True Blue Cuisine

We went to True Blue Cuisine at its new location along Armenian Street, right next to the Substation and a few doors away from the newly opened Peranakan Museum.


True Blue Cuisine tries to re-create the Peranakan (Straits Chinese - Chinese who intermarry with the indigeneous people in the old days i.e. Malay - also known as Babas (men) and Nonyas (women) - sometimes spelled as Nyonyas) home in the restaurant. The owner is a Peranakan and learnt how to cook Peranakan food from his grandmother or mother (I can't remember), so most or all of the pictures, crockery, etc on display belong to his family.

In the main dining hall. Along one side of the room are booths. There is a smaller room which has about 4-6 tables in there. The place is pretty homely and doesn't feel like a typical restaurant.
Appetizers of prawn crackers and love letters. I didn't get to see the bill so I am not sure if these are complimentary. It was quite a nice touch to have the love letters. Both were very nice and certainly different from the usual peanuts or pickles.

My fave peranakan dish - ayam buah keluak. This is the first place I know which serves so many buah keluaks (black candlenuts). At least 5 buah keluaks, but not so many pieces of chicken. The gravy was good and the paste inside the nuts was addictive. I liked it.
This was a salad recommended by the staff. I don't remember if it was banana flower salad or what. It was surprisingly good. Very refreshing with a soft tart and sweet dressing and crunchy veggies bits. Interesting and must try.
Another recommended dish by the staff - sambal pomfret. The fish has been filleted so you don't have to bother with the bones at all. The fish was fresh and had none of the fishy smell or taste.
The staple kang kong belachan with shrimps. Pretty standard fare. Nothing to wow about.
Complimentary red date longan tea which was nice. Not too sweet.

Total bill for the meal came to about $114. I have read other reviews online that True Blue was on the high side (which I agree when compared to other peranakan restaurants) and that they tend to have extra charges for the water (tap), napkins, sambal, love letters, etc.

Having been to a few peranakan restaurants, I think True Blue has a nice homely atmosphere which is missing from the other restaurants, so you are also kinda paying to see the antique furniture and heirlooms of a peranakan family. Think of it as dining in a pseudo museum where the food is actually good.

Location:
True Blue Cuisine

47-49 Armenian Street

+65 6440 4548

Daily 11.30am-3pm & 6pm-10pm