When the friend jio-ed us for a private dining experience serving Peranakan cuisine, it was met with a resounding response. So we got our dates set and made our way to Clementi where Mama Jac’s Kitchenette was based at

Locating the unit wasn’t difficult

Locating the doorbell was. lol. I was the earliest so I was searching high and low for the bell. I gave up and waited for the friend to come. In the end, we decided to wave through the gaps of the window and hope someone would open the door for us. lol

Eventually we made it inside

The house was like a mini museum, displaying all kinds of Peranakan ware

Mama Jac was really hospitable. You feel at ease dining at a stranger’s place and there was no sign of awkwardness. She was also more than willing to answer our questions and share her life experience with us. It honestly felt like going to an aunty’s house for dinner

The table set-up with sambal belachan, achar and longan red date tea. The longan red date tea was really good, so much we asked her how she cooked it. But well I guess we were not the only one that asked this question since she had the dates on the table to show us

The achar was also worth mentioning. It wasn’t too sour like what we usually ate outside. There was a good balance and we definitely don’t mind having more

Trying her home baked pineapple tart she has started preparing for CNY. I’m not a fan of pineapple tart, so I’m not an expert in this

Mango Salad w Mint Leaves & Sakura Prawns

Moving to the dinner proper, it was a 8-course meal and we kickstarted with mango salad. I love how the salad sat on top the prawn cracker for that nice crunch at the end. The mango salad was different. I love how the mint leaves were incorporated to give that refreshing taste though I have to mention the salad was really spicy. And this coming from all of us who can take spiciness. It was like one mouth salad, one mouth longan tea. lol

Ngoh Hiang, Served 2 Different Recipes

The flat laid were what we usually ate outside and the ones standing were Mama Jac’s recipe

We have to say Mama Jac’s recipe won hands down, so much that we asked for extra portion and she had to dig out from her freezer for us. Don’t get me wrong, the flat-laid ngoh hiang were good too but you could really taste the difference in both

Salted Vegetable Duck Soup with Brandy

Cooked Cantonese-style which the soup was cooked over slow fire with pork and roast duck, the result was a rich broth with so much sweetness and a light smokiness to it. I love how the saltiness was just right and the tender duck paired with belachan was stellar

It was the friend’s favourite dish of the night

Chicken Rendang

Wow this rendang was like no other. A hearty dish that went so well with the blue peaflower rice. This was the most memorable dish to me

Nonya Chap Chye

A nonya classic. A dish I would have any time

Buah Keluak

It was rare to see buah keluak being served cos what we usually see outside is buah keluak fried rice or buah keluak cooked with proteins. When this dish was served, we were puzzled how to eat it and were even more amused that Mama Jac’s son could eat 30 of this at one go. Wow.. I thought this dish was interesting but probably not my first choice on the list. lol

Assam Pedas Stingray

The assam broth was good. It wasn’t too sour which made it really appetising to feast into. The stingray was nicely done, but we were so full by then

Durian Pengat

When we saw this being served, we knew we had to finish this

This durian pengat served with gula melaka, rice crisps and atap seed was one to remember. If you love durian, you would love this (and finish the entire bowl)

Our farewell gifts from Mama Jac – Achar & Belachan! Such a nice gesture 🙂

The amount of work to prepare Peranakan food goes back days in advance hence this private dining only operates Thurs – Sun for dinner so that the appropriate amount of work can be prepared beforehand. If you ask how this differs from what we usually eat outside, well, I feel the food served at Mama Jac’s has their own charm with an added recipe of passion. It tasted home-cooked yet with strong traits of Peranakan flavours. Even though the location is a little far for all of us, but I feel it’s worth checking out. Priced at $118 for 8-course, the menu though designed by Mama Jac, can be arranged according to your dietary and preferences as well