Food Picks: Homely Peranakan fare at Nana Dolly’s in Little India
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Mengkabo Pork Belly (left) and Nonya Chap Chye from Nana Dolly's.
ST PHOTOS: EUNICE QUEK
SINGAPORE – In recent months, I have found myself heading to Little India, and not just for Indian fare.
There is Xia Mi Hao Liao for Hubei-style crawfish, Locanda for hearty Italian fare, Marymount Bakehouse for pies and sourdough bread, and Nana Dolly’s for Peranakan food.
Nana Dolly’s has been around for a year – longer than the others – but how could I have missed it? Well, the 42-seat casual restaurant has been fairly low-key, with the family behind it taking the time to tweak and perfect recipes.
These include the signatures of flavour-packed Mengkabo Pork Belly ($17.90) in a lip-smacking spicy, sweet and tangy tamarind gravy; Babi Pongteh ($17.90), tender chunks of pork braised in fermented soya bean paste; and Nonya Chap Chye ($9) with pieces of fatty pork belly. You will want to drench rice in all the sauces.
Another favourite is the dry laksa ($17.90) with tau pok and hard-boiled egg. It is not as dry as others I have had, as the noodles are still a little wet with the rich sauce – exactly how I like it.
Dry Laksa features noodles that are still a little wet with the rich sauce.
For sides, there are the housemade chunky ngoh hiang ($11) and classic kueh pie tee ($13.50).
While one might naturally gravitate towards the kong ba bao ($11 for two) and otak bao ($14 for two), I recommend trying the achar bao ($8). It is loaded with delightfully tangy and crisp pickled vegetables.
To finish, go for the pulut hitam soft serve ($10.90) and chendol soft serve ($10.90).
For best value, go for the current promotions that run till Dec 31.
Lunch on weekdays (between 11am and 2pm) offers a don (rice bowl) or noodle at $10 each (usually $17.90 each). Add $5 to $9 for a soup, drink or dessert.
This is convenient for solo diners who can get their fix of the Mengkabo Pork Belly and Babi Pongteh in a one-dish format with blue pea rice, achar and sambal egg.
Stay on for the $16.90 tea set (from 2 to 4pm daily), which is a choice of one side and two drinks.
Where: 10 Perak Road
MRT: Rochor
Open: 10.30am to 10pm daily
Tel: 8068-0010
Info: nanadollys.com