Okay, ambience wise, this place is more like a well-kept coffee shop, saved for the air-conditioning. But every part of it is immersed in strong Peranakan culture. I love the rows of florid porcelain pots at the counter and the colourful tingkats lining the shelves at the other side of the restaurant. Even the claypots sitting in straw baskets ooze that Peranakan vibe. Yes, it is a nice touch to have all dishes served in claypots.
Though claypots does not really work for Ayam Tauyu Lada, which is chicken in sweet sauce. While chicken pieces—the dark brown colours and jumbled up formation make them look not great for photos—taste very flavourful with the right balance of intense saltiness and sweetness, those at the bottom are too sweet due to the accumulation of the sweet sauce at the base of the claypot.
Nyonya Chap Chye has that nostalgic homely feel to it. This is actually very similar to the mixed vegetable stew our mothers cooked, except that the one here has more spices and ingredients added for that subtle, extra zest.
Kuah Lada Ikan Pari—stingray soaked in turmeric and peppercorn gravy is the one that gets the thumbs up from me. I like the huge stab of fresh meaty stingray served, where I am spared of the trouble of scrapping for slivers of meat from the bony stingray. There is a tail part with minimum amount of flesh, but my guy had done the gentlemanly thing to eat that and let me have the meaty part. The tangy, spicy gravy does justice to the stingray meat to impart compatible strong flavours to the otherwise plain flesh.
Bakwan Kepiting is absolutely delightful. Just like Nyonya Chap Chye, it tastes like homemade food. Just that this bowl of unassuming-looking bowl of clear soup is bursting with flavours of different spectrum. The aroma of coriander leaves is very pronounced here, thus complementing the strong taste of the meat balls. It is tending to the oily side, so take note.
The service does leave much to be desired since some staffs, when busy, will outright ignore the customers waiting at the entrance to be allocated a table. Don't expect smiles, as they are not aplenty here.
Despite the service, the food does give me incentive to go back.
My Thoughts: Not Bad
Nearest car park: URA open air car parks around Heartland Mall
Nearest MRT: Kovan
205 Hougang St 21
#02-00 Heartland Mall
Singapore
Contact No: 62887922
