the square, clarke quay

that first photo already screams buffet, does it not? and this is the hotel buffet of the novotel at clarke quay, a small one located up on level 17.

it’s a little difficult to talk about buffets, just because the format translates to far too many dishes to talk about, and very few that actually warrant that attention.

so I feel sorry about small buffets like this one – which need to go down the popular route and serve items like cold seafood (decent), sashimi (unfortunately mostly tuna) and sushi (really quite a sad selection – and also differentiate themselves.

blue ginger, tanjong pagar

happy national day, all you guys! I’m back from the americas (photos to follow) to celebrate this fantastic day with my favorite little nation, and it seems appropriate to restart programming with this little gem serving up a very local, very traditional cuisine.

blue ginger is an institution for peranakan eating – the result of a fortuitous hodgepodge of cuisines that originated from our forefathers-of-many-lands. reservations are a must for this small two-storey restaurant in a restored building along tanjong pagar, and the food is delicious and authentic.

candlenut kitchen, dorsett residences at outram park

lovely, delicious peranakan food at this modern restaurant along the perimeter of the dorsett residences. modern isn’t necessarily what you think of with peranakan – and neither is it something you think you’d want to hear, but the food is properly executed with finesse, and it comes dished out in a style you’d associate with european dining.

I’m very impressed with this place – it feels very much like a polished version of what was someone’s grandma’s kitchen, with dishes that taste both nostalgic and refined. service is both friendly and ready, and we finished our meal with a lady who was sharp and just prickly enough to feel like you’re dealing with a true peranakan aunt.

it’s also convenient, and reasonably priced – really, you couldn’t ask for more.

violet oon’s kitchen, bukit timah

peranakan done up all fancy-like. it’s good food here, if you’re hankering for something a little out of the brunchordinary: local classics dished up pretty, as well as nonya interpretations of brunch classics.

I heard quite a lot about the food here before coming, and it’s gratifying that the food didn’t disappoint. especially since it’s rather a bit of pain getting here by public transport (try to cab or drive if you can).

straits cafe at hotel rendezvous, bras basah

ok, so I promise this the last of chinese new food-related posts for this year at least; but this post was sitting forlornly in the drafts folder, and I thought to share.

I’ve reviewed this place before, and I pronounced it decent – which I would like to iterate now. what I should say in addition, though, is that while it may not be the best buffet in singapore, I think it the best for its utility-to-price ratio.

gurney drive, changi airport

peramakan, katong

reasonably okay peranakan food at this katong institution. this place is rather refurbed-old-school, good for family meals and is packed to the rafters on the weekends – I think I was a little disappointed by the only okay food here.

2004 novena peranakan cuisine, novena

good food but tragically, hysterically-funnily bad service – we’re almost never coming back, which is such a waste. but my family loves food, and when someone tries to stop us from ordering more – well, we don’t really like that.

but the food is good – and if you have smaller appetites, you’ll do just fine here.

chilli padi nonya restaurant, paya lebar

just a quick reminder that I’m doing a london vegfest giveaway here!

alright peranakan in the deep of joo chiat – we came back here after i had a particularly good meal courtesy of the catering arm of this place, and I’m sorry to say that it was a mixed bag of hits and misses, and not quite interesting enough to return for.

but there were some particularly good dishes – so get those if you pop in!

chilli padi nonya catering

really rather decent nonya offerings from the catering arm of this popular home-grown chain of restaurants – and really, what better way to come back from a patriotic holiday than with a cuisine as local as it comes?

let’s do a bit of history – and then move onto the food.