffs, beansprouts and fragrant laksa leaves. The spicy coconut sauce was tasty but not too fiery, rather easy on the palate.

My Nonya Chicken Curry (SGD$10.90) comprised of tender mid-joint chicken wings and soft chunks of potatoes in lightly spicy, coconut-rich curry gravy. The dish was served with a plate of white rice with tangy Achar (pickled vegetables), adding flavours; rice grains were hard so it was like eating Rice Krispies (not sure if that was the deliberate effect).

A platter of 4 Nonya Kuehs (SGD$5.50) to share for desserts - we could choose our own choice of their sticky cakes. We had the colorful Nine-layered Cake, Rice Cake with coconut flakes, some pretty pink agar-agar like cake with coconut bottom, and a cake that resembled Ondeh Ondeh. The desserts were rather enjoyable.

For beverages, *Chantal tried the signature Teh-C Special (SGD$5.50), iced milk tea with robust aroma and was rather smooth.

I had the Iced Peranakan Green (SGD$4.50) - a refreshing fizzy melon soda with cucumber slices - interesting and soothing, went very well with the hot weather and spicy dishes.