True Blue Cuisine: Authentic Peranakan Food and Boutique Restaurant

Wee Toon Hee ,my tour guide in Singapore told me that True Blue Cuisine is part of the list of must-try restaurants. The place is not only beautiful but I felt like being transported in time. Let me give you a brief background of the Peranakans. I first got introduced to the Peranakan culture when I visited the Peranakan museum during my last visit in Singapore on June 16. I was so amazed at the unique cultural heritage of Singapore, something that I only discovered recently through this museum visit.

Peranakan is the term used for the descendants of Chinese immigrants who settled in Singapore, Malaysia, and Penang. Like all societies that migrated and settled in a place far from their homeland, Perenakan cuisine is a rich combination of the spices used by native Malaysians and Indonesians, Chinese cooking techniques, and Chinese ingredients. The result is a tangy, spicy, and aromatic gastronomic experience characterized by key ingredients like coconut milk, tamarind juice, pandan leaves, and egg noodles.

If you’re ever in Singapore, do not leave the country unless you’ve tried out authentic Peranakan food at True Blue Cuisine. Established in 2003 in a pre-war shophouse, True Blue Cuisine aims to serve nothing but authentic Peranakan cuisine to locals and tourists alike. However, True Blue Cuisine is more than just a venue where you can sample Peranakan delights; it’s an entire feast for the senses that allows you to experience Peranakan culture for yourself. Diners can see how Peranakans live, as shown by the chim chae area photographed above. The chim chae area is actually an airwell used to collect rain water and to sun foods like belachan achar for preservation. True Blue Cuisine also has a private collection of antiques, photographs, and old-fashioned jewelry that can be admired and purchased. As if that’s not enough, you can hear the way Peranakans speak and inhale the aromatic fragrance of bunga rampay, a sweet smelling potpourri of shredded pandan leaves that grace most Peranakan homes.

Our authentic Peranakan meal began with a clear soup with bakwan kepiting (crab and chicken meat rolls) and egg noodles.

Chap chye (mixed vegetables) was served along with the soup. Excuse the blurry photo; I was too hungry and too much in a hurry to take a better one.

What is Peranakan cuisine without dumplings? I enjoyed eating the ngoh hiang (minced chicken and prawn meat rolls).

Ayam buah keluak, or chicken stewed in black nuts, was a very interesting dish to eat. Buah keluak is actually a fruit from the Kepayang tree that grows wild in Malaysia and Indonesia. Before it is used in dishes, the buah keluak is thoroughly washed and boiled, then buried in many layers of banana leaves, ash, and earth for 40 days to remove toxins. The kernels are dug out after being soaked overnight, pounded with spices, and reinserted into seeds. The black nuts can be opened and its meat can be eaten.

It’s too bad I don’t eat beef or pork, because the coconut sauce of this beef rendang was absolutely delicious. I just took a little sample.

True Blue Cuisine can be found in Armenian Street. If the experience of eating genuine Peranakan food makes you want to learn more about the Peranakan and their culture, there is a Peranakan museum you can visit right next door.