A unique cultural community in Singapore, the Peranakans are mostly descendents of 15th and 16th century Chinese immigrants of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya. These immigrants adopted much of the Malay culture, including their language and dress. They are fluent in the Malay language, speaking Peranakan patois, which is a charming blend of Malay peppered with Hokkien words.

Today, the Peranakans are known for their rich and unique culture and heritage from their language and style of dress to their customs, and of course, fabulous cuisine. “We believe that the best way to round up your Peranakan experience is to dine in our restaurant where our culture comes alive,” says True Blue Cuisine’s Owner and Chef, Benjamin Seck, who has appeared on several cooking programmes on local TV.

Step into True Blue and you will almost feel like you are visiting a Peranakan Baba (man) or Nyonya’s (woman) home.You will see the actual chim chae area, or airwell, which is a very important feature of a Peranakan home as it was used to collect rain water and sunning preserved foods like belachan (chilli) and achar (pickles) back in the day. Adorning the walls is True Blue’s private collection of photographs while genuine antiques decorate the space.

 
Be greeted by the aromatic scent of the Bunga Rampay, a sweet smelling potpourri made of shredded pandan leaves and flower petals topped with safflower oil. Then savour True Blue’s authentic Peranakan cuisine and you will discover why the restaurant was conferred a ‘Singapore Tatler Best Restaurants’ award in 2008, amongst other accolades over the years.

Fondly known as Baba Ben in the Peranakan community, Chef Seck started the restaurant with the help of his mother, Nyonya Daisy Seah, a famous Peranakan chef. Equipped with his mother’s superb culinary skills, Baba Ben also enjoys experimenting with fusion Peranakan dishes. In fact, he was one of the first chefs to use edible orchids to enhance the flavour and appearance of his dishes.   Try True Blue’s signature Peranakan dishes like Bakwan Kepiting (Crab and chicken meat balls), Itek Tim (Duck with salted vegetables), Beef Rendang (Beef simmered in coconut sauce), Itek Sio (Duck braised with sweet coriander powder), and Ayam Pongteh (Chicken stewed in fermented bean paste). These are often accompanied by condiments like Achar (pickles), Sambal Belachan (Chillies with dried shrimps) and Cincalok (Salt-preserved fresh shrimps).   An absolute must-try is Ayam Buah Keluak (Chicken stewed with black nuts), which is one of the most famous of Peranakan dishes. Buah keluak is a poisonous fruit from the Kepayang tree

that grows in the wild in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is available from local markets but has to be thoroughly washed and boiled, then buried in layers of ash, banana leaves and earth for 40 days to remove any poisons. After being soaked overnight, the kernels are dug out, pounded with secret spices, and then reinserted into the seeds.

Top off your exquisite meal with a selection of desserts like Onde Onde Gula Melaka (Steamed glutinous rice balls with palm sugar centre), Pulot Hitam (Warm sweet black glutinous rice), Kueh Kueh Platter (assortment of local cakes) and the famous Pineapple Tart.

Besides the main dining room, the restaurant features three private dining rooms. On the ground level of the two-storey restaurant, you can dine like in days of yore at the 14-seater tok panjang (long table) in Manek Room, which showcases Baba Ben’s own collection of beadwork and a pair of Peranakan wedding lanterns. On the upper level, Intan Room, which seats six, boasts an opulent environment where antique jewellery can be admired and even purchased. In Sulam Room also on the second level, guests can dine on a 24-seater antique dining table, while fine hand-embroidered kebayas, which is the ethnic costume of the Nyonya, add to the quaint décor.

A true gem within the local Peranakan community, the restaurant can also be booked for private parties and traditional Peranakan weddings. So for a slice of unique Peranakan culture, look no further than True Blue cuisine.