Red Lacquer Penang Authentic Peranakan Cuisine!

This is my first time to a Peranakan restaurant.
Background information on the Peranakans:
The Malay term ‘peranakan’ which means ‘locally born’ also refers to other communities that developed in Southeast Asia like the Chitty Melaka and Jawi Peranakans.The Peranakan Chinese are descendants of Chinese traders who settled in Malacca and around the coastal areas of Java and Sumatra, as early as the 14th century. In the 19th century, the Peranakan Chinese, drawn by commerce, migrated to the bustling ports of Penang and Singapore.The Peranakan culture is a unique hybrid culture that is still part of Singapore’s living heritage.
Females are called Nyonya and males are called Baba.
プラナカンとはマレー半島のマラッカ、ペナン、シンガポールの3都市で繁栄を極めた中国系グループのことです。彼らは15～16世紀（あるいはそれ以前）ごろにマラッカ王国にやってきた中国系移民の子孫とされ、現地のマレー文化、そして植民地時代には宗主国であるポルトガル、オランダやイギリスの文化をたくみに取り入れた独自の文化を持つことで知られています。

彼らは本来、男性はババBaba、女性はニョニャNyonyaと呼ばれ、総称でプラナカンPeranakanと呼ばれるようになったのは戦後のことだそうです。イギリス植民地時代にはイギリスのマラッカ海峡植民地Straits Settlementにちなみ、ストレイツ･チャイニーズStraits Chineseとも呼ばれていました。

その昔、プラナカンの祖先は単身でやってきて現地の女性（マレー人、バタック人、バリ人）を娶ったと伝えられています（しかし、異人種間婚姻は初期の世代のみ。現代のプラナカンたちは血統的には90％以上チャイニーズ）。その子孫たちは食べ物、衣装、娯楽などに多くのマレー文化を取り入れ、中国古来の伝統にはない独特の文化を持ちました。プラナカンとは？マレー文化の影響が強かったのはとくに女性ニョニャの方で、これらはニョニャ文化とも呼ばれます。ニョニャ料理、ニョニャ陶器、ビーズ刺繍、ニョニャ･クバヤなどがそれです。南国のカラフルでいて、フェミニンな色使い・ハイカラなデザインが特徴的です。一方で先祖崇拝や中国古来のしきたり・儀式を忠実に守ってきたのもプラナカンです。中国本土では廃れてしまった儀式を今でも続けている家族もあるのです。

イギリス植民地の時代を迎えると、すぐさま英語教育を受け、イギリス式マナーを身につけたプラナカンたちには、たいへんな大富豪になった者も少なくありません。イギリス風の大邸宅に住み、何人もの召使を抱え、当時珍しかったロールスロイスを乗り回し･･･、といったセレブも多く、イギリス上流社交界にも出入りしていたのです。そんな財力のおかげもあってニョニャ文化はこの時代に一層洗練されていったのです。


I fell in love with the Peranakan culture after watching the drama, "Little Nonya" and decided to pay a visit to this newly opened restaurant. The two good looking bosses are some plus points to the restaurant. I guess they only come on weekends though:)

This is the video for the opening song of the drama.


Red Lacquer Peranakan@Jurong Point
The restaurant is designed with a modern peranakan theme, and as what the name of the restaurant has suggested, the theme colour is red. I love those traditional lacquer baskets and pottery in the restaurant.







Side Dish

I can't remember the exact name for this dish. The fillings are made of rice, mushroom, radish and etc, all inserted into the little crispy cones.




Main Dishes

Peranakan Chicken Curry

It tasted like the normal chicken curry but i will give it 4/5 for its rich aroma.

Assam Fish

5/5 for the freshness and tenderness of the fish used in this dish.

Sambal Eggplant

I love the belachan!!! Belachan is a kind of shrimp paste that is commonly used in southeast asian dishes.

Dessert
Chendol


This is a traditional peranakan dessert. Red Lacquer's Chendol consist of starch noodles(made of flour and pandan leaves),kidney beans, brown sugar and ice.Served with coconut milk.

Overall ratings: 8/10

Love,
ゆき

Sweet Day~Nectarie le' Dessert Pâtisserie+Marvelous Cream

I had an overdose of sugar intake yesterday but it was all worth it for the sake of ice cream and cakes.

Marvelous Cream@Citylink Mall





I had a Macaron Framboise, with lots of raspberries and macarons. I ordered a medium size the last time i visited Marvelous Cream and it turned out to be too little to satisfy my sweet tooth and thus this time round, i had it in LARGE size. Yeah, i was satisfied, finally. The waffle basket tasted like honey, yummy.
The shop looks just as yummy as the ice cream. Oh i wish Coldstone Creamery will come to Singapore.

Next stop:
Nectarie le' Dessert Pâtisserie@Clarke Quay, brought to you by the same people from Ministry of Sound and Cafe Del Mar.
The cafe looks dazzling gorgeous under the dimly lit lights.



Dark Chocolate Opera Cake and Tiramisu.




Peony Jade Tea, how lovely is the name.

Fig and Olive

Lunch at the newly opened Fig and Olive mediterranean restaurant@Jurong Point.
The restaurant will look much better with some paintings, that is my personal recommendation.


Maghibri Chicken with Olive Rice
The chicken was marinated to perfection with a tingling spicy aftertaste but it did taste really good. Two thumbs up for it. The olive rice tasted great too, the fragrant and plain olive rice did make a good combination with the flamboyant chicken, contrasting each other.

Avocado Turkey Sandwich
I am yearning for the olive bread that they used for the sandwiches again.
Avocado~ i used to eat it with toasted bread back in my university days when i was stil basking under the Aussie sun.




Dinner@Tampopo at Liang Court.


Toro Saba from Japan. I love the way the fats melted in my mouth but of course, they can't be compared to Otoro.

My Omurice. I prefer more fillings, other than rice in the omurice. The omelet was thick and juicy, making up for the rice.



I will be going to Nectarie Le Dessert Patisserie@Clarkequay tomorrow. Oh gosh, my cravings for exquisite sweets and pastries are here again.

Love,
Christine

今日の料理：☆Skillet Macaroni Cheese☆

Getting ready for some sizzling action.
Very italian cheesy....all ingredients from Italy and i made the White Sauce by myselfε-(´・｀) ﾌｰ




*冬至*

It's the Chinese festival, “冬至”（Dong Zhi) this sunday and families celebrate it by eating 汤圆(Tang Yuan).I am going to make some Tang Yuan this year and share them with my friends♥

Explanation of Dong Zhi, courtesy of Wikipedia:
Celebrated on the longest night of the year, Dong Zhi is the day when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest. The coming of winter is celebrated by families and is traditionally the time when farmers and fishermen gather food in preparation for the coming cold season. It is also a time for family reunions.

This celebration can be traced to the Chinese belief in yin and yang, which represent balance and harmony in life. It is believed that the yin qualities of darkness and cold are at their most powerful at this time, but it is also the turning point, giving way to the light and warmth of yang. For this reason, the Dong Zhi Festival is a time for optimism. Dong Zhi is celebrated in style. The longest night of the year is a time to put on brand new clothes, visit family with gifts and to laugh and drink deep into the long night.

Chinese New Year is approaching soon as well. I felt like baking pineapple tarts and peanut cookies!




Love,
ゆき

My Cosmopolitan Ladies~美丽的一晚

Night out at Timbre with my ex classmates.
It was such a great place to chill out with beautiful patrons and live band music.

My Cosmopolitan cocktail. Yeah I am trying to act like Carrie Bradshaw, sipping Cosmopolitan like what she did in her Sex And The City days.

Finger licking food. (that's Colin and his girlfriend in the background)



At Fullerton Hotel and Singapore River Bridge?, i can't recall what is the actual name for the bridge but it does look so enticing, isn't it?


I finally got my Tiffany necklace from Matthew as a Christmas present- The Bean:)

Gucci is having a mega sale again but they are still too pricey for me.
I am longing for a Hermes Organiser or a Bottega Veneta mobile phone keychain!!
Saving up for them!


Love,
Christine

Victoria's Secrets~ Secret Garden Collection

Wheeee~ I finally bought one body mist and body lotion from Victoria's Secrets Secret Garden Collection!!! They smell heavenly!!!

And perfume all the way from Dubai~

Rest In Peace Ms Lo Hwei Yen

I may not have known you or have seen you before but your beautiful smile and bubbly attitude towards life had touched my heart greatly. I like the way you partied, the way you enjoyed life to the fullest. That is what i wanted to do in my life too. You are smart and beautiful, you are someone that i should learn a great deal from. Every time when i thought of how you had perished in the cruel hands of the muslim terrorists, i would imagine merciless bullets piercing through your skull and the unbearable pain and fear that you must have felt. Strong as you might seem, you were a helpless and innocent lady after all. Why would they have the heart to do that to you? Terrorism has infested this modern world. World Wars' massive killings had became a thing of the past. People have been wondering whether there would be a World War 3. World War 3 has arrived in the form of terrorism and this will be a war that everyone has to fight,with no one knowing when it will eventually end.



Instead of a funeral, your husband and friends had arranged it to be like a 'farewell party'. Dress code: Glamour Black and champagne for every guest present at the 'farewell party'. This is exactly what a last goodbye party for you should be like. Although i would not say that it should be a celebration, but i believed that you will continue to live on in the hearts of your dear husband and many loved ones. Nothing to be sad about.
I believed that you will be one of the most beautiful angels in heaven.I can imagine you decked out in your Christian Louboutin heels with moet and chandon champagne in your hands, hosting parties with fellow angels in heaven. You will be dearly missed by many people and you had indeed left fond memories in the hearts of many people.