Restaurant Review: Blue Ginger (Singapore)

Photos:  1)  Shredded bamboo shoots and turnips; 2) eggplant and chillies; 3) chicken in spicy sauce; 4) dessert!  (see below)

How often in life does one come across a new cuisine? Not very, so I was thrilled when my friend, Charlene, a native Singaporean (now – ironically – living in Seattle), invited me to the Blue Ginger, a restaurant featuring Peranakan dishes.  But first, she had to explain what, exactly, Peranakan was.

Peranakan (pronounced “Per-AN-a-kan”) refers to descendants of early Chinese settlers, who came to Singapore and parts of the Malay peninsula, especially Malacca and Penang, and intermarried with local Malays.  The resulting cuisine is a wonderful blend of Chinese and Malay cooking.  Many of the ingredients and spices are familiar to lovers of Asian food – curry, shrimp paste, galangal, turmeric, and lime leaves – but with a new twist.

I asked Charlene to order and she did a splendid job of providing us with a little bit of everything:

• Kueh Pie Tee:  Shredded bamboo shoots and turnips garnished with shrimp in crispy little cups


• Sambal Terong Goreng: Deep-fried eggplant smothered with fresh chilli paste and sweet soya sauce


• Sotong Kunyit: Fresh squid stir-fried with turmeric powder and flavored with tamarind


• Ayam Panggang “Blue Ginger”: Grilled de-boned chicken thigh and drumstick, covered with a sauce flavored with coconut milk and spices

For dessert we enjoyed a very local Duri an Chendol, which was red beans and flavored jelly soaked in freshly squeezed coconut milk and sweetened with durian puree. My six-year-old is generally adventurous when it comes to new food, and as with all traditionally spicy cuisines, there were a few dishes that offered a bit less chili.   In this case, Elisa loved the squid, wanted nothing to do with the eggplants laden with chilies, and revealed a look of utter disgust after one bite of the dessert.  My review was more positive; I enjoyed everything though my favorite was the Kueh Pie Tee, where I loved the blend of flavors coupled with the crunchy shell.

The Blue Ginger is located in what is known here as a “shop house.”  Shop houses were built in the 19^th and 20^th centuries to accommodate both commercial and living space.  Owners would run their businesses on the ground floor and live on the upper floor.  Few remain today in Singapore, but those that do are a delight, offering colorful facades, charming interiors, and a glimpse into another day and time.

Read about more food adventures here.