When you come to Singapore, tasting the local delicacies is a must. Among them, I have a special fondness for a Michelin-starred restaurant that specializes in Nyonya cuisine. The term "Nyonya" generally refers to women of mixed Chinese (especially Fujianese) and Malay heritage, and Nyonya cuisine consists of their home-cooked dishes, which possess a unique charm.
The restaurant I’m introducing today is called True Blue Cuisine, located right next to the Peranakan Museum in Singapore (the museum is shown in the photo above). The interior is elegantly decorated, with carved cane chairs and decorative screens, as well as many vintage Peranakan antiques, giving off a distinctive vibe.
The founder and head chef, Benjamin Seck, has a deep love for Nyonya cuisine. He not only incorporated his own collection of antique Peranakan furniture into the restaurant, but also put a lot of thought into the food preparation, striving to cook the most authentic and traditional Nyonya dishes.
Nyonya cuisine tends to be spicy, but not the kind that overwhelms your senses. Instead, it offers a fragrant and zesty spiciness that pairs perfectly with rice. My favorite dish here is the black chicken. I'm not a seasoned food critic, so my writing may not be the best—here’s a report from a previous issue of “Food & People” instead:
The preparation of black chicken is intricate: the fruit pulp is first extracted, mashed, and mixed with spices before being stuffed back into the shell, then cooked with chicken for quite some time. The flavor features prominent sour and salty notes, somewhat like an unsweetened preserved plum, and it’s excellent when eaten with rice.
As for desserts, I particularly enjoy the pandan rice cake here. Made with pandan leaves, the cake has a sticky yet chewy texture and isn’t overly sweet, making it a perfect after-dinner treat.
During your travels, enjoying such delicious Nyonya cuisine in Singapore is truly a delight, and I hope you’ll enjoy this sharing as well.
True Blue Cuisine – Authentic Nyonya Cuisine
Address: 47-49 Armenian Street, Singapore
Phone: +65 6440 0449
Business Hours: 11:30am–9:30pm
Text & Photos: Dan @ Stories of a Half-Tourism Journalist