Violet Oon’s restaurant in Bukit Timah serves authentic traditional and modern Nyonya cuisine. From a slightly shabby looking entrance, you’ll step into a cosy restaurant with interiors that exude Peranakan heritage charm.
What I tasted during my meal there last week was almost exceptional. We were the first to arrive at the restaurant when it opened at midday and by 12.30pm the restaurant was full, mostly with locals and expats living in the vicinity. We ordered the Meatless Meatballs Rendang ($15), Buah Keluak Noodle ($24) and the Dry Laksa ($24) to share between three of us.
The Meatless Meatballs Rendang and Buah Keluak Noodle came out first. The rendang sauce of the Meatless Meatballs Rendang was amazingly tasty and full of complexity. My mouth is watering at the thought of it! It was very moreish and the “meatballs” were actually made out of walnut and cheese braised in spices which practically melted in the mouth.
The Buah Keluak Noodle is a very unique dish, one that I haven’t had the pleasure of eating before. I’m a big fan of Buah Keluak which for those who don’t know, is the poisonous seed of the kepayang tree made edible by fermentation. It is a Peranakan specialty usually served with chicken but in this case the Buah Keluak is used to make a sauce infused with spices, minced prawns, chilli padi and coconut milk and it’s served with spaghetti. Although the spaghetti was slightly overcooked, the sauce itself was delicious.
Shortly after we had polished off both dishes, the Dry Laksa arrived. Delicious and flavourful, it’s a must for laksa lovers! For added spice and flavour, the sambal (chilli sauce) given to you at your table is great mixed into it with a squeeze of fresh calamansi.
To finish, we each had a Singaporean coffee and shared a slice of Kueh Beng Kah ($10). I had a Kopi VO C ($5) which is made from Violet Oon’s own signature blend of premium Arabica and Robusta beans which are roasted with margarine and caramelised to produce its unique flavour. It is brewed and percolated using traditional methods and then evaporated milk is added to it. Served with a cashew nut cookie, it was strong and full of flavour and had a mild sweetness but not too sweet for those who usually prefer their coffee without sugar.
The Kueh Beng Kah was absolutely delectable, probably the best tapioca cake I’ve ever had. It was topped with gula melaka (palm sugar) syrup and served with coconut milk on the side to balance out the sweetness. Yum!
Service at Violet Oon Bukit Timah is warm and friendly, they made us feel very welcome and we spent a relaxing two and a half hours there. Definitely a place I’ll be visiting again.
Reservations for Violet Oon Bukit Timah can be made using Chope and they also accept Chope vouchers where you can save 10% on food and drinks there!
Violet Oon Singapore (Bukit Timah branch)
Address: 881 Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 279893
Tel: 9834 9935
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm, Monday: Closed
Hope you’ve enjoyed my review of Violet Oon Bukit Timah, please feel free to leave a comment below with your own review of the restaurant or if you have any questions!
