Tucked in a cosy corner of Claymore Connect, The Peranakan is a hidden gem and a gastronomic haven for purists of Peranakan cuisine.

The term "Peranakan" means "locally born" in Malay and refers to the descendants of foreign traders who married local women in Southeast Asia centuries ago. Peranakan cuisine is the result of blending Chinese ingredients with various local spices, resulting in food that is often characterised by its strong and spicy flavours.

Perfect for family gatherings especially if you want to bring your parents back in time, this restaurant delivers true blue Peranakan cuisine with much finesse. We heard that the recipes were passed down from chef-owner Raymond Khoo's own family.

As we wanted to try a little of everything that this dining establishment had to offer, the Tok Panjang (S$45++/ S$65++, minimum 2 persons to share) was a natural choice. Consisting of the signature soups, tasting-portions of the chef's signature dishes, a dessert platter and Malaccan coffee/ tea, we were treated to an aplomb of flavours during this feast.

Drinks & Starters

We first ordered a refreshing Soursop with Biji Selaseh (S$8++) which came with a generous dollop of plump fleshy soursop. It served as an amazing palate cleanser for the rest of the meal.

The drink also provided a stark contrast to the some deliciously spicy Hae Bee Hiam Rolls (crispy prawn rolls) which were served whilst we were waiting for our food.

The Bakwan Kepeting (pork and crab meat ball) soup is a pork bone based broth with pork mixed together with crabmeat/ pork/ prawn balls. Served nice and warm, there was absolutely no hint of MSG in the soup and the natural sweetness of the prawns was really evident.

The Itek Tim (duck and salted vegetable) soup was equally wonderful. Chef Raymond shared with us how a ratio of 70:30 for the duck and pork bone helps to lend the soup its well-rounded flavours.

When the main dishes were served, we were totally blown over. Tok Panjang means a "long banquet table of food" and we were awed by The Peranakan's interpretation with the 13 dishes beautifully presented in a round rattan tray-basket.

My favourite was clearly the Ayam Buah Keluak or stewed chicken made with traditional black Buah Keluak seeds. The unique taste of this dish comes from the Buah Keluak seeds which is sometimes affectionately named "Truffle of the East" because of its rich, intense and bold flavours.

I loved how the paste from the Buah Keluak seeds was well-blended - definitely very different from other dining establishments where it is sometimes served a little coarse and sandy. When put together with the succulent chicken, the dish was overall just sublime and heavenly. The amount of paste in the Buah Keluak seed was also very generous and we later found out that the chef had actually packed in double the amount of paste back after blending it. No wonder!

If you have not tried Buah Keluak before, it tastes like a dark bitter chocolate with nutty earthy tones. Interestingly, whilst it is used in Malay, Indonesian and Peranakan cooking, it can be poisonous. Various processes of underground fermentation, soaking and cooking are required to prepare the seeds, so the Ayam Buah Keluek is overall a really tedious dish to cook.

I also enjoyed the Satay Babi or pork belly (3 layers meat) in satay sauce. Before images of the nutty satay sauce are conjured in your head, let me tell you that this dish is quite different because it doesn't contain peanuts. Despite being slow cooked for several hours, the meat was surprisingly very succulent. The sweetness of the dish came from the fatty parts of the meat and it was overall well complemented by the savoury gravy with strong lemongrass and coconut flavours.

One of the highlights is also the Nasi Ulam Istimewa, a flavourful mixed herbs rice that is served cold. The last time I had this was when my grandmother cooked it and I believe this could be the only restaurant in Singapore serving the dish. Preparing this nasi (rice dish) can a tedious process as lots of fine chopping is required for the raw herbs or ulam, vegetables, minced fish, salted fish and rempah. We were also told that the preparation of this dish could not be rushed because if the rice was not cooled  properly, the herbs may become cooked when added, rendering the overall dish bitter. 

Below are some of the other dishes served in the main course, the sight of which would surely be enough to make your mouths water.

Kueh Pie Tee with shredded turnips and prawn:

Ngoh Hiang with generous servings of minced pork, prawns and water chestnut wrapped in crispy bean curd skin:

Sotong Masak Asam cooked with with star fruit and belimbang:

Apom Bokwa, a pancake with banana and gula melaka:

Using premium ingredients, the dishes here at The Peranakan showcase fine culinary expertise and match the intricacies required for even the most complex cooking. The attention to details was evident in crafting every dish and even the dining establishment's decoration.

The service is top notch without being overly intrusive and I would certainly recommend this restaurant for family gatherings. I would daresay that even the most finicky Baba would be satiated. The food brings back a sense of nostalgia and is an authentic tribute to traditonal Peranakan cuisine.

442 Orchard Road
Level 2 Claymore Connect
Singapore 238879

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Overall, the Weekend Teatime Classics at 10 @ Claymore offers a good variety. The cosy ambience also makes it a great place for a nice slow catch up with family and friends.

Available on weekends from 12nn to 3pm at $48++ adults/ $24++ for children, it is also one of the most value-for-money high-tea buffets around in town. Go give it a try too and let us know how you rate it! :)

Reservations tel: 6831 6686

Email: dining.ppsgo@panpacific.com

If you are craving for a delightful festive dinner this Christmas season that will leave you with a feeling of splendour and immense satisfaction, a good choice would be at Pan Pacific Orchard's 10 @ Claymore which was recently awarded The Best Buffet at the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) Epicurean Award. Nestled in the heart of Orchard Road in close proximity to the 2 Michelin star Les Amis yet away from the busy main street along the shopping malls, lies this unassuming, unpretentious restaurant that serves wonderful, hearty epicurean buffets all year round.

1) Festive Lunch/ Dinner Buffet

Specially for this festive season, the team of chefs have certainly outdone their previous effort and come up with another spread of gastronomic delights that is guaranteed to suit different palates.

Whether you desire to have some Penang favourites such as Prawn Mee, Chef Oh's Char Kway Teow and Kueh Pai Tee, or you wish to bask in the Christmas season and eat your heart out on the Honey Baked Ham, Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Chutney and succulent Blackmore Wagyu, everyone is in for a treat without having to break the bank to enjoy some quality food together with their loved ones.


This time of the year, apart from its usual array of Freshly-shucked Oysters originating from different nationalities such as Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, Fresh Lobsters are served as well as Artisan Cheeses. My favourite among the cheeses are the Wensleydale Cranberries and the blue cheese, both of which are yummy and irresistable. If you are more adventurous, you could try the chilli and lime cheese, which is also a pretty unique offering.
Her favourite were the (surprisingly!) succulent turkey and irresistible Lemongrass and Ginger Ice Cream. For me, the main attractions were the juicy, succulent, pump, creamy oysters (as usual) and Herb-Crusted Lamb Rack. The soft and supple texture of the meat synergized well with its natural flavours, bearing testimony to the culinary flair and expertise of the chefs.

Lunch: The festive buffet starts from S$42++.
- Christmas Eve & New Year's Eve: S$58++
- Christmas Day & New Year's Day: S$88++

Dinner: The festive buffet from S$68++ 
- Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & New Year's Eve: S$118++
-  New Year's Day: S$88++

>> Details online here.

2) Christmas Luncheon

If you prefer an intimate affair on Christmas Day, a more private family Christmas Luncheon is available at $888++/ table of 10 pax ($88++/ additional adult). We say it's private as we heard that not many tables will be available at the ballroom.

A full menu consisting salads, cheeses, soups, festive carvings, desserts, fruits, coffee and TWG tea are available. A special section for children (or rather, they call that Young Adult's section) will be available too - consisting Pizzas, Mini Beef Burgers, Mac & Cheese etc.

The festive season is never complete without a hearty meal with close family and friends. Do reserve early to avoid disappointment!

 Tel: 6831 6686

Email: dining.ppsgo@panpacific.com

Tsuta recently opened to much fanfare and hype earlier this month, and it was reported that almost 200 people were already waiting in line when it first opened its doors. It is after all the world's first and only Michelin-starred ramen, and the outlet at Pacific Plaza is its first overseas outlet.

Long queues notwithstanding, and undeterred by the immensely long wait, the hedgehog decided to give this new 18-seater ramen establishment a try. 

The million dollar question on everyone's mind is: Does Tsuta deserve its Michelin star? Is the ramen as impeccable as the media paints it out to be? Well, the hedgehog will attempt to answer those questions.

While the hedgehog must qualify that he is no ramen connoisseur, he can certainly differentiate a good one from an abysmal one.

He had the pleasure of trying the Shoyu ramen. Being greedy by nature, he chose the Cha Siu Ajitama Shoyu Soba Ramen (S$22.80 nett) which has 4 slices of Char Siu and a nice runny egg. A cheaper option would have been the basic $15 ramen which offers only 1 slice of Char Siu and no egg.

Made from a blend of stock of asari clams, chicken and 2-year fully-matured soybeans, the Shoyu broth, served warm, was outstanding. It was distinctively light, but the clear taste of the broth brought immense flavours to the ramen. It was a cut above the likes of Ramen Champion (which is horribad) and Ajisen (which is by no means good either). This broth was flavourful without an MSG-laden aftertaste, unlike some other ramen (Santouka, I'm looking at you).

The addition of truffle was a nice touch, but there was too little of it to make much impact on the flavours. Perhaps the truffle flavour was meant to be integrated into the soup for a concomitant effect. But the hedgehog can't help but wonder if the truffle was there merely as a marketing gimmick.

Truffles aside, the noodles, made from the mixture of several kinds of wheat flour and whole wheat flour, were said to be freshly made at the restaurant. He found the ramen well made and chewy and everything in the bowl was delicious and delectable, down to the last strand of noodle.

The meat was nice and tender. The egg was also one of the highlights and should not be missed, arguably the most perfectly executed ramen egg the hedgehog has had the luxury of tasting.

The Queue

The hedgehog was rather annoyed by the fact that when he started queuing, there were like 20 people in front of him. But as time went on, it seemed like some impatient diners cut the queue as they claimed to be already in the queue as their friend or family member was queuing in line on their behalf. 

So the hedgehog would like to warn all his readers that glancing at the queue can be deceptive and you may end up queuing longer than you would expect. The long queue certainly mars the experience as it builds up hype and expectation. Perhaps the management might want to intervene. The only good thing is that Tsuta does not disappoint as far as the quality of its ramens go.

Overall

Tsuta is definitely worth trying and is a nice addition to our culinary landscape. The ramen is certainly unique and of high culinary standards, unlike what you would come across in a regular ramen shop. It is arguably one of the best ramen you can find in Singapore. But an astute individual would wait for the hype to die down, and then try it.

But queues aside, is it the best? Well, it depends on what you are looking for in a bowl of ramen. Do try some of the less hyped ramen establishments like Muratama, Uma Uma and Ippudo, then form your own opinion. The hedgehog can't help but wonder if the addition of truffle is merely there as a marketing gimmick, possibly as a means of product differentiation and to position itself at a higher pricing tier.

In the hedgehog's humble opinion, it is simply not worth queuing for. If there are more than 20 people in front, why not just try something else? There is always an opportunity cost and this is no different. There are decent alternatives for sure, such as Uma Uma Ramen or Ippudo, and they will leave you equally satisfied, although the connoisseurs will be quick to point out the subtle differences. 

In any case, it is about the entire dining experience, which includes the queuing, the service and the ambience.

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