PUBLISHED July 17th, 2015 10:00 pm | UPDATED May 17th, 2017 06:18 pm
After a six-week renovation, Violet Oon’s Kitchen has re-emerged as Violet Oon Singapore, and the culinary queen of Bukit Timah has returned with a vast repertoire of renditions of our favourite local dishes.
With painstakingly sourced authentic Nyonya tiles adorning the walls, chic black furnishings, and glistening mirrors, there’s a sense of homeliness and old world charm that greets you warmly upon entering the main dining hall. The heart of the restaurant, however, is their sleek, glass-panelled show kitchen and private dining room that will also be used for culinary classes. On top of the gorgeous new facelift, Chef Violet has also overhauled the menu to focus on cuisine that embodies Singapore’s culinary heritage.
Paying homage to Singapore’s colonial heritage was the regally named Coronation Chicken ($13). Served in an amazingly crispy wonton leaf cup, the chicken was fork-tender and slathered in a creamy curry sauce. While fragrant, the curry sauce was milder and a lot sweeter than the usual Singaporean curry due to the golden raisin chutney, making a sweet start to our meal.
Meatless Meatball Rendang
Personally, the most surprising dish of the night was the Meatless Meatballs Rendang ($17). The harmonious combination of walnut and cheese blew me away – it successfully emulated the texture of the traditional meatball, while providing a good deal of bite to it. Complemented by a rich, aromatic rendang sauce bursting with flavours of kaffir and coconut, this is one vegetarian option I’ll swoon over for days to come.
While European-styled in presentation, the Dry Laksa ($22) reflects Chef Violet’s artistry in being able to add a touch of modernity to such a well-loved Peranakan dish. Just like pasta, the fresh rice noodles were spun into a mound and adorned with thick, juicy prawns and peanuts. The noodles and bean sprouts absorbed most of the gravy, such that each bite delivered the medley of spices and coconut milk. The slight touch of kafir lime in the gravy prevented the dish from becoming too overbearing.
Dry Laksa
The Sambal Udang ($27) was a huge hit with our City Nomads team – the shells were dead easy to remove and the chili padi was fiery enough to satisfy some of our most hardcore resident chili lovers. What really impressed us was the sauce’s balance of tangy sambal and sweet spice, making the Sambal Udang a sheer joy to eat despite the fact the prawns weren’t too big.
Another winner was the Garam Assam Fish ($23) – though a little sweeter that the regular Assam, each bite of the soft flesh brought forth bursts of the rich sour Assam fragrance. We’re pleased to say that the balance of spicy and sour has been achieved with this very dish, especially when eaten together with crunchy slices of pineapple and ladies’ fingers.
Kesturi Lemon Pie
We were stuffed to the brim by this point, but none of us could deny dessert. The Kesturi Lemon Pie ($13) gets two thumbs up from us – the buttery shortcrust yielded a delightful melt-in-your-mouth texture, while the accompanying homemade Limau Kesturi Compote brought a slight tartness to it. And if you’re just looking for something lighter to satiate your sweeth tooth, then we wholeheartedly recommend the lusciously soft Gula Melaka Cake ($12).
On the whole, we say pay this Bukit Timah gem a visit if you haven’t already – the ambiance is elegant yet cosy, and the lineup of delectable dishes dedicated to showcasing the many facets of Singaporean cuisine simply can’t be beat.
What do you think of Violet Oon and her updated restaurant? Let us know in the comments below.
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