PeraMakan Nyonya Dining @ Owen Road Farrer Park MRT Station

Lunch at ParaMakan at Owen Road conveniently at Farrer Park MRT station.

Nice cosy ambience, well appointed interior decor with comfortable furnishings, bright and spacious. It's a good place for get togethers or just a couple date.

Chatting with chef-owner bibik Kathryn, I realised that she was also behind the Peranakan restaurant at Keppel Club.

You know in those days long before I started blogging / social media, I took neither photos nor notes of my meals. I didn't even care about the names of restaurants. I know this only as the "nice Peranakan restaurant at Keppel Club".

But, I did remember it was a bright, cheerful, beautiful place. Food was slightly elevated and delicious - the best Peranakan restaurant I know at that time (not that I know much lah, especially at that time when I don't actively seek out good food places 🤭 ). Anyway, I remember one other thing - car parking at Keppel Club was darned expensive~~, a rip off actually~~ 🙄

PeraMakan at Keppel Club has closed, hurray ParaMakan at Owen Road! I am told ParaMakan has much the same menu at Keppel Club and at Owen Road.

Let's find out!

Jantung Pisang Kerabu. Appetising salad of shredded heart of banana blossom, crunchy julienned green mango and succulent shelled prawns tossed in a umami savoury sweet dressing of coconut cream and sambal belacan that complemented the zesty ingredients perfectly.

Kueh Pie Tee, a quintessentially Peranakan dish. It's dainty Western fried pastry cups filled with Chinese (specifically Hokkien) fillings. Here's my article on the origin of KPT 👈 click

We had fun assembling the KPT ourselves, filling the crispy pastry shells with shredded bamboo shoot, tau kwa (firm tofu), stewed jicama (yam bean), prawn, and garnished with fresh aromatic herbs and chili paste.

Beef rendang.

"Gold coin" beef shin and oxtail stewed in aromatic coconut milk sauce with serondeng (spiced grated coconut pulp) till the meat and tendons were soft tender and collagen into juice. Hearty beefy and savoury flavours from my two favourite beef cuts for stews.

Sotong Masak Hitam. Succulent tender squid rings cooked in a rich, complex spice sauce and its own ink.

I love the unique taste of squid ink with anything (e.g. spaghetti), but with spicy rempah more than anything 😋

Irresistible classic.

Babi tohay.

Deliciously sweet pork belly stewed till soft juicy tender with umami savoury fermented krill sauce. A unique Peranakan specialty not commonly found even among Peranakan restaurants.

Nyonya Tauhu. Minced pork, prawn and firm bean curd in fermented soybean sauce.

Free flow of steamy jasmine rice tinted blue by butterfly pea flower, refill as much as you want 😊

Of course, there will be cendol in any self respecting Peranakan restaurant, and of course, we have to have it 😆

Shaved ice piled with coconut milk, cendol noodles, boiled red beans, and fragrant gula Melaka (palm sugar).

Origin of cendol 👈 click

Apom berkuah.

Sweet subtly tart spongy fermented rice pancakes eaten with sweet banana compote. I love the texture and the taste.

Pisang pengat. Sweet banana and sweet potato in coconut milk and gula Melaka. Indulgent layers of soft and sweet with a subtle tartness from the banana.

Yay, so now I can have the taste and relive the sweet memories of that "nice Peranakan restaurant at Keppel Club" conveniently at Farrer Park MRT station, and plenty of car parking at more down to earth fees 😄