The Peranakan are descendants of Chinese immigrants who came to Southeast Asia from the late 15th century.
“Candlenut” is a well-known restaurant that has refined Peranakan cuisine, which has a long history, while fusing not only Chinese but also Southeast Asian food cultures such as Malay, and has evolved to the point where it has been awarded a Michelin star.
Ave. Budget: Lunch 120-150 SGD, Dinner 150-250 SGD / “Michelin Guide Singapore 2022” 1 star
Add world-class sophistication to your Peranakan cuisine
“Peranakan” refers to the descendants of Chinese immigrants who came to Malaysia and Singapore from the late 15th century. Also known as “Baba Nyonya”.
In terms of ethnicity, it is said that integration with the indigenous people (Malays) did not progress relatively, but in terms of folklore and culture, it is said that they have adapted to indigenous customs to some extent.
In terms of politics and economics, it has acted as a bridge between former colonial powers such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and the people of China and Malays.
Peranakan cuisine is a traditional cuisine of such ethnic groups, but it can be said that it has developed by mixing influences from England, Holland, etc., with Malay tradition and Chinese tradition as the main.
The only Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant
Candlenut is the only Peranakan dish to be awarded a Michelin star.
Chef Malcolm Lee also made a name for himself at this restaurant, and is said to be like the flagship of Singapore’s young celebrity chefs.
Before that, I was interested in the management of the hotel group Como.
Como, based in London, is a group that created the Thai restaurant “Nahm” in London and Bangkok.
In other words, they already have a proven track record in creating restaurants that offer contemporary performances while making the most of the traditions of Southeast Asian cuisine.
I was looking forward to seeing how this group would cook Peranakan food from Singapore.
A well-balanced course of popular menus for both lunch and dinner
When I arrived at the table, I first looked at the menu while eating the senbei that was served. This is delicious and progresses quickly.
If I eat too much, the food won’t fill my stomach.
The “Omakase course” for lunch that day was 88 SGD + tax.
For dinner, the number of items increases at 118 SGD.
There is also a la carte. Drinks are mainly wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic mocktails.
I wanted to freshen up my mouth, so I started with a lemongrass and ginger mocktail.
It’s delicious to drink in the city and the taste of herbs is delicious, but here it’s refreshing. The goodness of the product is oozing out in such a side menu.
Two amuses.
The spicy protrusion in the lotus root. Small pieces of octopus.
It is seasoned with pineapple and pickled achara.
The other is lamb satay. Sweet soy sauce flavor.
Next is “Kue Pai Tea”, a famous Peranakan appetizer.
Usually, it comes out in the form of a crunchy tart with ingredients piled up, but here it is not a reconstruction but a part.
This is what it looks like when you put sambal on top of braised pork belly, thinly sliced omelet, and shrimp.
No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t fit in a small tart container, but I interpreted it as a sign of confidence that it can be eaten deliciously as an ingredient here.
The second course is “Bakwan Kepitin” with soup. Shrimp and chicken meatballs served with chicken stock is another typical Peranakan dish.
Many dishes avoid mixing fish and meat, but I personally don’t dislike this champon. The mountains make the sea, and the sea makes the mountains come together.
The main dish is a sophisticated version of typical Peranakan cuisine.
After all, I wanted to drink and ordered wine. You can feel the attention to the trend in the place where the orange wine is placed.
While doing so, the main appearance. 5 dishes in bowl size. Comes with jasmine rice.
Roughly speaking, the first one is white fish stewed in ginger (Ikan Chuan Chuan).
Next, a salad of wing beans native to Southeast Asia and small shrimp. The bottom is a small squid salad with sambol.
This is a typical Peranakan dish. However, it is finished in a sophisticated style.
Coconut and turmeric curry with tiger prawns.
It can be said that this is a menu that can be eaten anywhere in Southeast Asia.
And a meat dish of beef ribs stewed with coconut milk. It has its roots in the local cuisine of West Sumatra (the capital city of Padang) in Indonesia.
It’s a composition that is moderately interwoven with Southeast Asian cuisine, centering on the typical dishes of Peranakan. However, where there is no sense of incongruity, it makes you feel a sense.
Bringing Asian food culture to contemporary cuisine without being eccentric
For dessert, I followed the clerk’s recommendation, “Candlenut’s Classic Chendol Cream, Pandan Jelly, Gula Melaka”.
When it came out, I was a little surprised by its appearance, but the jelly on top was mixed with pandan (pandanus) seeds. Leaves are attracting attention as a healthy food, but this is actually the first time.
It’s a little slimy, but it’s a texture that seems to be somewhat addictive.
To be frank, it didn’t have the same impact as Naam, but it was a pretty interesting restaurant.
No, I had a good impression of the unconventional style, but it may be the chef’s love and trust in Peranakan cuisine.
Originally, the chef wanted to cook Western cuisine, but he felt a sense of crisis as the number of Peranakan cuisine creators decreased, and he changed his mind.
Aiming for Peranakan cuisine that only he can do, he has refined it to the point where it can be used around the world.
It is a good example that the shortcut to the world is actually at your feet.
Information of “Candlenut”
Opne Hour: Lunch 12:00-15:00, Dinner 18:00-22:00
Holiday: None
Tel: +65 1800 304 2288
Address:17A Dempsey Rd, Singapore 249676
Official web
MAP
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