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Singapore Dining - Candlenut @ Dempsey

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  • Singapore Dining - Candlenut @ Dempsey

    When I have visitors in Singapore who want to try something distinctively local, I try to bring them to a Peranakan restaurant. Peranakans are Straits-born Chinese, also known as Babas/Nyonyas, who are descended from Chinese immigrants to Malaya. Peranakan food and culture is quite unique to this part of the world (Meaning Singapore and some parts of Malaysia), and while the dishes have local Malay, Chinese and Indonesian flavours, the cuisine does have a unique taste and character.

    The best Peranakan food is really only found in homes. Short of being Peranakan yourself, if you really want the exquisite best of Straits-Chinese cooking, you need to either marry one, or ingratiate yourself with Baba/Nyonya friends and be invited home for a meal.

    The next best alternative would be to find restaurants in Singapore which serve good Nyonya cuisine. One of my favourites is True Blue at Armenian Street.

    And now, we have Candlenut, located in the F&B hub at Dempsey, not far from Orchard Road. Not a traditional Peranakan restaurant per se, but one with very strong Asian and Peranakan influences in a very refined setting.

    Last edited by yflyer; 16 April 2017, 09:56 AM.

  • #2
    The restaurant itself is set in a large airy building, converted from the old military barracks that housed British troops in Colonial times, and then our SAF Central Manpower Base, before being converted into a complex of shops and eateries.

    I thought the ambience and decor here were great. The restaurant is housed in a large converted colonial era building. You seldom get such high ceilings and large open spaces in restaurants in Singapore.



    The menu consists of small plates, and larger mains, which are best suited for sharing.



    The dishes have recognizably Peranakan ingredients and themes, but there are creative touches and other Asian influences at play here as well, not to mention use of top quality meat, such as Blackmore Wagyu, and other ingredients.



    There is also an "ah-ma-kase" menu, a cute play on the words ah-ma ("Grandma") and the Japanese term Omakase ("I leave it to the chef to decide") which comprises a chef's selection of starters and mains, which our party decided to order.
    Last edited by yflyer; 16 April 2017, 09:57 AM.

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    • #3
      Candlenut also has a decent wine selection, both by the glass and bottle.



      When we placed our order, our warm and very knowledgeable waiter was careful to note any dietary preferences or restrictions, which would be used to tailor the set menu accordingly for each individual's dining quirks. And believe me, we were a really quirky bunch that day. Am I the only person who will shovel anything and (almost) everything into my mouth?

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      • #4
        Keropok to nibble on...



        Wine and juices...



        For Peranakan cuisine, most dishes would go better with white wine, although some of the heartier meat dishes would also be well paired with reds.

        An assortment of starters...each with recognisably Peranakan/Malay origins, but with a twist...



        The crab-topped kway pie tee were quite tasty, and so were the other bite-sized starters.

        The standout starter was the kurobuta pork-neck "satay", which was nothing like regular satay as we know it in Singapore, but was nonetheless very delicious: hot, savoury and tender.

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        • #5
          Individual bowls of bakwan kepiting...this is a seemingly simple dish ("It's just a meatball in soup"), but it is amazingly difficult, not to mention time-consuming, to get the meatball texture and the soup flavour just right. The older generation of Peranakan grandma's and aunties would have their own meatball recipes, and each meatball would need to be shaped and slapped on a hard surface by hand multiple times to get it to the right texture.

          This restaurant nailed it: wonderful meatball texture and an outstandingly flavourful clear broth.



          A prawn and winged bean salad dish which was light and delicate.



          Wok fried tiger prawns, as juicy and fresh as any...



          An outstanding NZ lamb rack, ultra tender, with a crisp ikan bilis crust -- a surprisingly harmonious combination.



          Blue swimmer crab curry, with chunks of tender crab in turmeric, galangal and kaffir lime leaf gravy...

          Last edited by yflyer; 16 April 2017, 09:52 AM.

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          • #6
            My favourite dish that evening was the beef short rib buah keluak.

            Buak Keluak is a Peranakan classic, typically prepared with chicken, but many Peranakan recipes also include pork ribs in addition to chicken.

            The buah kelauk nut is, I think, one of the best kept secrets of Peranakan cuisine. The rich flavour and texture of this nut is quite unique, and is almost addictive in the way that other culinary delicacies like truffle or sea urchin can be. My nightmare is that one day, some celebrity chef will discover this ingredient, and a worldwide shortage of buah keluak nuts will ensue.

            For now, let us be thankful that this ingredient is still fairly easy to find, and relatively affordable, so that we can enjoy wonderful buah keluak dishes at Peranakan restaurants in Singapore that do not break the bank.

            Here, the dish was prepared with braised beef short ribs. An interesting choice, but one which worked very well.

            This dish was marvellous, with the rich, dark, buah keluak giving the sauce a wonderful mouthfeel and flavour.



            The beef short rib was meltingly tender as well.



            A very satisfying dish. One of the tastiest buah keluak dishes I have had in a restaurant.

            All these dishes were best eaten with white rice.

            Last edited by yflyer; 16 April 2017, 09:59 AM.

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            • #7
              There is also a short by very impressive list of local-inspired desserts.



              In some restaurants, desserts are an afterthought. Not here: The desserts here are almost all must tries!



              But first, a refreshing jelly palate cleanser...

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              • #8
                It may be hard, but you must somehow save space for dessert here...

                Durian soup and mao shan wang ice cream...



                Their version of chendol. Outstanding!



                Kueh salat and young coconut sorbet...



                And last, probably their most iconic dessert, buak keluak ice cream, with Valrhona chocolate and the slightest hint of chilli...sublime!

                Last edited by yflyer; 16 April 2017, 10:02 AM.

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                • #9
                  Final thoughts?

                  A wonderful dinner: superb cuisine and service in a very pleasant setting.

                  Highly recommended!
                  Last edited by yflyer; 16 April 2017, 09:55 AM.

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