[New] Peranakan restaurant in 111 Somerset

New Peranakan restaurant openings are few and far between, the last notable one being Rempapa which opened in end 2021. The opening of Verandah @ Rael's at 111 Somerset thus came as sweet gula melaka to my ears.

The monochromatic theme of Verandah

From the monochrome aesthetic of Verandah, passers-by could be forgiven for dismissing this as yet another instagrammable cafe dishing out hipster grub, rather than a traditional restaurant serving authentic Peranakan cuisine. In fact the 2D black-&-white theme reminded me very much of Cafe Monochrome at Jalan Besar, except that Verandah went one step further by dotting the restaurant with whimsical "clouds", perhaps with the intent for customers to feel like they are on Cloud Nine when tucking into their delectable cuisine.

Whimsical "clouds" dotting the restaurant

The proof of the pudding lies not in these whimsical decorations though, but in the taste of the food. And no dish was more apt to kickstart this than Ayam Buah Keluak (S$19.90++) – the litmus test of any self-respecting Peranakan restaurant, a dish that requires extensive preparation to purge the toxins from the nut. Verandah's version was novel in the removal of the contents from the nut, mixing them together with minced pork, then stuffing the mixture back into the nut. A miniature fork was thoughtfully provided to tease the minced pork out of the nut, much like how the flesh of an escargot or gong gong is gingerly extricated from the shell. The earthy flavours of the buah keluak were fully integrated with the minced pork and chicken, and served as perfect accompaniment to plain rice.

Ayam Buah Keluak (S$19.90++)

Another quintessential Peranakan dish – Babi Pongteh (S$19.90++), comprised tender chunks of pork belly and turnip bathed in a sweet-savoury stew of fermented soybean sauce. The stew was fluid enough to be imbibed like a soup, yet viscous enough to be slathered over white rice. Bless the souls of the early Peranakans, who despite their mixed heritage, took the bold step to incorporate babi in their dishes, which would otherwise be deemed haram in Malay cuisine.

Babi Pongteh (S$19.90++)

Continuing the babi theme was Pong Tauhu (S$6.90++) – a light broth with pork meatballs. While this dish appears similar to another popular Peranakan dish called Bakwan Kepiting, the staff helpfully explained that Bakwan Kepiting is a mixture of pork and crab, whereas Pong Tauhu is a mixture of pork and prawns. The meatballs found in Verandah's Pong Tauhu were huge, amorphous masses handcrafted individually and lovingly, with the accompanying slivers of bamboo shoots providing a crunchy contrast to these juicy meatballs. The deceptively-light broth was bursting with so much flavour, it was a travesty to not slurp up every drop of it.

Pong Tauhu (S$6.90, individual portion)

The Satay (S$9.80++) comprised 6 pieces of immaculately-grilled chicken skewers. It is not easy to master the heat and duration for satays. While less competent satay stalls may serve them overly-charred, Verandah's deft execution results in juicy morsels coated with a slight crisp, and is optimally charred. The robust peanut sauce also holds its own, encouraging the consumption of the diced cucumbers and onions which usually play second fiddle to the satay.

Satay (S$9.80++)

Venturing into the seafood side of the house was Grilled Sotong with Sambal (S$20.90), a dish that would not feel out of place in a Malay restaurant, as sambal sotong features commonly in Malay cuisine too. A generous heap of sotong parts was grilled to the perfect texture – retaining the characteristic chewiness of cephalopods, yet soft enough to appeal to the mastication-challenged. The spice level of the sambal was deemed tolerable to even the most spice-averse consumers amongst us.

Grilled Sotong with Sambal (S$20.90)

Peranakan cuisine is best eaten with rice, with Verandah offering a choice of White Rice (S$2++) and Buttered Rice (S$2.90++). Apart from sporting a yellowish hue, the Buttered Rice didn't have the particularly-distinctive fragrance of butter, perhaps masked by the heavy-tasting stews and sauces which I slathered over the rice. My honest opinion? Forgo the Buttered Rice and stick to the good-ol' White Rice.

Buttered Rice (S$2.90++)

To complement our meal, the mocktails – Verandah Passionfruit juice (S$8.90++) and Verandah Calamansi juice (S$8.90++) provided a refreshing and cleansing counter-balance to the very "rich" dishes.

(left to right): Passionfruit juice & Calamansi juice, S$8.90++ each

All in all, our experience at Verandah was a very satisfying one. Prices were comparable to other Peranakan restaurants, and was commensurate with the quality of the food. The brisk yet attentive service and instagrammable interior further served to cement the dining experience as a memorable one. Would highly recommend Verandah as a choice for gatherings with friends and family, where several dishes can be shared.

A selection of wines are available for food-wine pairings

Verandah @ Rael's

111 Somerset Rd, #01-07, S(238164)

Daily 11am-3pm, 6-10pm