From The Straits Times    |

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A new investor in the form of TWG Tea co-founder Manoj Murjani; a spiffy new look that’s more Parisian-chic than Peranakan-homeliness; and grand plans for a second outlet and overseas expansion – it’s the sort of news that would usually be a source of worry to fans of cooking doyenne Violet Oon’s home-style Peranakan cuisine. That their favourite restaurant is “selling out”; that food standards would be hard to maintain once the brand goes global; that the magic that truly only comes through with food made from well-loved, often tedious, recipes would suffer under the hands of an investor more concerned about the bottomline. 

But we’re willing to bet that all these fears would be unfounded. It’s still early days yet for Violet Oon Singapore (previously Violet Oon’s Kitchen), and they’re just a couple of weeks into their newly renovated space at Bukit Timah Road with a new menu that turns the spotlight back on traditional Peranakan and local cuisine, but Violet’s daughter Tay Su-Lyn is quick to reassure us that the focus will continue to be on the old-style recipes and time-honoured cooking methods that Violet made her name on.

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The expansion plans are merely a natural extension of the brand’s growing popularity, after all – Violet Oon’s Kitchen had no lack of offers of collaboration through the years, but it was only with Manoj Murjani that the family business found a likeminded partner that could elevate the Peranakan and local cuisine to international status without compromising on quality. 

Even the stylish space is a reflection of that: the walls and ceilings of the main dining hall are adorned with authentic Nyonya tiles, while Violet’s repertoire of works through her years as a journalist and food writer are displayed prominently.

A culinary show kitchen now anchors the restaurant, and will serve as a semi-private dining space as well as the setting for its series of Living Culinary Treasures cooking workshops that will be launched in July – the latter is Violet’s promise to the preservation of Singapore’s culinary heritage, and will see experts sharing recipes from Singapore’s Hakka, Malay, Nyonya, Eurasian, Indian Muslim and South Indian Vegetarian Tamil cuisines.

And indeed, just after one tasting of its revamped menu, we were back that very weekend for more. So never mind that the Violet Oon’s Kitchen you know and love has been gussied up in appearance and has had a change in name – the food at Violet Oon Singapore is still very much the souful Peranakan and local favourites, prepared with premium ingredients and with an elegant touch, that will entice traditionalists and new diners alike. Here are some of its memorable highlights.  

#1 Cod in Creamy Laksa Sauce ($32)

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Cod isn’t a common sight in the traditional cuisines of this parts of the globe, but the luscious laksa sauce imparts a lovely piquancy and burst of freshness that cut through the oiliness of the tender cod. 

#2 Meatless Meatballs Rendang ($17)

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Never mind that these have nary a scrap of meat in them: the walnut and cheese dumplings, braised in spice flavoured with kaffir and bay leaves, and smothered in a coconut cream sauce, are so toothsome that even hardcore meat eaters like us had a hard time resisting them. No wonder these have been one of the most popular items on the menu.

#3 Udang Goreng Chilli ($32)

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“This is very spicy,” we were warned right before we dug into the dish. It is indeed, but through the searing heat of the sambal is also an incredibly addictive umami flavour that the prawns were almost relegated to a supporting act. “Just the right amount of shiok” would probably a better way to describe it – you’d want to scoop plenty of the sambal up and mix it into a side of the fragrant Nasi Kunning ($3.50).

#4 Gula Melaka Cake ($12)

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No Peranakan meal would not be complete without a dish containing gula melaka, and this pound cake is so soft, and with such a delightfully fluffy texture that we gobbled it up in mere minutes, never mind that we were already stuffed at this point. 

#5 Mini Kueh Sarlat ($7)

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These delicate morsels of steamed pandan custard layered on glutinous rice make for the perfect end to a meal – it’s just the right amounts of sweet and rich, but still remains light enough on the palate. 

Violet Oon Singapore is located at 881 Bukit Timah Road. Call 6468-5430 or visit www.violetoonskitchen.com for more information. 

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