The Blue Ginger (Tanjong Pagar)

I recently dined at The Blue Ginger and was thoroughly impressed by the overall experience! The ambience is warm and inviting, with a beautifully decorated interior that perfectly sets the mood for a delightful meal. The soft lighting and tasteful decor create a cozy atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. Now, onto the food: each dish was a visual masterpiece and tasted divine! The flavors were well-balanced, showcasing the culinary expertise of the chefs. However, I found myself wishing for a bit more spice to elevate the dishes even further. A little extra heat would truly enhance the vibrant flavors and bring the dishes to life. Overall, The Blue Ginger is a fantastic spot for a memorable dining experience. I can't wait to return and see how they might spice things up! Highly recommend it!

Restaurant offers a nice ambiance for dining. However, I found the Otah to be overly salty and rubbery, reminiscent of fish cake. The Chendol was also a bit too sweet for my taste. Despite these points, the overall quality of the dishes was good.

We recently celebrated our wedding lunch reception at Blue Ginger, and it was nothing short of magical! The venue was beautifully decorated by Alan and his talented team, who transformed the space with elegant floral arrangements and charming table settings that perfectly captured the essence of our special day. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, thanks to their meticulous attention to detail. We were particularly touched by the hand-painted gift from the team, a thoughtful keepsake that will forever remind us of this joyous occasion. The service was impeccable, and the delicious food left our guests raving. Alan and his team went above and beyond, making our wedding lunch an unforgettable experience. We couldn’t have asked for a better celebration at Blue Ginger! Highly recommend!

It was good Peranakan food experience. The restaurant is located in nice area and has good space on different levels, it doesn’t look big from the outside. It is clean and service was good. Normal atmosphere

Thank you Alan & team for the hard work for the beautiful decorations and even catering to our needs for our one halal guest! Very accomodating and patient, definitely recommend! Food was good too and we enjoyed every bit

Good food, good service, plenty of choices, comfortable setting. Nice for a larger group gathering since they have upstairs seating for a more private setting. Slightly pricey but suitable for celebrations. Pork belly, assam fish, dry laksa were especially nice. Beef rendang a bit on the tough side. White included in base charge and refillable.

Food was super good - from starters like kueh pie tee and ngoh hiang to mains like beef rendang and assam fish and desserts chendol. Also received good service from Alan and his team who was attentive to our needs. I can't wait to bring my family and friends to try this place

While walking around Tanjong Pagar, we chanced upon The Blue Ginger and decided to give it a try. The place boost a quiet and intimate ambience, a perfect escape from the bright lights and loud noises outside. Peranakan restaurants have a knack for making their food taste homemade, like your grandmother’s cooking — and the Blue Ginger does just that. Notable orders were the Tauhu Nonya Style, rich in ginger essence and reminiscent of chicken rice fragrance. The Kerabu Laksa was a surprising hit, instead of a traditional soup laksa we were pleasantly surprised with the dry rendition full of unami flavours. Here’s the full list of what we’ve ordered! 🌟Otak Otak 🌟Ngo Heong 🌟Kueh Pie Tee 🌟Tauhu Nonya Style 🌟Chap Chye Masak Titek 🌟Kerabu Laksa 🌟Chendol 🌟Sago Gula Melaka Prices are rather steep here, which explains the mixed reviews on google. Featuring local delights that you can get at cheaper prices and possibly better tasting at hawker centres. Nonetheless, a great place to bring friends once in a while and have a taste of authentic Peranakan food.

Singapore is having a thing with their culture identity, not a big surprise, from a colonial city to being part of Malaysia to its own country - the de facto APAC headquarters for eastern and western firms. Peranakan food is very in. I have been in and out of Singapore for over a decade and half, now spending roughly a week or so time per month. I have tried many Peranakan restaurants since the pandemic, which is the ethnic cuisine of the original habitants of Singapore, I like this one a lot. The recommended dishes are what you should order. Shared dishes. Second floor is lovely. Always book a reservation in advance. Lunches are the best. This one is near Maxwell Hawker center in Chinatown. I like the location a lot. Do give it a try, it is probably the most authentic thing known to Singapore. Desserts are great to end the meal with.

We recently tried this restaurant and we love their very unique food offerings. We ordered so much food but we did really well and mostly finished everything. Love the vegetable dish we ordered cooked in coconut milk. Can't remember the name. All I can remember is that everything was super delicious. I do recommend this place if you are looking at authentic Peranikan cuisine.

Blue ginger is a Nyonya cuisine restaurant tucked away in the Korean food corridor of Singapore. For those unfamiliar Peranakan cuisine or Nyonya cuisine comes from the Peranakans, descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia, inter-marrying with local Malays. It is an interesting natural "fusion" of Chinese food with the surrounding cultures of Singapore. It's melting pot of spices and dishes. We tried a huge spread of food. The most interesting is a chicken dish called Ayam Buah Keluak, braised chicken flavoured with turmeric, galangal and lemongrass cooked with Indonesian black nuts (Buah Keluak nuts). These nuts are actually poisonous if not fermented and slowly cooked underground in coal. Believe it or not they contain cyanide . I guess it's akin to eating blowfish in Japan? It had a deep earthy and umami taste almost like a mushroom of some sort. Anyway, I am glad to have tried this cuisine as it is hard to find outside of Singapore

This was by far the worst meal we have ever had. For sure the worst meal in Singapore. We had so many delicious meals here this was actually disgusting. The rendang tasted like stew, no flavor and just bland, we know what rendang is supposed to taste like. The deep fried prawns seemed old and chewy. The service was ok except for the male server who greeted us at the door and really could not be bothered with us and sat us down and left. He did not even say hello or welcome? When we left after being there for 30 minutes - most of the food we ordered went back to the kitchen. No one asked - how was it? Did you enjoy your meal? Nothing. As a comparison we were at a different restaurant the other night and the staff bent over backwards to make sure we were satisfied and we even filled out a survey in email. Terrible restaurant that needs a renovation and a lot more.

Peranakan Is a cuisine unique only to Singapore where you really can't find anywhere else, even in New York where we live. It's a blend of Chinese descendants with nearby Malaysia over centuries. I enjoyed getting a taste of this culture, and home cooking of native Singaporeans. We tried a huge spread of dishes with flavors I've never had before. If you're in Singapore definitely make it a priority to try Peranakan cuisine - and there are many famous options around the city!

The Blue Ginger is a must try restaurant in Singapore. If you want to try Peranakan cuisine, this is the place. It was probably one of my favorite meals in Singapore. We made reservations for lunch and were seated upon arrival. They have seating on two levels, but reservations are recommended as it is not a big place. Still, the vibe is cozy and inviting. Our server brought out some pickled vegetables which we munched on while perusing the menu. We ordered beef rendang, blue ginger chicken, fried tofu with spices, and rice. The food here is absolutely delicious. The beef rendang and blue ginger chicken were moist, flavorful, and well made. The tofu was also tasty-my husband does not usually eat tofu but he ate some that day. Service was wonderful- everyone was warm and helpful. We were well taken care of.

Nothing really special , service was average. Location was good , price was ok . Not as good as we thought.

So thanks to being heavily engaged w/ Yelp, I was basically put in charge of choosing where we eat almost everyday during our 3-week stay. It was a random evening and we wanted to check the mall out at Orchard before heading out to dinner. I went w/ 3 of my colleagues... 1 decided to lock herself in the hotel room because she did not want to walk but Jerry and I went and had a blast. Upon walking in, I felt that shorts were not appropriate for this restaurant as I should have been in something dressy/casual. We did not have a reservations so they seated us upstairs - though the downstairs looked so much nicer. The menu, our glasses of water, and everything came super fast w/ the exception of when it was time to pay. We were both hungry so: - crispy chicken - banana leaf wrapped puree fish thingy - beef rendang - the blue ginger (chicken dish) Our meal came w/ pickled vegetables which we both enjoyed. The crispy chicken was juicy but under-seasoned, the banana leaf thing was a little weird but it was OK (tastes very fishy), the beef rendang was super tender, and the blue ginger was flavorful; you can taste and sense the ginger. None of the dishes came w/ a base so ordering rice was a must. Between the 2 of us, we destroyed our heavy dinner. Jerry became my great eating out partner. Service was friendly and the place was clean and modern. No complaints.

Had a really delicious meal here! So thankful I had someone who lived in Singapore and was familiar with the dishes and flavors, as well as their cultural influence and significance to help us order! Based on his recommendation, we tried about five dishes and all were delicious and things I wouldn't have ordered on my own, included the blended fish in banana leaves (which were delicious). Would definitely recommend to anyone searching for some authentic dishes from the Malay and Chinese heritage of Singapore!

First visit, we had the curry fish head and squid. The curry fish head serving is large but is only half a fish head. May not be enough for more than two persons. To our surprise, the curry fish head is not at all spicy. In fact, it tasted a little sweet. The eggplant, tomatoes and lady fingers that came in the curry were well cooked without being overly soft. The squid also came in a sweet sauce and not spicy too. There is nothing spectacular in the two dishes, just normal nonya style cooking. One good thing worthy of mention is you can have refills of white rice. Our bill for the two dishes/rice and two fruit juices plus one dessert of the day came to S$75.00.

Blue Ginger is an average value Peranakan meal - portions are generally small, but with some fantastic dishes. Glad we went - but not in a hurry to return. Great dishes: * Kueh Pue Tee - delicious and refreshing starter * Beef Rendang - succulent well cooked beef. * Nonya Fishhead Curry - the highlight. Wonderfully aromatic curry broth and fantastic red snapper. * Ayam Panggang Blue Ginger - MUCH better than the Buah Keluak, which was underwhelming.

On my trip to Singapore I was treated to this wonderful place. Busy, a little loud but authentic. I had the beef redang which was wonderful. Tender and very flavorful. The wait staff was nice and helpful. I will go back when I am there again.

This the the first place I tried coming to Singapore. This is a Michelin restaurant 2 years in a row. I normally don't care for these kinds of restaurant but this one was good.

This is a review of a delayed birthday dinner with a friend at The Blue Ginger. This is an update to a previous review. Since, with the exception of kueh pie tee, I had completely different dishes this time, I thought it was worthwhile to write a new review. Plus, the second time around, my overall experience was more consistently positive. Obviously, the ambiance has not changed. So, I will mostly pull from my previous review. I also have now included interior photos . The room is stylish. There are beautiful accents and warm colours providing the room with a warm and comfortable home-like feel. It is a pretty small restaurant and the seating can be a touch cramped. I am relatively large and this doesn't help the situation. http://tinyurl.com/b3r7c7q http://tinyurl.com/bh2tzmq An additional positive (at least for me), is that, on both visits, they were playing Pink Martini. This is one of my favorite musical groups and not one that I would expect to find playing in a Singaporean restaurant. The service was more consistent than my first visit. The staff was attentive and very present. They checked often to insure things were going well. I also thought the meal was better paced. They were all very friendly, polite, and professional. The food ranged from good to extremely good. The food was also nicely presented. Mixed pickles and sambal belachan are provided on each table. However, these are not complimentary. There is a small charge. The rice is also included in these charges. Throughout the meal, the rice is served as needed. http://tinyurl.com/askhol5 http://tinyurl.com/c7j6nqx Kueh Pie Tee (Shredded bamboo shoots and turnips garnished with shrimp in pie tee cups) - This was very good. The cups were perfectly fried and the fillings were fresh. http://tinyurl.com/bg5v54l Nonya Rolls - They were quite delicious. They were super crunchy. The yam added a very nice sweetness that typical spring rolls do not have. http://tinyurl.com/afmeak2 Ayam Panggang "Blue Ginger" (De-boned chicken thigh and drumstick flavoured with coconut milk rich in exotic spices and grilled) - I am lucky this was one of two great chicken dishes I've had recently. The chicken was so moist and tender. The flavours went so well together. The coconut, dash of heat, and other spices just took this chicken dish over the top. http://tinyurl.com/cgbkzd3 Beef Rendang (Tender beef cubes prepared in rich coconut milk spiced with ginger, lemon-grass, lime leaves and a dash of curry powder) - This is the best rendang I've eaten yet. Now, I've not had that many. But this was a very tasty dish. There was just loads of flavour. There was a richness and almost a smokiness to the flavours. http://tinyurl.com/a49u8jd Nonya Fish Head Curry (Red snapper with ladies fingers and eggplant cooked in a traditional home-style curry) - The only specific request my friend made was she wanted the fish head curry. This was my inaugural fish head curry. I am not sure what I was waiting for. I have no idea how this stacks up against other fish head curries. I do know it was extremely good. The seasonings in the broth were amazing. The fish was tender and flaky. Some way, the spices did not overpower the delicate taste of the fish. The vegetables were crisp. The okra did not have even a hint of the slipperiness that can so easily develop with okra. This was just an all around great dish. Visually, it was also quite appetizing. http://tinyurl.com/a87tets Receipt ($102.75): http://tinyurl.com/c8r7pex Overall, this was a very enjoyable dining experience. The food was consistently well-prepared with very substantial and well-balanced flavours. The attentive and friendly service combined with the warm and inviting room to compliment the food perfecty. In my last review, I was rounding up a bit. For this visit to The Blue Ginger, I am providing a very solid four star review.

My Singaporean friend recommended me this place so we came. It's my first encounter with Peranakan cuisine and I was told it's a fusion of Chinese and Malay food. Very cozy and intimate - good for a small group. Portion is small so we were able to try a few dishes. We had a few appetizers but nothing left a lasting memory. My friend said I have to try Ayam Buah Keluak at least once - it's unique but can't say it's my favorite. We also got the Nonya Fish Head Curry because I said I never had it. I am very sensitive to fish so I can't say I like that one either :( On the other hand, the Redang was good but I really enjoyed the Udang Masak Assam Gulai. I think I had a few plates of rice just on that sauce alone. We finished with some chendol, without the durian :P I can't say I want this as my last meal on earth but it was a pretty good experience.

Looking for a 'landing pad' that perfectly encompasses the worldly influences of Singaporean food culture, decades of gritty history, and charming old-world architecture and interior design? Well, this is my definite bet for the perfect place to go (and you can tell, because you will see visitors gathering in large round tables from China and the 'west' grinning from ear to ear, clamouring about the toothsome splendour that is The Blue Ginger). The Beef Rendang is something that is on par with your friendly neighbourhood makcik's best efforts... chunks of beef in a dark maroon gravy (careful! it's so good that you might find yourself licking the plate clean) that's been sitting in a stew enriched with shallots, chilli peppers, lemon grass, turmeric, coconut, and galangal for more than four hours... Servings are larger than at the Grandma's Restaurants on Orchard, where they are puny and never enough, and they come up to about the same price-tag (and taste a LOT better). Other must-orders are the Otak-otak (shiok as hell!), with the lemongrass so freshly potent that your nostrils will be flaring in pleasure, and the Deep-fried Brinjal in Sambal... I'm getting hungry for Blue Ginger all over again!

Rude/inconsiderate. We phoned this restaurant and asked if we could dine without reservations. After discussing the size of our party and the time we wanted, they told us to come -- they'd have a table for us. When we arrived, they refused to seat us, and said we'd have to wait an hour for a table. We're not that ugly! We spent the evening and $600 elsewhere.

My sister and her husband brought me for paranakan cuisine. Small but cozy restaurant. We were seated close to the kitchen much to my dismay. The preserved pickles were one of my favorites...cant stop gorging myself. Next came Otak, grilled fish cake, which i dont get to eat living in the states. This is one of my favorite dishes, but I'm not impressed with the texture served by the chef...kinda mushy and lack flavor. The Juhu kangkong was excellent, something different from what I've tasted before. Ayam Bush keluak is my sister favorite, unfortunately is the least appetizing on the taste totem pole for me. The black nuts tasted like dark chocolate...i think is an acquired taste, just not for me. Telor cinchaluk, look and taste like omelette, is just ok. The soup, bakwan kepeting, is definetely a must have if u like soup. Is out of this world!! Ikan masak Assam gulai is very good, but I would prefer the king prawns than the fish. My sis asked if I prefer the prawns or fish, told her prawns, and she ordered the fish!! I felt the servers were rushing us which i tootally understand due to the size of the restaurant. Overall, it was a good dinning experience.

With its 1 Michelin Star, for my first visit, naturally, I had certain expectations. Unfortunately, they were not met. Both the food and the service fell short. The Curry Fish Head was not bad. The other dishes were forgettable. In summary: * Ambience * Food * Service

My first intro to Peranakan cuisine was at Blue Ginger many moons ago. And I always make a point to return to this place everytime I'm in SG. Peranakan food is a melange of Chinese and Malay food, derived from the Penang and Malacca region of Malaysia. On to the important stuff. My favorite item from here is a chicken stew made with the Buah Keluak, which is a relative of the betel nut. The nut is apparently poisonous but after many hours of preparation and fermentation, it yields a very smoky, bitter taste. It's cooked with various spices like turmeric and galangal. I also love the beef rendang, a curry made with coconut milk, turmeric and lemongrass. I've had my share of beef rendang, far and wide, but I still prefer the rendang from Blue Ginger. The meat is tender. The spices are subtle but pungent at the same time. For dessert, I can't say enough about the durian chendol. It's a dessert made with crushed ice, pandan jelly noodles, coconut milk, durian puree. Think distant relative of Filipino halo halo or Vietnamese che. It's a lovely cool down from all the spices of the entrees. Blue Ginger is gentrified, I must admit. White table cloth. Great service. Cozy and intimate. It's made for tourists like me. And I love it, every time. If you are curious about Peranakan cuisine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peranakan_cuisine

I do overall like this place but I think I would only come here once in awhile. My sister introduced me to the very traditional food here, we got: 1) Kwuh pie tee cups - outside was pretty good 2) beef rendang - it was good but a little bland for me 3) tamarind prawns - the best dish I had, love the flavors in this 4) white wine - do not order 5) otta otta - interesting and worth an order Portions are quite small but there is unlimited rice and pickled veggies.

I understand that Blue Ginger may be a bit of an institution for Peranakan cuisine and I can see why. A particularly easy place for Westerners to dine as the menu is varied without being too extensive, and the descriptions are well written with certain items identified as special recommendations. The price level is higher than what you would expect at a 'local joint' but less than those of many of the other 'westernised' eateries' we visit. We enjoyed every dish we ordered, but stand outs were the whole sambal fish, the chicken rolls and the prawns. The whole fish is a little intimidating when it first arrives at the table but just get stuck in! The sweet sambal over the crispy fried skin... dericious! I also am a sucker for sago pudding with gula melaka... not bad here, but the sago had congealed a bit more than necessary and I prefer it without the ice shavings. Service is polite and attentive. Decor is a bit dated (I thought) but in keeping with a traditionalist theme and far from off-putting. Their wine and beer list could probably be widened a bit more, especially wine by the glass. We spent $60 per person for starters, mains and two drinks each. I think this is a great place to bring visitors to give them a taste of peranakan cuisine. Next I want to try Peranaman and then off to Melaka for the graduation of peranakan cuisine!

i really liked this! perhaps because it was my first foray into peranakan cuisine, or perhaps because of the great company, but i found the food very interesting and different. of particular interest was the buah keluak dish, which has these nuts that are supposedly poisonous unless you cook it the right way. it tasted like a really nutty olive tapenade, and was quite delightful. i also really loved the ngo heong. my first time having this and they were little flavor bombs of awesome wrapped in a lightly crispy wrapper. everything else tasted great, but these 2 in particular stood out. i'm giving it the much coveted xander 5 stars, although i'm not sure how this compares to other peranakan restaurants, since this is my first try.

the food is quite authentic peranakan and worth a try especially with big groups but the seating area is quite tight and squeezy. I must say that the kueh pie tee is one of the best I have ever had. The portions are just nice that it fits into the mouth comfortably in one go and melts neatly into your mouth in one superb food orgasm. Everything else is spicy spicy spicy and the dessert sweet sweet sweet. Didn't help that our group had a diabetic and needed something not sweet. Not much options for him there. Not even fruits. So don't bring any diabetic friends and relatives there.

My family was looking for a place to throw a party for my dad's 60th, and Blue Ginger stood out for us because it didn't seem overly expensive, it looked like it had an excellent ambience for a party, and based on reviews, the food seemed pretty good. I'm glad we chose Blue Ginger because not only were all our expectations met, the team was also fantastic. If it weren't for them, I'm pretty sure our party wouldn't be such a success. Our guests were raving about it, and they only had good things to say about the food. Honestly, hands down one of the best experiences for me.

For me, this is the best Peranakan restaurant in Singapore. This is one of the restaurant I go to for comfort food. It tastes like home cooking which I love. The quality is consistent and all the dishes I tried there are very tasty. Definitely a place to bring guests visiting Singapore.

My go-to for immersing my out of town guests in peranakan fare. My stomach loves this place, but my arteries don't. Heavy, hearty fold that I can only embellish in once every three months at most. Go here.

Great restaurant for dinner. Nice decorations and atmosphere. We ordered beef rendang and a chicken dish with coconut sauce. Both tasted really good with rice and the pickles served with it. Probably the best food we had during our 5-day stay in Singapore. Drinks were also yummy, try the lime juice ;) very refreshing. Would recommend this to friends as well.

I excellent paranakan food, each time I am in Singapore I visit this restaurant and I always enjoy good food and service here.

Peranakan cuisine! Great location so I've been a few times and was happy with the food each time. With this menu I love trying new things i haven't each time though slightly pricey.

A friend was visiting so I wanted to take her to a Peranakan restaurant. My usual favorite Candlenut was fully booked (it was Friday night alas!) so I called Blue Ginger on the recommendation of a Singaporean friend and got us a table. The restaurant is set in a shop house in Tanjong Pagar, a good place to take visitors. Renovation is simple, and so are the dishes, they have a feeling of home-cooked fare to them - unpretentious, not fancy but delicious, definitely a day-to-day staple. We ordered the kueh pie tee, the bakwan kepeting (soup made of pork and crab meatball with bamboo shoots), beef rendang, kangkong and a seabass cooked in a spicy tamarind gravy. I would say everything turns out to be pretty good, just like what fine Peranakan cooking should be and the prices are reasonable and definitely cheaper than Candlenut. The only complaint I have is the pork and crab meatball with bamboo shoots had somewhat of a pungent smell to it. The food is definitely above average but I would say that it lacks the surprises I get from Candlenut where I feel the presentation of the food and the combination of ingredients and flavors are all perfect. It is definitely not bad but is also not my go-to place. Nevertheless, it's a good option considering the lower prices in general.

Good quality Nonya restaurant. I was there a few years ago and was so impressed that I went back recently. There were many local diners on the night so it is a sign that the food is good. Lucky we got there early as I could see them turning away people. It was a bit more expensive that the food centres, but the food was tasty, authentic, the ambient was great, and the service was great.

Even though I was only passing through Singapore for a few days, I will be damned if I was not going to get any Peranakan food. This place is very Ang Moh friendly, if you are afraid to attack the hawker centres. There were three of us and we tried to eat everything that we could - egg rolls, beef rendang, fried tofu, prawn - it was all delicious. It was a bit pricy, but that is not surprising given the neighborhood.

Good flavours on non-veg dishes. Nice pickles to snack on. Veg mains - limited options and flavourless. Applicable for lunch and dinner not a breakfast or brunch place. Gets quite busy during lunch / dinner, need to book in advance. If anything try the oyster sauce main next time.

Worth a try for people who enjoys good food especially tasty peranakan cuisine. If spicy food is your thing, you will enjoy the food here. Service was good.

I really enjoyed this place. I cannot comment on how true it is to Peranakan cuisine but for my palate I enjoyed the two vegetarian options I tried. Probably my favorite dining experience during my Singapore visit--everything I tried tasted incredible, and the service was excellent, which was in retrospect even more of a plus given how poor it seemed to be everywhere else. I'd recommend this and would gladly return.

My personal culinary highlight on a trip to Singapore. The Nonya Fishhead Curry was the best fish curry I ever had - incredibly tasty, nicely arranged: a treasure for the eye and the palate.

just a normal Chinese restaurant we've been there with a large group of 20+ guests and had chosen several different dishes (appetizer & main dishes) to share amongst us. the food was ok, but nothing really special. some dishes, like the mackarel, were nobody's flavor, maybe simply because not really differentiating to a normal fast food Chinese restaurant. conclusion of the group, some liked it (4*), some meant it was normal (3*) and some were disappointed (2*) PS: only some of the servant were able to speak English, but at least the others understood the words Beer and Rice... ;-)

Wonderfully decorated dining room and great air conditioning! Food is unique fusion -- not all the flavors worked for us -- very strong fishy tastes on some items made them almost inedible. Service was unhurried but efficient -- but we found ourselves looking for the waiter because the pauses were long. Worth a visit if you are looking to try something different, but, thinking back, there are many other worthy restaurants in the same neighborhood, so I'd skip it next time -- not on the "must visit" list at all.

We just tried a few dishes here after wandering around chinatown. We were pleased with the quality of the food and had good service.

Not honest. Overcharged by 25% expecting us not to notice because we were a large party. They clearly added on a bunch of drinks that we did not order and did so as the meal progressed. Also, people seemed to get sick the next day. The fish dishes were larger than expected the food was otherwise ok.

There are these times that one has an inkling that a place is good - just judging by what it looks like. I had noticed this restaurant a few times from the Kamayan across the street and went to eat there today with a friend, and yes: this place is really good. The cuisine is described as peranankan (the mixure of chinese and malay that is typical for the singapore chinese), but I suspect this is a means to present a cuisine that is really a fusion of the different cultures of Southeast Asia. No matter: the result is excellent. I had chicken in an Indonesian sauce based on nuts I did not know but that were delicious - chocolate like (ayam buah keluak), and my companion had pork knuckles braised to perfection in another herb mix (babi hong). Both tasted delicious and I certainly go back for more. Even the rice on itself was perfumed in a way I didn't recognize. All in all, we had an excellent meal - the best I had in this area of Singapore. And the prices were - by European standards - certainly affordable. It is however safe to make reservations: we were lucky to be early.