Scotts Road is one neighbourhood you don’t expect to find Peranakan food; not to mention food that doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket. Nestled along a row of colonial houses at the edge of the Orchard shopping district, Indocafé – The White House exudes a quiet charm that draws expatriates living in that area and locals looking to rest their feet after a long day of shopping. Rich red and wooden tones greet you as you enter, and take an extra moment to admire the framed pieces of an old traditional chest of drawers and nyonya garments.

The menu doesn’t distinguish between Penang, Malaccan and Indonesian Peranakan cuisine. In fact, it integrates all of them to present the best of Peranakan flavours to diners. Indocafé prides itself on the ability to serve Peranakan food that is true to grandma’s recipes, yet has a contemporary flair to it that reminds us we are, after all, dining on Scotts Road in the 21st century. Dishes are served in clean, plain crockery by wait staff whose uniforms include cufflinks with embedded pieces of porcelain. As the chef sommelier puts it, one imagines this is how a wealthy Peranakan trader in Singapore lives and shows off his heritage today.

The ambience alone is sufficient to leave us raving for days, but it’s hard to forget what Indocafé is really good for – Peranakan cuisine that’ll definitely please both you and your grandmother! (Jul 2012)

The attention to detail at Indocafé is astonishing. The restaurant serves iced water with cucumber slices instead of the standard lemon ones with the cool, refreshing slices balancing the heavy spices used in most of their dishes. For a waterfall of refreshment, we recommend a Passion Mojito Cooler – a cucumber water drink with mint leaves and passionfruit.

One Chope member selfishly kept eating the Ayam Buah Keluak – a braised chicken dish served with black nut. This nut in its raw form is poisonous and must be prepared in a special manner which involves burying it in ash for forty days. For a dish this gratifying, we were willing to take our chances.

We also recommend the Sotong Assam Goreng for a nice hint of spiciness that doesn’t overpower the natural flavour of the squid. Then there's the Ikan Assam Nanas Pedas, a sautéed fish in spicy pineapple curry. If you’re not a big fan of seafood, Indocafe makes a pretty neat vegetarian Pajelis Ong Lai (pineapple curry) too!

After our meal, we decided to sit back and continue our Peranakan education over coffee and tea. Indocafe offers Peranakan food with a slight twist and is perfect for intimate dates. Just know if you bring a member of Chope with you, order two of everything because we're definitely not sharing! (Jul 2012)