Singapore - Peranakan Flavours at The Ardennes Hotel

Peranakan Flavours at the quieter end of Kampung Glam has two things going for it:

- their kick-ass bakwan kepiting, a gigantic tennis ball-sized lump of deliciousness: freshly-chopped shrimps and minced pork, in a strongly-flavoured, dark-coloured pork-shrimp broth. Very unique for us who're used to small bakwan kepiting balls in a clear broth with matchstick-sized sliced bamboo shoots.

- Ayam buah keluak: another unique rendition by the chef - he dispensed altogether with the shells of the buah keluak nuts, using only the flesh to produce a thick, almost black, unctuous stew with which to blanket the chicken. The buah keluak flavour was strong, but lesser so the lemongrass, fresh turmeric and tamarind flavours in his version. Different, but nice.

- Babi pongteh: more subtly flavoured here, by this chef's standards, as it actually tasted milder than the ones I had at PeraMakan and Tanjong Katong Village earlier in the week. But I liked my babi pongteh to come with potatoes - the version was sans potatoes, a minus point in my books.

- Sayur lodeh: superb rendition here, but very cloyingly rich - the spicy sauce can be slightly more diluted. But I rather enjoyed the generous slices of Indonesian tempe in there, adding a nuttiness to the overall dish.

Parking's a bit of a pain in this part of town, and Ardennes Hotel is not exactly a destination spot for most Singaporeans (99% will probably have never heard of this hotel, let alone come anywhere near here).

Address
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Peranakan Flavours Restaurant
11, Jalan Klapa (inside The Ardennes Hotel)
Singapore 199323
Closed on Tuesdays
Tel: +65 67891001