Cover Alvin Yapp, who calls himself a true-blue Peranakan, in the living room of The Intan Museum
Alvin Yapp, who calls himself a true-blue Peranakan, in the living room of The Intan Museum
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Alvin Yapp, the chirpy owner of The Intan Museum, reveals his favourite Peranakan food haunts in Singapore and why
Opening your home to strangers isn’t all that common but Alvin Yapp is no stranger to that. For over two decades, the pure-blood Peranakan has successfully converted his home into a museum and boy, did he build up quite the collection. From the ubiquitous hand-beaded slippers to the alluring vintage jewellery, every nook and cranny of The Intan Museum—named after a rose-cut diamond—is replete with over 1,500 objects and trinkets, each with a story to be discovered. During my maiden visit to Yapp’s museum, I let my eyes wander into the abyss and travel back in time.
Among all, the strikingly vibrant enamel tiffin carriers and antique porcelain dishwares arrest my attention, sparking a spirited conversation about Peranakan food and its role in preserving such a unique culture in Singapore. Yapp then shares that he also hosts private dining experiences, showcasing home-cooked Peranakan dishes made using his mother’s recipes. And just as I imagined, no Peranakan experience is complete without a mention of its food. So I ask Yapp about the restaurants he visits whenever he isn’t busy playing host in his home museum. Here are some of his favourites in no particular order.
Read more: The best Malay restaurants and eateries in Singapore, according to Khir Johari
1. Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant
Recommends: Ayam buah keluak and otak otak
“This is a very Peranakan story. The owner Jenny’s grandfather is a Hainanese chef who saved enough money working for Peranakans. He then opened his coffee shop to sell Peranakan food. Today, Jennie is the third-generation owner and while she isn’t Peranakan, she understands how particular Peranakans can be about their food. To keep her grandfather’s legacy alive, she is always open to feedback from her guests on how she can improve her dishes.
The ayam buah keluak is one of those dishes that is highly protected by the Peranakan community and a little change can make a drastic shift in taste. The rempah is made fresh, while the buah keluak is stuffed with pork and fish meat. The entire process from nut to your plates takes about five to seven days to prepare.
The otak otak is made up of mackerel fish without any flour. I like the textures of the mackerel fish meat and the aroma that comes from steaming it in banana leaves. Jenny once told me that the Istana used to call and order food. Little did they know it was for the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He was Peranakan himself and his mother was known to be a great cook. The fact that he kept ordering their dishes, [suggests they] may have reminded him of his own mother’s cooking.”
Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant
Address: 200 Joo Chiat Road, #01-01, S(427471)
2. Nyonya Novelties
Recommends: Chendol and nasi ulam
“They used to be called Chendol Melaka. Owner Daisy, who is Peranakan herself, runs the stall with her husband. So chendol is a dish that everyone has an opinion about all the time and most would hold their high standards in comparison to chendol in Penang. Daisy makes hers fresh, using soft pandan and fresh coconut that is added with a pinch of salt. The salt is the secret weapon. She also uses the right gula melaka. I can have one bowl after the other. I also like that it is consistent throughout the years.
As for the nasi ulam, it is not commonly found today—even my mother doesn’t prepare it. I have an aunt who makes amazing nasi ulam and her children call it cat food! Back to Daisy, she uses 17 ingredients, most of them fresh herbs: think laksa leaves, lime leaves, kantan (torch ginger flower), lemongrass, kerisik (toasted desiccated coconut) and basmati rice. It is laborious and freshness is key, so there is no place for any faults to hide.”
Nyonya Novelties
Address: 15 Upper East Coast Road, Soy Eu Tua CoffeeShop, S(455207)
3. Violet Oon Singapore
Recommends: Kuay pie tee and ngoh hiang
“In particular, the Jewel outlet if I may. For international visitors, Violet is a wonderful ambassador and representative of Peranakan food, even down to the ambience so the experience feels elevated. For the kuay pie tee, the turnip filling is first braised in prawn stock so it should be slightly brownish. She also includes garlic, taucheo and textures of winter bamboo shoots to impart more sweet and savoury flavours. Rule of thumb: if you see pale turnip filling, stay far away.
Another dish that Peranakans are finicky about is the ngoh hiang and I like Violet’s version. When the wrap on the ngoh hiang is tight, the filling won’t fall apart after slicing. She also adds crab meat and water chestnuts together with minced chicken. The expert handling of the thin bean curd skin results in an attractive crispiness enhanced by sambal belachan and sweet fruit sauce on the side.”
Violet Oon Singapore
Address: 78 Airport Boulevard, Jewel Changi Airport, #01-205/206, S(819666)
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4. Rempapa
Recommends: Babi tulang masak assam and sambal buah keluak
“I go to chef Damian’s for lesser-known dishes in the Peranakan repertoire. In chef Damian’s own words, both dishes are not commonly seen these days and even many Peranakans are not familiar with the dishes. Although babi tulang masak assam sounds simple, everything lies in the extraction of the robust flavours of the rempah and the sweetness of the pork. The flavour from the preserved soya bean and salted vegetables must also be balanced to enhance the sweet and savoury flavours.
On the other hand, sambal buah keluak is much more complex. The rempah requires diligence to extract the full flavour of the rempah titek before the flesh of the keluak is added. The next step requires patience to ensure that the rempah and the keluak amalgamate. This will take hours of slow cooking before santan is added and the slow-cooking process is repeated. For those who have not tried it, just imagine taking Mao Shan Wang durian and all its richness to create a paste, it is filled with intensely extravagant flavours.”
Rempapa
Address: 2 Paya Lebar Road, Park Place Residences at PLQ, #01-01/02/03, S(409053)
5. Rumah Bebe
Recommends: Fish maw soup and babi pongteh
“I’ve known Bebe for a long time and she always cooks from her heart. Her hee pio (fish maw) soup is all about freshness. Peranakan dishes are known for their robust rempah and gravy, making it easier to hide behind these strong flavours. But not when it comes to this bowl of clear soup as it had every depth of flavour thanks to the fresh ingredients that lend a natural sweetness. It tastes as close to my mother’s version. Even the accompanying components such as fish and pork balls are well-made.
For the babi pongteh, I have to stress that the star is the taucheo. Knowing how to fry the taucheo is super important too and, of course, they nail it. The fat ratio of the pork belly is also consciously chosen so that the dish isn’t overly cloying.”
Rumah Bebe
Address: 113 East Coast Road, S(428803)
Credits
Images: Alvin Yapp
