The Peranakan

The Peranakan is a family-style Nyonya restaurant on the ground floor of an HDB block at 57 Lengkok Bahru, in the Redhill part of Bukit Merah. It is run by Raymond Khoo, a Baba chef and social entrepreneur. The menu is built on recipes kept by three generations of his family.

The restaurant first opened at Claymore Connect on Orchard Road around 2016. It closed there in late 2021, during the pandemic, and moved to this quiet housing estate. In 2026 Khoo also opened The Peranakan Club at Orchard Towers, and the Lengkok Bahru restaurant is still running.

What to order

The à la carte menu is short and sticks to Nyonya home cooking. These are the dishes to know:

• Ayam buah keluak: chicken in a dark, rich gravy with the black buah keluak nut. Many people see it as the heart of Nyonya cooking.
• Ngoh hiang: deep-fried rolls of beancurd skin filled with pork and prawn.
• Bakwan kepiting: a clear soup with crab and pork meatballs.
• Nyonya chap chye: a gentle braise of cabbage and other vegetables. It balances the richer dishes well.

Some plates come with rice tinted blue by the butterfly pea flower, a common Peranakan touch. Diners also mention prawns cooked with pineapple in a spiced gravy. Order a few dishes to share, as Peranakan meals are meant to be eaten family-style.

For groups, the restaurant has offered a Tok Panjang banquet menu. Tok panjang means "long table" and refers to a Peranakan feast where many dishes reach the table at once. Ask about it when you book.

The setting

The dining room is small, with space for around 30 guests. It is dressed in a cheerful Peranakan style. Colourful tiles on the walls and leafy plants by the door make it easy to spot from outside. Inside, you will see hanging flowers, bold paintings and old-style Nyonya furniture. It feels homely rather than formal, which suits a long family lunch.

A restaurant with a social purpose

The Peranakan works as a social enterprise. Khoo also set up S17 Community Kitchen in the same block. It provides meals for older residents who live in the rental flats nearby. In 2010 he started The Saturday Movement, a registered charity that helps people in need.

Good to know before you go

• Book ahead: with so few seats, a reservation is a good idea. Diners without one have been turned away at busy times.
• Pork: several Nyonya dishes use pork, so ask the staff if you avoid it.
• Location: this is a residential estate, not a tourist street. A taxi or ride-hail is the easiest way in if you do not know the area.

Nearby

Lengkok Bahru is a short ride from Tiong Bahru. You could pair your meal with a stroll around Tiong Bahru Estate, using our Tiong Bahru heritage walk. For hawker food in the same district, try ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre. You can also browse all restaurants in Tiong Bahru and Alexandra or more Peranakan restaurants in Singapore.