Spice Peranakan @ Bukit Timah Shopping Centre

Last Sunday after church, our lunch was not too far away from church. We wanted to have lunch and go home and sleep. We went to Bukit Timah Shopping Centre. Aunt said that she saw this place, but have not tried it yet. So we decided to go and 'try try' lah..

It's at one end of the shopping centre, quite hidden if you don't walk to the end.
Basement 1, B1-18 if you are looking for it.



They have a menu board that has boxes in front of the name of dishes. When it's ticked, that means they have it that day. How interesting. They cook less things on Sundays it seems as there's less people around. It's a mum and pop shop.

So what did we have? We had the Chap Chye.



We also tried the stuff sotong. The sotong is stuffed with fish meat we were told. But I can't tell what it is. The sauce is quite ok.



This is the Asam Fish. It was quite all right too. The fish was a mackerel cut into 2 parts, and it is quite decent size.

One thing though. After our meal, we thought we ordered Asam Prawns, where are the prawns?? Then we realise we were served fish instead!haha...



Next was the fish that we actually ordered. It's called Ikan Tempra. The selar fish was fried till very crispy. "very garing" as they say it in Malay. I like this because I like to eat this kind of 'cheap' fish (that's no longer cheap) and it is covered with onions with black sauce, which is my fav too. (yes, very bias i know)



We also had Ayam Penyet. The penyet is not really penyet right? Look how high it still is. Maybe they forgot to hammer it! haha.. But it was fried very nicely. Plus the Tempra style again which had my favourite 'dao you' onions.



The food's overall's quite ok. We had 3 persons, we paid $26 for the dishes above.

But..... they got to learn how to cook rice! Yes, rice! Rice is the most important thing for this kind of dishes right? Rice that was served was half cooked. The middle part of the rice was still hard. Definitely not enough water. Alamak right?

Give chance a bit lah, next time hopefully they get to cook their rice properly. Maybe it is a new hired hand in the kitchen that cooked the rice. If rice is still not ok the next time, just tapow the dishes home, then eat it with freshly cooked rice.

Talking about rice, I miss the Bario rice from Sarawak. Must ask someone visiting Sarawak to bring back some!

Melting Pot @ Holiday Inn Atrium

For Monday and Tuesday this week, I spent my 9 am to 5 pm at Holiday Inn Atrium attending a course. It is to be 2 days of intensive certification course.

In between all the cramping, we were provided 2 tea breaks and a buffet lunch at the same venue. So, here's what a few colleagues and I had.

It is a Peranakan Buffet lunch. On the brochure it says that the restaurant's executive chef actually made a pilgrimage to Malacca to search for he secrets of authentic Nonya Cooking. (In Singapore, it's spelt Nonya, in Malaysia it is spelt as Nyonya, don't ask me why, I can only say people in Singapore can't spell!)


My plate of tiny bits of food. The boiled white chicken.



The delicious big spicy prawns! It was very popular. The tray empties very fast. LOL



They had Pork Satay that was pan fried in the centre island. Pan fried? Ya, like Aussie Barbeques, it is cooked on hot plates. :-)



The Mee Suah Bak Kut teh. Not my style of BKT. I like the herbal kind.



It must be a long long time since I had porridge with all these condiments! It was just too salty for me! haha... Of course lah! All the preserved stuff. But I finished it anyway. LOL



One of my favourites. I love Babi Ponteh. I am wondering why people don't call it Khinzir Ponteh? LOL. Babi makes it sound like you are scolding someone. LOL



Err, I dun like this versio of Kueh Pai Tee. I think I prefer the ones from Bukit Timah Food Centre. hehe...



Did not photograph everything. It will be too boring right? I realise that there were lots of old man and old ladies there on Monday. I wonder why? They look peranakan with their dressing. Must be missing their homestyle food.

Anyway, let me end with the fruit I had. Nangka!! or Jackfruit. They are lovely. The old ladies were just piling up on Nangka only, nothing else. I tell you, if you observe what they eat, they are super choosy and choose the expensive stuff!



Burp! After the heavy lunch, everyone was just trying to stay awake for the afternoon session. It was torturing! haha...

Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant @ Joo Chiat Place (Part 2)

Continuation from yesterday's post.....

Next was the Rendang.



After that, my favourite peranakan dish. Babi Ponteh.



Another dish that only the brave ones dare to try. Petai Ikan Bilis. Do any of you like Petai? :-p



Now to the desserts.....
Pulut Hitam. Delicious looking eh? With all the coconut milk. For those who says coconut milk is bad, read up the latest reports! haha...



This is the normal chendol. As I post this now, I feel like having one now...



This is also chendol, but Cempedak Chendol. See the orangy yellowy thingy up there?



This one... Guess....
Durian Chendol. It's apparently a favourite for people who comes here.



This is the Sago Pudding. (My dessert)



Friend said, take photo of the bowl, it's pretty. So here it is...



After I stirred it, the bottom which is full of gula melaka brings out the sweetness. Yummmm...



Hope you find this enjoyable.

If you like the photos and can picture the taste and want to try the real thing.
Visit http://www.chillipadi.com.sg
They are located at: 1 Joo Chiat Place #01-03 Singapore 486350

Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant @ Joo Chiat Place

Every month, we have a group of friends that meet up every month to eat and celebrate each others birthday. (I think this sounds like a broken record). Anyway, this month, we had 3 person's birthday. We were wondering where to go, at first we wanted to go to Astons Prime, but in the end, the group ended up having Peranakan Food instead.

Someone said that they had eaten at someone's baby's first month celebration that had food catered from Chilli Padi. OK lor, we try this place.

As usual, letting the photos tell you the story. Food photographed as it appears on our table. Photos in the order of the food that arrived first.


Achar, we all liked it. On the table when I arrived... I was late by a few minutes, got lost in Joo Chiat! haha...



The Curry Assam Fish Head was first to arrive. Looks so pedas and tasty right?



Next comes the Nonya Chap Chye.



This is the Ngoh Hiang.



Ayam Buah Keluak, some people just love the buah. Not for everyone though. haha



Otah Otah, gua suka makan otah!



Sambal Sotong. No, eating sotong won't make you sotong one....



Hee Pioh Soup, Fish Maw Soup that was served in individual bowls for all of us. 13 bowls..



This is babi madu. Honey Pork. This was wallop up so fast!



More to come tomorrow...

If you are confused at times, in Singapore they call it Nonya food, but in Malaysia it is called Nyonya food. Why? I also tak tahu!

House of Peranakan Cuisine @ Hotel Meritus Negara

It was suppose to be a curry fish head night, but guess what? They were sold out on that item! We were all surprised as we never encountered a sold-out on fish head curry before ;) Parents and i ordered other food instead.

First, you will be served the sambal balachan, which is not that spicy actually.



First dish was Nyonya Chap Chye



Then came Sambal Sotong



Pabi Pong Teh, which i remembered according to grandma, this was supposed to be cooked in pork belly. But many restaurants have modified and used lean meat nowadays for healthier reasons.



Lastly, to replace curry fish head, we had another fish. Cant remember the exact name, but it was supposed to be the next house specialty.



It was a rather delicious meal, just that i missed my curry fish head fix. Maybe next time....

Desserts @ Penang Place (3)

Some of you are just so clever, can guess it's desserts today. haha..

There are a variety of Peranakan Kueh Kueh. Already so stuffed, so only took these to eat.
You know what they are right? Kaya on it makes it so good... The kaya is on top of a blue cake :-)



You can DIY your ice kachang or cendol, but this is Ice Whatever, what I like only. haha..
Below it is lots of chendol.



Mango Pudding and Jelly. That's carnation milk suppose to be on the mango pudding, but it also covered the jelly. Cute jelly?



It's suppose to be hot cheng tng, but I like cold one, so how?
Go over to the ice kachang counter lah, take the ice shaving from there to mix with the hot cheng tng lor...




It's a birthday remember, so we brought in this cake. Bengawan Solo cake that matches the food here. Pandan Cake.



Here's the cross section of the cake. Since taken, so show you lor...



There's a way to dine for free here. Guess how?
Go through Theological College! Pastors get to eat free here :-)

If you want to cook Penang Food, bump over to Rasa Malaysia's site. This Penang born lady cooks delicious looking food.