Food for Thought: Peramakan @ Santa Grand East Coast

Last month's bloggers' event, on 30 October, was at the newly opened Peramakan at Santa Grand Hotel East Coast.

Our small group of bloggers tried out the most basic of all Peranakan dishes - ayam buah keluak, babi pongteh,  sambal udang petai, sotong goreng assam, ikan garam assam, and udang masak kuah nanas.  We also ordered  some dishes that were of either Malay or Indonesian origins that have become Peranakan standards, such as kerabu jantung pisang, sotong panggang, sayur nangka, and beef rendang.

Kerabu Jantung Pisang 

We could not have been served a more appropriate opening item than kerabu jantung pisang.  It makes for the  perfect start to an enjoyable evening of Peranakan fare.  The prawns were fresh and so were the shredded mango.  There can be nothing worse than using over-seasoned mango that has become limp and soggy.  Using the correct portion of sambal belacan and lime juice, the Chef  succeeded in creating a salad that has the right balance of tanginess and spiciness.  A really great dish that I personally enjoyed very very much. 

Ayam Buah Keluak

This is the quintessential Peranakan dish and therefore a signature dish in most or almost all authentic Peranakan restaurants.  In days of yore, a prospective mother-in-law would assess the would be daugther-in-law's culinary skill by judging how well she cooks this dish.  The rempah was thick (a good thing) and the kuah had the right degree of tanginess.  Overall a very good dish although I would have preferred the chicken to be more tender.  In fact, this dish is best eaten overnight when it has been re-boiled until the chicken meat falls off the bones.

Babi Pongteh

I found the babi pongteh very tasty although it was lacking a special flavour which I will elaborate later.  I was glad that the Chef chose to use pork belly over other leaner parts of the pig.  Like the ayam buah keluak, the rempah was thick with just the right amount of taucheo.  A good babi pongteh should derive its saltiness from taucheo and not an overdose of soya sauce - a mistake often made by many cooks.  My only complaint was the absence of bamboo shoot which would have given that special aroma unique to this dish.  And, of course, the green chilli would have traditionally been served whole instead of in bite-size pieces.

Kuah Assam Pedas

Tasting more like kuah assam pedas, I really couldn't tell it apart from the ikan garam assam. except that prawn instead of fish was being served.  To me, a good kuah nanas should have heavy accents of serai, pineapple and some fresh herbs.  The herbs were noticeably absent from the dish.

Sambal Petai

Sambal petai is my favourite accompaniment to my meal. I am glad the Chef didn't disappoint me by making it too sweet or, worse still, by chopping them up into tiny bits.  I am alright with opening the peas into halves; in fact this is necessary to ensure that only the healthy ones that are not infested with worms, are used.

Ikan Garam Assam

Definitely a better dish than the udang masak kuah nanas, its gravy was thick and red.  Some Peranakan families would like their ikan garam assam really red and fiery hot.  I guess at Peramakan, they had to tone it down to cater to the taste buds of its customers. The fish, brinjal and okra were all cooked just nice.  Overall, a very satisfying dish.

Sotong Goreng Assam

The sotong goreng assam was too sweet for my liking.  In fact, the sweetness of the dark  sauce completely overpowered the tanginess of the assam.  To achieve the right balance of taste for this dish, the equation should be 1 portion of dark soya sauce to every 5 portion of tamarind juice.  For that extra kick, the dish should be seasoned with white pepper.  This was not a stand-out dish for me. 

We were served four types of desserts - apom berkuah, pulot hitam, durian pengat and bubur cha cha.

Apom Berkuah

Of all the desserts served, I like the apom berkuah the most.  The kuah was thick and creamy with huge chunks of banana in it - just the way I like it.  And it tasted the most authentic.  

The dining experience at Peramakan, though not spectacular, was enjoyable.  There were some really great dishes and, sadly, a couple of misses which I very quickly forgot after dinner was over.   This was so perhaps because the staff and Chef were pleasant, courteous and apologetic, taking in our criticism in good stride.

Peramakan at Santa Grand Hotel East Coast
171 East Coast Road
http://www.streetdirectory.com/peramakan/


Service:  7/10
Ambiance: 6.5/10
Food:  6.5/10
Price:  $$
Recommended dishes:  Kerabu jantung pisang, ayam buah keluak, babi pongteh, sambal udang petai, apom berkuah