Indocafe – the white house, is a local food haven tugged away in a quiet corner along Scoots Road. I’ve passed by this exquisite restaurant many times but never had the chance to try it until the October 2014 edition of Restaurant Week.

Housed in a colonial building, I never knew how beautiful this Peranakan restaurant is until I stepped in. Decorated with elegantly with old Peranakan artifacts, Indocafe exudes so much charm with its colonial style interior.

The Restaurant Week Set Lunch Menu at Indocafe costs $25++. You can top up another $12++ for a glass of wine or $3++ for a glass of strongly brewed lemongrass tea. The set lunch menu consists of 5 dishes, an appetiser, a soup, a choice of main and an accompanied vegetable dish, and a dessert.

The Trio of Appetiser consists of a Mini Penang Otah with Pan-Seared Hokkaido Scallop, ‘Top Hat’ Pastry Cups with Sweet Turnips and Crabmeat, and Crispy Homemade Five-spiced Meat Roll. I particularly enjoyed the succulent pan-seared scallop and the flavourful home-made meat roll. The meat roll is gorgeous on its own but it tastes even better if you add a little sambal belacan chilli paste.

The Itek Tim, wholesome duck soup with salted preserved mustard green, is heavenly. It’s unlike others, Indocafe’s version has a slightly more peppery taste from the black pepper seeds. The duck was tender and not overly cooked, which can happen a lot.

For the main course, there are 4 different choices, Kari Kapitan (curry chicken), Tau Yu Bak (braised pork belly), Rendang Sapi (slow-cooked Waygu beef cheeks) and Sambal Sotong (stir-fried squid with sambal spice blend). Every main course comes with its accompanied Chap Chye, a Penang-style stir-fried mixed vegetables in fermented bean curd sauce.

The Rendang Sapi is beautifully cooked. The Waygu beef cheek is very tender and tears easily. Cooked in a special of spices, the Rendang Sapi was simply mouthwatering and unforgettably good.

The Kari Kapitan, kampong chicken braised in authentic Penang Nyoya Curry, is scrumptious. Unlike the spicy local curry, the Penang Nyoya Curry has a more tangy taste and it’s less spicy than the local Indian curry. The chicken meat is soft and moist.

However, I wasn’t that impressed with the dessert, a Cardamom Milk Chocolate Mousse is served with pineapple compote. Although the dessert was good, I was hoping for something more Peranakan.

Indocafe – the white house, offers authentic Peranakan cuisine in an elegant setting, which is excellent if you want to entertain overseas guests. Its regular prices, however, is slightly on the high side. But the overall experience is so enjoyable that I would gladly pay for the premium.

Indocafe – the white house
35 Scotts Road, Singapore 228227
Tel: +65 6733 2656
http://thehouseofindocafe.com