| 4.2.07 |
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something i've written to see if my writing gets me anywhere... not fantastic, i must say... but it's a place i'm passionate about... so i guess it deserves an entry in the blog... just promise not to laugh... ----------------------------------------------- Tucked away in a little corner of Binjai Park, off Bukit Timah Road, away from the culinary haven of Sixth Avenue and its vicinity, is a little gem unknown to many. Despite its unassuming exterior and lack of culturally rich décor, IVINS Peranakan Restaurant is one of the community’s best-kept secrets. Having grown up on its authentic Peranakan cuisine, the place brings old memories of my childhood without failing to excite my gastronomical senses every single time. Contrary to popular belief that the cuisine is all about the spice and chilies, not everything is spicy, though I must say its richness is not for the faint-hearted, (pun on cholesterol intended). The interior of the restaurant is truly nothing to shout about, but this asserts the fact that patrons are really there for the food. Compared to other Peranakan restaurants in Singapore, with their art, décor and ambience, all suitably pumped with colour and culture, IVINS definitely pales in comparison. However, the minimal layout and ordinary lighting of the restaurant recreates a homely dining ambience, a welcomed experience for all victims of the loss of traditional Peranakan cooking at home. Couples will definitely find the décor unromantic but there is no loss as the joy in Peranakan cuisine is the fact that you need a party of people to enjoy a variety of dishes. As the main clientele are families, very often all three generations, the place does get pretty rowdy and noisy during peak hours. While the restaurant fails to satisfy our psychographic nature, the food makes up for it ten times over. Every traditional Peranakan family has their own favourite dishes that the matriarch of the family once dished out with relative flair and finesse, but there are a standard few dishes that no good Peranakan restaurant can do without. One of them that IVINS prepares with high standards is the Ayam Buah Keluak ($5.50). The star of this dish is definitely the buah keluak, which is a hard nut deemed to be poisonous. In order to purge the nut of its poison, the cook must soak the nut repeatedly in water over many days before using it in the dish. To enjoy this wonderfully dangerous delicacy, the diner must scoop the black meat from the shell of the nut, mix it with the chicken meat and drench the mixture with the spicy sour gravy that comes with. A family favourite will be the Papaya Titek ($4.20) without question. Served in a heated claypot, the peppery gravy with a slight tinge of candle nut complements the steamed white rice very well and I could eat it just like that, if not for the other tempting dishes laid out. The papaya used for cooking must be unripe so that it will be soft and yet, still firm to the bite, very enjoyable knowing that your vegetable, or fruit to be precise, is a healthy choice indeed. A good number of medium-sized prawns served with, sweetens the gravy and makes this dish very value-for-money. To balance the richness of the other dishes, soups like the Bakwan Kepeting ($5.00) cleanses the palates for more tantalising flavours. The clear soup with bamboo shoots is flavourful yet not overpowering, perfect for those who appreciate lighter flavours as compared to the thick aromatic gravies. The well-shaped meatballs, with fresh crab meat mixed in, is generously sized and enough to satisfy. A good strategy to order enough and not too much is to select one dish per person and more if you foresee very hungry diners. They serve up pretty efficiently after your order so additional orders are not a problem really. Another thing I really appreciate in IVINS is its good selection of affordable desserts, both hot and cold. The hot Buboh Terigu ($1.10) and Pulot Hitam ($1.10) are thick and not overly sweet as a lot of desserts can be. A cold dessert that they serve very well is the common Chendol, but do ask for it to be served in a glass instead of the bowl. While it costs $1.50 instead of the usual $1.10, the portion is much bigger and you are given a straw to slurp the green jelly worms made from mung beans. The gula melaka used adds a unique earthy sweetness to the dessert, flavouring the otherwise plain coconut milk and red beans. For such an extensive selection available on the menu, IVINS staffs do have an impressive grasp of the dishes available. While they do get a little flustered by the crowd during the busy meal hours, you are served with everything you need, save for the obligatory sambal belachan that they only serve upon request. Do look out for a designated server who piles at least four steaming claypots on his/her arms while bringing them out from the kitchen, accordingly, only few have been trained to handle the pots with such courage and flair. IVINS definitely goes down as one of the most affordable and authentic Peranakan restaurant in Singapore, though authenticity is debatable due to the differing styles in Peranakan homes of yesteryear. Do not be fooled by its affordability, good food can be cheap too. For less than $10 per person, one gets a very satisfying meal which is really the fusion of the Malay and Chinese style of cooking, tracing back to the days of Chinese immigrants and native Malays, with a special added Nyonya touch. It is also this idea of inter-racial experimentation that made the Peranakan language (a mix of Malay and Chinese dialects) unique and their food, out-of-this-world, albeit very subjective to the individual. For me, this is the kind of food that truly embodies the Singaporean culture, an exciting mish-mash of ethnicities blending seamlessly into one. IVINS 19/21 Binjai Park Bukit Timah Singapore 589827 Tel: 6468 3060 Operating Hours: 11am to 3pm (Lunch) 5pm to 9pm (Dinner) Closed on Thursdays ----Stef stopped rambling at 14:19 --Link to Post |
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