Family-run hawker stall promoting genuine Nyonya cai fan at Market Street Hawker Centre

Visiting Market Street Hawker Centre, particularly throughout lunch hour, is a crowded affair, however all it took was a single whiff of Yummy Nyonya Peranakan’s cai png choices and I used to be already offered.

Run by a Peranakan household, Yummy Nyonya Peranakan has been doling out genuine Nyonya objects cai fan fashion ever because it first opened at Golden Shoe Hawker Centre in 2013.

The newly-launched Market Street Hawker Centre is nestled on the second and third flooring of CapitaSpring, a 51-storey built-in constructing at Raffles Place. To discover Yummy Nyonya Peranakan, merely head as much as the second ground and stroll straight— it’s positioned on the finish of the row.

The scent of freshly cooked sambal belacan was shiny, citrusy and aromatic, and like a moth to a flame, I discovered myself queuing for Yummy Nyonya Peranakan with a rumbling abdomen. 

Amongst the line-up of attractive dishes, I noticed acquainted objects akin to ayam buah keluak, chap chye, beef rendang, and sambal goreng. 

With The Caifan Song enjoying in my head, I readied myself and acquired all the way down to ordering.

What I attempted at Yummy Nyonya Peranakan

As I used to be eating with a buddy, I made a decision to order two plates of rice from Yummy Nyonya Peranakan. 

For the primary plate, I went with Beef Rendang (S$4), Eggplant (S$1), Shrimp (S$2.50) and Chap Chye (S$1). Together with the White Rice (S$0.50), my first plate of Nyonya cai fan labored out to be S$9.

Okay, positively not the most affordable cai fan round, however I knew the value wasn’t overly exaggerated as a result of I had ordered each the Beef Rendang and Shrimp.

I took my first chew of the Beef Rendang and immediately knew why it value me S$4.

It was extremely tender, like pulled pork, with a hearty richness that surprised me for a few seconds. I might style a aromatic milkiness from the coconut cream, which added an additional depth of umami to it.

Despite its hefty price ticket, I’d order this once more from Yummy Nyonya Peranakan in a heartbeat. It ticked off all of the bins on my checklist: it was juicy, aromatic, meaty and completely scrumptious. My solely gripe can be its serving measurement— I want that they had given me extra!

The Shrimp got here in little bite-sized items and was accompanied by a chilli sauce that had shallots in it. 

I loved the mix of flavours and textures: the shrimps have been plump and crunchy, whereas the gravy leaned in direction of the sweeter aspect, with a contact of tangy chilli that had a pointy chew.

For simply S$1, I’ve acquired to say that Yummy Nyonya Peranakan’s Eggplant was an actual steal. While it got here in an extended rectangular strip that was snipped into smaller lengths, its texture and flavours have been spot on, particularly when paired with the house-made sambal sauce.

The Eggplant was tremendous tender and naturally candy, and went hand-in-hand with the intense sambal, which crept in as a sluggish burn and was surprisingly much less spicy than I assumed it could be. It had none of that iconic sponginess or bitterness from undercooked eggplant, and was meltingly tender.

Last however not least, the Chap Chye— a Peranakan staple. 

While Yummy Nyonya Peranakan’s rendition solely included cabbage, black fungus and carrots, this was nonetheless authentically easy and engaging. If I closed my eyes, I might think about having this at an precise Peranakan restaurant, full with glass noodles and skinny slices of beancurd skins.

Now, onto my second plate of Nyonya cai fan from Yummy Nyonya Peranakan.

I made a decision to order the Ayam Rendang (S$3.50), Sambal Goreng (S$1), Curry Vegetables (S$1) and Ayam Buah Keluak (S$3.50). Together with White Rice (S$0.50), this plate of cai fan value me S$9.

Yummy Nyonya Peranakan’s Ayam Rendang, which is basically hen cooked in a curry-like rendang sauce, was my eating companion’s favorite merchandise for the day. 

The hen meat was tender and juicy, however the star of the dish was the rendang, which was creamy and completely lemak. I loved how aromatic it was whereas not being spicy in any respect, so those that can not deal with spicy meals will love this dish.

Though frankly, for S$3.50, I had anticipated greater than only one drumstick.

Yummy Nyonya Peranakan’s Ayam Buah Keluak was milder than anticipated with muted savoury notes that made me want it had been saltier or extra aromatic. 

Admittedly, this was a little bit disappointing and I needed that its flavours had been stronger and extra pronounced, however I suppose for those who’re consuming this as a cai fan dish, you wouldn’t need it to overpower the remainder of the cai fan objects with its iconic wealthy, truffle-like earthiness (which sadly wasn’t as pronounced right here).

The Curry Vegetables have been crunchy, candy and engaging, and got here with loads of runny curry sauce that paired completely with the white rice. This was a easy vegetable merchandise that was acquainted and comforting, and whereas it didn’t precisely blow my thoughts, it sufficed.

Final ideas

As with each cai fan stall, there are hits and misses on the subject of every particular person merchandise. Not to say, your expertise will closely differ relying on what you personally want.

As for myself, Yummy Nyonya Peranakan’s Beef Rendang and Eggplant positively acquired my stamp of approval, and though the previous was a little bit on the dear aspect, I’d willingly fork out S$4 in order that I can benefit from the tender beef and savoury rendang. Personally, I’ll skip the Buah Keluak and Shrimp and go for fail-safe dishes like Chap Chye.

All in all, this was a satisfying zhng-ed cai fan, with hearty and genuine Nyonya flavours that I’ll come again for. Perhaps subsequent time, I’ll strive different substances just like the Lady’s Fingers, Sotong, Ayam Lemak and even the Assam Fish!

Expected harm: S$5 – $10 per pax

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