Peranakan Snacks by Chinta Manis at myVillage, Serangoon Gardens
Whenever Nonya Kuehs are mentioned, most Singaporeans will immediately think of Bengawan Solo, Kedai Kue Kue, Kim Choo Kueh Chang and Glory Catering. It's difficult to find decent Nonya Kuehs in Singapore these days because alot of the rich flavours, variety and details such as the hand-pinched design on tarts have been lost over the years in the interest of time and convenience.
I was invited to a tasting of Peranakan snacks by Chinta Manis at myVillage in Serangoon Gardens recently and was curious to check it out as I was too busy to attend their previous tasting a year ago. Having lived close to Katong (a Peranakan enclave) all my life, I wanted to find out how Chinta Manis fared against the competition.
Roti Jala @ S$3 for 3 rolls
It's not easy to find Roti Jala (Fishnet Coconut Pancakes / Crêpes) in Singapore. Served with egg sambal, curry and curry potatoes, it was delicious as the soft and springy pancake absorbed the fragrantly spicy curry gravy. I loved the curry gravy so much, I was literally drowning my Roti Jala. The sambal chili that topped the half of a hard-boiled egg was a little too salty but otherwise, it was quite a good complement to the egg.
Chinta Manis takes pride in making their own rempah (spice mix) for the curry. Only available after 2pm, the Roti Jala here is a Must-Try.
Pandan Chiffon Cake @ S$5.40 for the whole cake
I am generally not a huge fan of Pandan Chiffon Cake, largely because the ones I've had tended to be too sweet. This was no exception, it was a little too sweet and dry for my liking.
Ondeh Ondeh @ S$0.70 each
Ondeh Ondeh (green balls of glutinous rice flour with a juicy core of gula melaka syrup) is one of my favourite Nonya Kuehs. Unfortunately, there was too much flour and too little Gula Melaka (palm sugar) in this Ondeh Ondeh making it a little too chewy and just a tad too dry.
Rempah Udang @ S$1.20 & Pulut Seri Kaya @ S$0.90
Pulut Seri Kaya (aka Kueh Salat) is also one of my favourite Nonya Kuehs. Comprising of a thick layer of kaya (coconut egg custard) on a layer of glutinous rice, I like the combination of sweet coconut-infused egg custard with the slightly savoury and sticky glutinous rice. I liked the rice layer but the kaya layer here was just a little too hard for my liking. The Rempah Udang fared much better. Essentially, cylindrical-shaped lumps of slightly-sweetened glutinous rice stuffed with a spicy, dried shrimp filling and wrapped in banana leaf, it was tasty and mildly spicy. A pretty good balance of flavours, unlike some of the excessively sweet ones I've tried. The Rempah Udang is worth a try.
Chinta Manis @ myVillage at Serangoon Gardens 1 Maju Avenue, # B1 -05K Singapore 556679 Phone: +65 6634-5424Operating Hours Mondays to Fridays : 11 am – 9 pm Saturdays & Sundays: 10 am – 9 pm
Chinta Manis @ China Square Food Court 51 Telok Ayer Street #01-03 Singapore 048441 Phone: +65 6225-4754
Operating Hours Mondays to Fridays : 7.30 am – 8 pm Saturdays & Sundays: closed
Chinta Manis @ Macdonald's House 11 King Albert Park, #01-04 Macdonald's House Singapore 598292 Phone: +65 6465-0383Operating Hours Mondays to Sundays : 8 am – 8 pm
Chinta Manis @ Changi Airport 60 Airport Boulevard, #016-010 Changi Airport Terminal 2 Arrival Hall, Singapore 819643 Phone: +65 6214-9762Operating Hours: 24 hours daily
PS: Thank you, Chinta Manis and myVillage for hosting me.