The Blue Ginger Restaurant
97 Tanjong Pagar Road
+65 6222 3928
www.theblueginger.com


Peranakan food starts with the nonya – the matriarch of the family. A nonya’s status is determined by how well she can cook, as it’s deemed to be her role to bring the family together. With this in mind, I was sure we were in for a gastronomic treat.
From the tasting menu served to us by wonderfully friendly staff, we sampled a wide variety of dishes, starting with duck salad, kerabu ayam (chicken salad in a spicy peanut sauce) and ngo heong, deep-fried rolls containing minced pork and prawns.

Main courses included beef rendang – a general favourite – ayam buah keluak, which is chicken braised with the intriguing buah keluak nuts; babi hong, pork knuckles flavoured with cinnamon bark; and satay babi, pork marinated in spices. We also tried sambal terong goring, which is deep-fried eggplant; and ikan masak assam gulai, fresh mackerel in a spicy gravy, flavoured with lemongrass. Every dish was as delicious as the one before it.

We had to have the specialty dessert: gula Melaka, which consists of sago (starch extracted from palms) topped with honey sea coconut. Last came durian chendol. Now, you either love or loathe durian, and sadly I fall into the latter category. But I’m sure that all the durian lovers out there would have been impressed.
I can’t recommend this restaurant enough. Its laid-back atmosphere is perfect for a catch-up with friends and the food is excellent.