Candlenut @ COMO Dempsey - World First Michelin Starred Peranakan Restaurant

I finally visited Candlenut at its new home at COMO Dempsey recently to tick off another Michelin starred restaurants in Singapore. Candlenut helmed by Chef Malcolm Lee is the world first Peranakan restaurant to be awarded 1 Michelin Star in 2016 and 2017 in Singapore Michelin Guide.

After placing our orders, we are served some complimentary Fish Crackers. By the way, if you notice the Sambal Belachan in the background, I have to pay $2 for it. It is not complimentary at Candlenut. I didn't know besides water, now restaurant also starts charging for chilli.

Crisy Beancurd Skin Ngoh Hiang 4.5/5

We started with the Crispy Beancurd Skin Ngoh Hiang ($16). The ngoh hiang is stuffed with minced pork, prawns and water chestnut. It is then wrapped in a thin layer of beancurd skin and fried to crisp. The version here is slightly different from the traditional, with more chunky textures at play which I enjoyed.

Kuhlbarra Ocean Barramundi Assam Pedas 4.5/5

The Kuhlbarra Ocean Barramundi Assam Pedas ($26) comes with baby lady's finger, eggplant and pineapple. Despite its fiery appearance, the dish is not as spiciness as it looks. The gravy was robust, having a good balance of sour and spicy. This complemented the piece of moist fish fillet excellently.

Chap Chye 4.8/5

A dish that I will always order whenever I visit a Peranakan restaurant is the chap chye. The Chap Chye ($18) comes with braised cabbage, black mushroom, lily buds, black fungus and vermicelli. The braised cabbage still retained a good crunch to it. The used of dried shrimp and fermented bean paste accentuated the dish, but not overpowering it. This is probably one of the best version I have eaten.

Braised Iberian Pork Carrillera Pongteh 5/5

The Braised Iberian Pork Carrillera Pongteh ($24) was so tender that we doubt we were having pork In fact, we actually check with the staff whether it was beef or pork. The fork tender, melted in the mouth texture really got us confused. This is cooked in a preserved soy bean gravy that is packed with flavours, together with shitake mushroom and crushed chilli.

Mai Shan Wang Ice Cream, Durian Puree, Kueh Rose 4.2/5

For dessert, we tried the Mai Shan Wang Ice Cream, Durian Puree, Kueh Rose ($15). The durian puree is quite sweet. So in order not to have a sugar rush, it is recommend to have a bit of everything today. This is a dessert made for durian lover.

Buah Keluak Ice Cream, Valrhona Chocolate, Chilli, Warm Chocolate Espuma 4.2/5

For the adventurous, you should try the Buah Keluak Ice Cream, Valrhona Chocolate, Chilli, Warm Chocolate Espuma ($15). I have not known that buah keluak can be made into ice cream. Not to mention the heavenly combination with valrhona chocolate. The buah keluak tasted like dark chocolate in the dessert.

Overall I am really impress with the Chef Malcolm's interpretation of Peranakan cuisine. He has definitely elevated traditional Peranakan food to a new level that is acceptable to the international palate while not losing the its heritage roots.


Candlenut
COMO Dempsey
Blk 17A Dempsey Road
Singapore 249676
Tel: 1800 3042288
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Farrer Road (CC Line), Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch
Daily: 12pm - 3pm
Dinner
Sun-Thu: 6pm - 10pm
Fri-Sat, Eve PH & PH: 6pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop along Orchard Boulevard (Stop ID 09022). Take bus number 7, 77, 106, 123 or 174. Alight 7 stops later. Walk to Dempsey Road. Walk to the round about near block 17 and 18. Walk to destination. Journey time 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Block 12 (Stop ID 11401). Take bus 106. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to Dempsey Road. Walk to the round about near block 17 and 18. Walk to destination. Journey time 20 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Farrer Road MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Farrer Road MRT station (Stop ID 11119). Take bus number 174 or 564. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to Dempsey Road. Walk to the round about near block 17 and 18. Walk to destination. Journey time 20 minutes. [Map]

Menya Sakura @ Boat Quay - Launches New Limited Edition A4 Wagyu Shabu Shabu Tsukemen

Menya Sakura, a Nagoya-style ramen shop originally established in Nagoya city, Japan started out as a humble 9-seater restaurant. With further expansions to 15 ramen restaurants in Japan, and 7 ramen restaurants in Indonesia, Menya Sakura is the first outlet to land in Singapore, located along the vibrant stretch of Boat Quay and helmed by chef Sho Naganuma. With a dedicated focus on quality ingredients and authenticity in its taste, one would be able to relish in satisfying bowls of slurp-worthy ramen. Here, you can expect a range of items from their menu, predominantly tonkotsu ramen, tsukemen, as well as chuka soba, and dons.

A4 Wagyu Shabu Shabu Tsukemen 3.8/5

Acclaimed to be the first of such a dish in Singapore - this newly launched A4 Wagyu Shabu Shabu Tsukemen ($29) comes in an alluring blanket of A4 wagyu sirloin shabu shabu slices atop springy thick noodles, an inviting alternative to their signature pork chasu. Made with ingredients directly imported from Japan and a range of different soy sauces such as the Shibanuma Shoyu (est 1688 in Japan), the soup was blended with dried sardine, bonito flake, organic kelp and double flavoured clear chicken and seafood dashi, amplifying that umami factor as you dip those fork-tender shabu shabu slices into the piping hot broth to 'cook' it. Slurping up the warmed pieces with the dipped dry noodles and soup ensued a harmony of flavours and textures that is simply satisfying. No doubt I found the concept to be a refreshing idea, and this dish full of slurp-goodness to be quite enjoyable, albeit a tad salty which might be overpowering for some.

Note: This dish is only available in limited portions each day for a limited time period.

Tonkotsu Tsukemen (Dipping Ramen) 4.2/5

One of the more popular choices in the restaurant includes their Tonkotsu Tsukemen ($17). It comes in the form of thick texture noodles with well-marinated pork chasu slices, and a bowl of rich seafood and tonkotsu dipping soup. The noodles were done al dente, springy yet firm with each bite while the accompanying warm bowl of seafood and tonkotsu broth packs a robust punch with each dip of those sturdy noodles, aptly coating each strand and delivering an intense burst of flavours with each bite. Yet not too overwhelming, it flaunts a fine balance of intensity and savouriness that I really enjoyed. A clear hot stock is also served as an add-on to the remaining broth after finishing the noodles, to make it more drinkable on its own.

Spicy Premium Tonkotsu Ramen 4/5

The Spicy Premium Tonkotsu Ramen ($16) was created to cater to the local palate which has a propensity for spicier food. It comes in the form of chewy thin noodles in a creamy, full-bodied tonkotsu broth, delivering just a mild spice kick, so perhaps you can add a smidgen of chilli oil to liven it up even more. Although my preference leans more towards the non-spicy version of the Tonkotsu Tsukemen for its richer and more intense flavoured broth less the distraction of the chilli oil, it is no doubt still a straightforward and comforting bowl of ramen that fared well.

Truffle Chasu Egg Don, includes Mini Tonkotsu Soup  4.2/5

The rice dish we had was the Truffle Chashu Egg Don ($15), which comes with an onsen egg, black truffle oil, minced pork, scallions, kombu, and nestled on a bed of warm Japanese rice. Breaking apart the egg reveals a tempting runny yellow, that just gels all the unami elements together upon mixing them up. What you get is a bowl of comfort food devoid of any pretentiousness, with that strong black truffle aroma still lingering, as you send spoonfuls into your mouth. A sublime dish, I thoroughly enjoyed it from the first bite to the last.

Menya Sakura has set the standard and certainly yields a considerable edge over its rivals with its hearty bowls of Nagoya-style ramen. I liked the level of authenticity in its taste, which is robust and slightly heavier to the palate as well.

Do note that the A4 Wagyu Shabu Shabu Tsukemen is ony avilable in limited portions for a limited time period till further notice from the outlet.

Written and photography by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Menya Sakura
69 Boat Quay
Singapore 049857
Tel: +65 9469 3366
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat 1130am - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun & PH)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down Upper Circular Road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to the river front. Turn left and walk down Boat Quay. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]