National Kitchen by Violet Oon

22 Responses

1. 21st July 2016 SassyMamaSG Log in to Reply

   Served daily, the three-tiered tingkat-inspired stand comes laden with several of Singapore’s favourite foods and some modern twists to Peranakan classics. If you have never tried her food, the high tea set is an excellent introduction… the tea set includes six savoury, and six sweet nibbles … All the savoury flavours in this meal are bold and punchy, but manageable for those who don’t like too much heat … You might be intimated to order these kuehs at a traditional Peranakan restaurant, thankfully the high tea set is a good way to familiarise yourself with these flavours and their delightful combinations … We can’t think of a better high tea to show off Singapore with guests or visitors. Read full review. +

2. 6th June 2016 FaithJoyHope Log in to Reply

   If you want to impress your date or his/her family, note National Kitchen on your list. Not only is the ambiance romantically soothing among the unique settings of local Peranakan flavor, the menu boosts exquisite selections that not only looks great on presentations but big on taste too … Coronation Chix in Wanton Leaf Cup: This petite dish basically portrays the state of a ‘crown’ topped with sauteed savory chicken bites in curry sauce with golden raisin sauce. The crown crust was crispy and flaky and married happily with the toppings. We wished it was larger though … Ayam buah keluak: Regardless of the number of times I have had Buah Keluak, I still cannot get accustomed to the taste… The taste of course is awesome – curry and all, but the nut was not to easy to get accustomed to. Nevertheless it’s an awesome piece and the taste, flavor is right on point. Read full review. +

3. 29th April 2016 FaerieImps Log in to Reply

   There’re so many mixed reviews about National Kitchen by Violet Oon that I had to try it for myself. It’s small, but beautifully done up. But the wood and tiles don’t help with controlling noise levels … Well, dunno about you, but I’ve gone by a few times and enjoyed the food at National Kitchen … Happy to see my favorite buah keluak noodle (spaghetti) on the menu. It was still oily at the bottom though. Ugh. I wish the kitchen would go easy on the oil. Had to order idly with coconut and tomato chutney. We were curious! While the idly were the tiniest ones around, but they were surprisingly decent. (Can’t beat Murugan’s lah.) The idly were, how should I put it without going into the technical details of how to make idly/idli and what makes it good… Read full review. +

4. 19th February 2016 ExpatLiving Log in to Reply

   As fans of Violet’s Bukit Timah outlet, we couldn’t wait to experience the much-anticipated National Kitchen by Violet Oon for ourselves. It sure didn’t disappoint. It’s worth going for the décor alone; gorgeously designed by Violet’s daughter, Su-Lyn … Violet’s food is the perfect sampling of Singaporean-Peranakan fare, with Indian, Malay and Hainanese influences… If you like spice, go for the ikan goreng chilli – fried red snapper topped with a heaping dollop of spicy chilli padi garlic rempah (ground spice paste) – and the deliciously piquant sambal eggplant wedges … Portions are generous, so we’d suggest going with a group to sample all sorts of different dishes from the extensive menu. Read full review. +

5. 19th January 2016 EatDrinkKL Log in to Reply

   There’s a sense of painstaking meticulousness to National Kitchen’s food – even the sambal belacan isn’t an afterthought; it’s fiery, fantastically textured & flooded with nuanced flavours, beyond a doubt the most satisfying sambal belacan we’ve ever had in a restaurant … Spaghetti coated with an intensely aromatic buah keluak paste infused with cili padi, minced shrimp & coconut milk & a rice-noodle dry laksa tossed with tau pok, prawns & bean sprouts illustrate how the kitchen strives to strike a balance between a respect for culinary tradition & a resolution to bring contemporary relevance to heritage cooking … The restaurant isn’t timid about creating rich, robust dishes – the ‘opor nangka udang’, featuring prawns & salted fish stewed with jackfruit in coconut gravy, seems to instantly inflate the waistline, but the guiltiest indulgence of all is the ‘daging chabek’, with lusciously slow-braised beef cheek in spicy tamarind Gula Melaka gravy. Read full review. +

6. 18th January 2016 MyFoodSirens Log in to Reply

   I don’t quite get the hype and raves over National Kitchen. Most of the dishes are average-nice but definitely nothing spectacular nor memorable … The most special item we ordered was the “kimchiam” salad. I have never had this combination before – boiled prawns, sweet and slightly tangy starfruit, chewy dried lily buds, all tied together by a spicy chilli dressing … The description of “cod in laksa sauce” already had me salivating and thankfully, the execution was exactly what I imagined it to be. The fresh slab of fatty cod went very well with the sinfully rich and creamy laksa sauce. May be overwhelming for some people but it’s right up my alley! Read full review. +-

7. 7th January 2016 HeyKumo Log in to Reply

   We ordered the idly (rice cake) with chutney, fish head curry, and ju hee char (cuttlefish & vegetables) only to make sure that we had space for dessert … The rice cake dish was done with pretty quickly. It is an Indian dish, and for reference, felt like a softer tutu kueh. The cuttlefish & vegetables arrived next, and while Asian food is hard to photograph sometimes, the appearance belies the great taste you get once you dig into the dish. The broth was so flavourful and keeps you wanting more. The fish head curry took its time to appear but it was the star of the meal. It is not very spicy, so you may not love it if a kick is what you were hoping for. But to us, the aroma of the curry, and the mix of all the spices took us in. Read full review. +

8. 6th January 2016 SingaporeFoodie Log in to Reply

   One thing to note about the starters is that they range dramatically in size, and although the prices give some indication of that, it would be helpful if the staff explained when we ordered only one serve of the Coronation Chicken, that it might be better to share two between the four of us … For mains we chose Chicken Rice, Ikan Goreng Chilli (cripsy red snapper with chilli), Sayur Lodeh (mixed veg in coconut gravy) and after suffering a disappointment with no Beef Rendang we went for the Dagang Chabek Beef Cheek instead. Now that was a good decision. Possibly the highlight of the night. The rich sauce was reminiscent of rendang, slightly less fragrant and more rich, but the tamarind and gula melaka flavours were addictive and the meat was superb. The chilli fish was also a stand out, nicely cooked fish, breaking up into white flakes easily and dipped in the super chilli sauce made it quite the hot dish of the evening. Read full review. +

9. 27th December 2015 DanielFoodDiary Log in to Reply

   The National Kitchen is aptly named, slightly opulence, traditionally modern, stylishly elegant … The menu is 70% similar to her restaurant at Bukit Timah … Oh, the Beef Rendang was another favourite, of tender beef shin braised in spiced flavoured with kaffir and bay leaves in a creamy coconut sauce. The beef was of the right texture – neither tough chewy, nor soft till it would disintegrate. The flavourful gravy came with a balanced taste of spiciness, sweetness and savouriness … However, I thought that the dishes that bordered on average were the Chap Chye which could be cooked softer with more richness in flavours; and the Buah Keluak Noodles… Read full review. +

10. 15th December 2015 MissTamChiak Log in to Reply

    Brisket is the cut of beef that I like best, it is also a cut that needs long hours of braising to get it tender. We tried two beef dishes – Eurasian Beef Brisket Semor and Daging Chabek Beef Cheek. The former is a beef stew with spices such as cinnamon and cloves. The latter is a recipe from Violet’s indonesian Baba grand aunt. It is lovingly braised in palm sugar and tamarind, infused with coconut cream, chillies, onions and belacan. Another dish which I seldom see is the Opor Nangka Udang. This is a smooth creamy dish of young jackfruit poached in a spiced gravy with coconut cream and served with Ikan Kurau salted fish bones and kaffir lime leaves. Read full review. +

11. 10th December 2015 WokTravels Log in to Reply

    The overall dining experience at National Kitchen was good. Immaculate attention to detail has been given to the graceful Peranakan-style Art Decor interior; I love those petite and colourful Peranakan spice-pots in the showcase. Peranakan cuisine is about homely and comfort food, and National Kitchen delivers on that front. Prices are not cheap but that’s to expected of such a premium locale as the National Gallery; it may not be your go-to place for your regular Nyonya food fix, but it is certainly on my to-do list to bring my overseas guests for that unique Peranakan dining experience in someone’s home, albeit someone who is rather wealthy, given the gorgeous setting. Read full review. +

12. 9th December 2015 IrissLove Log in to Reply

    I have never been a fan of kueh pie tee, but these were pretty delicious. The shell was crispy without being too thick and oily. The bamboo shoot and turnip were first poached in prawn bisque to give that extra fragrant flavour and topping it with sweet sauce to round it off was pretty satisfying … The beef rendang here is a little different cos they marinate the beef in gula melaka sauce which is why the meat tastes sweeter. I thought it was a pretty good idea since it helps to mask the beefy flavour which some people don’t particularly enjoy. The meat is first braised then stewed to ensure you enjoy the tenderness of the meat in greatest satisfaction, and I have to admit this is one delicious beef rendang … This place is beautiful, and I admire the every detail that has been put into the restaurant. Service was friendly and attentive and I think the friends enjoyed every bit of the food as I had. Read full review. +

13. 9th November 2015 Melicacy Log in to Reply

    National Kitchen by Violet Oon is a place to share stories of Singapore’s history, to celebrate the growth of Singapore and its food scene, and to savour the culinary goodness they have to offer. Best to go in a group to share several dishes … Top picks include the Daging Chabek Beef Cheek of beef cheek slow-braised in a rich tamarind gula Melaka gravy and coconut, Ju Hee Char of julienned vegetables stewed in cuttlefish broth and topped with deep fried cuttlefish, Udang Goreng Chilli of sizeable prawns tossed in a chilli padi garlic rempah that packs lots of flavour and a spicy kick … For dessert, the Roti Jala of traditional nyonya laced pancake served with gula Melaka and banana coconut sauce gets my vote. Read full review. +