The world’s first Michelin starred restaurant of Peranakan cuisine【#37 Singapore Recommended Restaurant “Candlenut”】

This time I would like to introduce “Candlenut”, a Peranakan restaurant located in Dempsey. This is the first restaurant in the world to be awarded a Michelin star for its Peranakan cuisine.

Please see the review to the end.

General Review

Score

⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	Must repeat! A highly recommended restaurant.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	Should repeat! A highly satisfying restaurant.
⭐️⭐️⭐️	Would repeat! A good restaurant.
⭐️⭐️	A great place to go and recommended.
⭐️	An ordinary restaurant.

Recommended Usage

Pros / Cons

Atmosphere

Appearance

The restaurant is located in Dempsey, a neighborhood lined with trendy restaurants. Each restaurant has a sign with the same design and the name of the restaurant on it. There is both indoor and outdoor seating.

Interior

The interior of the restaurant is very clean and sophisticated, with mainly round tables for 4-5 people and tables for 2. It is also available for large groups of 6 or more. Such tables are located near the entrance.

A plaque with a Michelin star is displayed at the restaurant’s reception.

Although it is a Michelin-starred restaurant, the atmosphere is not so high class and is very casual. There is no dress code.

Reservations are essential as the restaurant is very popular. Depending on the time of day, reservations may not be available for a long time, so we recommend making reservations as early as possible.

Food

Menu

You can choose from a la carte and omakase course “ah-ma-kase”. Here is the a la carte menu.

And here is the course menu.

I recommend “ah-ma-kase” because you can enjoy a variety of Pranacan dishes on a small plate at once. Even if you are not familiar with Planakan cuisine, you do not have to choose your own menu. I chose this course.

Eating

ah-ma-kase July 2023 $138

You can get 4 appetizers, 1 soup, 5 main dishes + rice, and 3 desserts. The portions are quite large, so please make sure to go there with an empty stomach. Let me start with appetizers.

Appetizer

First, four appetizers are served together here. They are all bite-sized.

Kueh Pie Tee

This is a classic Peranakan dish. It is a cornflour cup filled with vegetables and eggs. The ingredients used vary from restaurant to restaurant, so you can enjoy the different tastes of each restaurant. The chili sauce on top is a nice accent.

Kueh Bakar Berlauk

This dish seems to be a snack or light meal in Planakan, and is made of a dough called kueh topped with a Planakan-style curry. It is a dish that does not have a lot of spice and offers an elegant taste.

Buah Keluak Rempah Udang

This dish combines Buah Keluak with spices and shrimp paste. Buah Keluak” is a special kind of nut that is toxic. It is said to be a very time-consuming ingredient that requires a special procedure when cooking. Cooking the fruit removes the toxin and gives it a unique flavor and creamy taste. It is a unique Pranakan ingredient that must be tasted at least once.

Charcoal Grilled Maimoa Lamb Neck Satay

This will be the famous Satay skewers. Lamb is used, and the sweetly seasoned sauce is a perfect match. It has a refined and elegant taste that is different from the satay served in hawker restaurants.

Soto Bakso (Soup)

The soup is served next. “Soto” generally refers to the soup, and “Bakso” means meatballs. In addition, there is a very juicy and thick white fish (turmeric batang fish). This fish is very fatty and delicious!

Main

After a while, the main dishes are brought out. The five dishes shown here are served with rice. All dishes are very tasty when served with rice.

Kerabu jantung Pisang

This is a type of salad made with banana cores. It has a very unusual and unique taste. At least, it was the first taste I experienced. Because it is made with banana cores, it has a banana flavor. I feel that it may be a dish that people like or dislike differently.

Beef Short Rib Kapitan Curry

This is a coconut milk-based curry with a spicy and rich flavor. It contains a very meaty Beef Short Rib. The meat, cooked at low temperature, is very tender and melts in your mouth. It has a spicy and sweet flavor that is typical of Singaporean and Malay cuisine. It is very tasty when served with rice.

Babi Assam

This is a sour dish made with pork and characterized by the flavor of asamum (tamarind). It is topped with a spicy chili-based sauce. The pork is made from Iberian pork cooked at low temperature and is very juicy and tender. The combination with the chili sauce is excellent, and this dish is definitely to be eaten with rice. This dish is also a part of the Planacan cuisine and is mainly enjoyed in Singapore and Malaysia.

King Prawn Masak Lemak

“Masak Lemak” is a coconut milk-based curry dish. It contains a large shrimp called king prawn. The coconut milk softens the spiciness of the curry to a good degree, and the flavor is very rich. The prawns are very plump and very filling.

Ikan Chuan Chuan

This dish consists of grilled seafood topped with a kind of sweet-and-sour sauce. This dish is similar to Japanese food as it is a kind of white fish with sweet-and-sour sauce, and I think it goes well with the Japanese palate. The skin of the fish, which is grilled well, is very tasty, as is the white meat inside. This dish also goes very well with rice.

Dessert

Finally, you can have dessert. It will be sorbet, chocolate cake, and caramel custard cake. I don’t usually eat dessert, but this cake in particular was super delicious. It tasted luxurious and I felt it was indeed a Michelin-starred restaurant.

SUNDAY’S BREW PILSNER. $12

Here is the beer I ordered. It is a local craft beer made at a brewery in Singapore. The beer is very refreshing and easy to drink. The label also has a Singaporean design with a somewhat Chinese atmosphere. In addition to Pilsner, Pale Ale is also available. Please enjoy local craft beer with Peranakan cuisine.

Access

Located closer to Holland Rd in Dempsey, the MRT does not go nearby, so buses or cabs are the best option.

Summary

This is a wonderful Peranakan restaurant that deserves its Michelin star. The omakase course is a great way to enjoy a variety of dishes at once.

Needless to say, the taste is delicious. Compared to other Planacan restaurants, it is undeniably more expensive, but considering that it is a Michelin-starred restaurant, I think the price is acceptable. Many Michelin-starred restaurants are very expensive.

If you are interested, Candlenut, please check it out.

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