Tok Panjang

Just look how heavenly that kueh is... It’s moist, soft and coconut-y. It hit the perfect balance of sweetness and density - not cloyingly sweet or overly starchy. All the great traits of what makes a perfect kueh in my opinion ;)

It’s probably my favourite kueh here too!

My typical experience with Peranakan fare usually consists of elaborate dishes - and we wondered why they didn’t have the usual crowd favourites like rendang, buah keluak, etc.

As we chatted with the owner about it, he revealed their goal of keeping prices affordable without scrimping on the quality. Simple, hearty, flavourful meals that you would expect to find for lunch at a Peranakan household perhaps?

What we ordered:
- Nasi Kunyit ($5.50)
- Dry Mee Siam ($4.50)
- Mee Rebus ($4.50)
- Fresh Calamansi Juice ($1.50)

We loved the fragrant coconut aroma from the curry in the Nasi Kunyit, the chicken soaked in this, and the soft tamarind-infused rice. The Dry Mee Siam noodles were a unlike what I’ve tried - it tasted like a mix of lemongrass and assam. The Mee Rebus has a different gravy from the typical Mee Rebus which I liked - it’s a bit more bitter and not as thick. But the part of all these dishes has to be the super-shiok chilli sauce...you can taste the sweetness of the dried shrimp in it :)

And do get the fresh calamansi juice - they freshly squeeze it, which is a rarity nowadays.

P.S. We were told that the place is usually very packed on weekends, where you might not get a table til 2pm. So try to go on weekdays when it’s pretty empty!

Angelina the chief kueh-maker here has a large following of loyal kueh connoisseurs - some of whom come to buy her kuehs in bulk. They use 3 different types of flours to make their kuehs here, which makes for all the difference in quality (the kuehs are really soft).

Kueh Koswee - strong Gula Melaka taste (and probably my favourite)

Ondeh Ondeh - generous portions of moist coconut filling (probably the most I’ve ever seen in an Ondeh Ondeh), but a pity that it doesn’t have the burst in Gula Melaka which I long for

Ubi Kayu Kukus - one of the better steamed tapioca kuehs I’ve had

Kueh Pandan - strong Pandan flavour and among the softer kuehs (and my sis’ favourite)

Getup Getuk - an interesting mix of sweet potato and tapioca, which is denser than the other kuehs

Perhaps our favourite Kueh out of the few that we tried at this relatively new outfit at Bukit Timah Plaza (not affiliated with Tok Panjang Peranakan Cafe owned by the House of Peranakan Group). Fibrous, aptly sweet and moist, we liked how the top was slightly browned out for a slight contrast of flavour — the Kueh also did not feel overly dense too; pretty delicious, I would say!

Pretty light and showcases the subtle sweetness of the yam. The yam cake is served with minced chicken and mushrooms cooked with oyster sauce, topped with fried shallots and spring onions, turning a little snack into almost a small meal in itself. If you’re looking for home cooked food in a shopping center, this is the place to head to - the food and the service will warm your heart. #burpple