Along the shop houses of Tanjong Pagar lays a lasting legacy left behind by the Peranakans. The Blue Ginger epitomizes a true Peranakan heritage which dates back to the 15 th century. The intermarriage between early Chinese immigrants and local Malays have resulted in a fusion of culinary skills and distinctive flavours. Voila! And the Peranakan cuisine is born. Having been around for a good 13 years, The Blue Ginger has established itself in the Central Business District and counts many of the working executives as its main clientele.

• The Vibe
  The Blue Ginger has a Nyonya -themed design with traditional ornaments fusing with current artistic paintings. Its interior is based on dark brown and cream as its main colours. With dimmed lights drooping from the ceiling, it gives one a soothing yet contemporary feel about the atmosphere.

• The Food
  Start the ball rolling with the Bakwan Kepting ($4.80), which is a traditional recipe of minced pork and crabmeat shaped into meatballs accompanied by bamboo shoots and pork broth. The meatballs are chewy and full of flavour. The bamboo shoots added crunch and the sweet light broth made this starter a refreshing one.

  The benchmark of a true Peranakan eatery lies in its treatment of the mainstays of the Peranakan cuisine and Blue Ginger's version of the Otak Otak ($2.80) and the Ngo Heong ($9.50) confirms its authenticity as a true blue Peranakan place. The Otak Otak is a traditional fishcake recipe and at The Blue Ginger, it is prepared meticulously in their kitchen with traditional herbs and spices like turmeric, galangal, lime leaves and chilli. The result: A truly fresh piece of fish cake bursting with its aromatic flavour and juices oozing out. The Ngo Heong, a traditional dish of the Hokkiens, is actually home-made rolls of minced pork and prawns seasoned with five-spice powder and deep-fried till golden brown. The rolls are accompanied by a sweet dark soya sauce and were truly fragrant and crunchy.

  The sambal is an integral part of the Peranakan cuisine and it underlined its importance when it was found on both the Sambal Terong Goreng ($8) and the Ikan Goreng Cili Garam ($15). The Sambal Terong Goreng is the deep-fried eggplant topped with the fresh home-made sambal. The eggplant, being deep-fried, had a robust flavour and the sambal was akin to the “icing on the cake”. As for the Ikan Goreng Cili Garam, fillets of mackerel were being deep-fried to perfection and served with sambal and fresh calamansi.

  The stars of the show arrived in the form of the Ayam Panggang “Blue ginger” ($9.90) and the Udang Pedas Nanas ($18). Known as the signature dish of the restaurant, the Ayam Panggang has received rave reviews from both patrons and magazine writers alike. The de-boned chicken thigh and drumstick is first flavoured with coconut milk rich in exotic spices and grilled over charcoal fire. The chicken was soft and tender with wonderfully rich “ lemak” taste of the coconut milk enveloped in the chicken thigh.

  The Udang Pedas Nanas is a dish that goes well with rice. The tiger prawns were gently cooked in a pineapple sauce till all the goodness of the crustacean is coaxed out and infused in the sauce. The sauce is slightly sweet with a tinge of sour and went well with the succulent and fresh tiger prawns. It is indeed a dish that did not fail to impress.

• The Service
  The staff is cordial and enthusiastic in ensuring that all patrons are well taken of. Kudos to Bala, the assistant manager, who made everyone feel at home with his personal touch in introducing the dishes to suit the palates of each diner.

The SD Food Advisor's take on The Blue Ginger
Tradition is the key here at The Blue Ginger, but they have not been afraid to make changes where dishes of old have been re-tailored to cater to the taste buds of both locals and tourists alike . Peranakan cuisine is richly steeped in the history of Singapore and the Blue ginger flies the Peranakan flag high in the dining fraternity.