Violet Oon’s Kitchen

Delicious! Violet Oon don’t play play with her Peranakan food. It is authentic to the source, leaves you wanting more. This is my second time to Violet Oon and the quality of her food is only improving. I highly recommend the dry laksa. The noodles is still al dante and full of flavors. The shrimp that comes with it is cooked to hold the laksa flavor until you bite into it.
For dessert, their sugee cake is served warm. The flavor is classic and texture meant to melt in your mouth. If you have a special occasion to celebrate, Violet Oon is a great option for a sweet and fancy night. Was there to celebrate hubby’s birthday and they took a picture for us with a frame! Very classy!
The service was impeccable. The staffs were always alert and knows their menu very well. We had leftovers of our beef rendang, which was the best meal of the night. Thought that they would throw it out but no, they called us to tell us we left it! So we went back to collect it.
Oh, I almost forgot. For gula melaka lovers, you have to try their banana smoothie! Definitely a place I would like to visit again.

Violet Oon’s has recently been renovated into a classier, fancy dining establishment. The service is exceptional and professional in every regard.
For appetizers, the coronation chicken was pleasant. Although served cold, the chicken mix has a nice flavor of turmeric and curry. However, the underlying crispy fried wantons are amazing. For mains, I highly recommend the beef rendang and dry laksa. The sauce with the beef rendang is immaculate. You also get a heart portion of 3 beef loins, which are cooked to fall apart at the touch in a perfectly roasted fashion. Meanwhile, the dry laksa is bursting with the classic, local flavors of the dish. The large shrimp are a special highlight in the dish that people will ve grabbing for. By the way, the dishes here are good for sharing between 2 – 3 people, so getting a few is a nice way to try a good portion of the items from the minimalist menu.
There are only 3 cocktails on the menu and I tried them all. One is basically a whiskey sour. It tastes good, but isn’t unique. The other is a Singapore sling. As a matter of personal preference, I’m not a fan of the drink. It tastes a bit like cough syrup with extra sugar. My choice then, is a gin and sage based cocktail. It has a strong effervescent flavor, sort of like an herbal tonic. It’s tasty and unique.
Since I visited on my birthday, they also generously offered a dessert with a chocolate spelling of Happy Birthday. In addition, they photographed us and printed it out in a custom paper frame from the restaurant. On that note, the entire restaurant is decorated and monogrammed to produce a coherent and elegant style.

The dry laksa has always been my favorite. And again it did not dissapointed. I came for brunch and tried the new brunch menu. I felt it was a tad pricey for what it was, pull pork and onions on prata, a well as toast and omelette, with sambal chili and ikan bills.
What marred my experience this round was that we were asked to change to a smaller table, due to a reservation coming in, and one of the chairs was in the walkway to the bar and kitchen. I was asked to be excused by the waiter and decided to shift my chair to sit beside my partner inside. Perhaps the positioning of this table could be better.
On whole it was a nice way to spend the Sunday morning, before the rest of the crowd comes around 12 pm.

I’m tempted to give this five stars. We went with friends and our daughters, and everyone really loved it. Some of the dishes were a bit spicy for the kids (12 and 7) but there was plenty for them. We had a wide variety of dishes, from spicy catfish to salads and desserts (the pannacotta was amazing), and excellent cocktails. The service was fantastic; Tay described everything, answered questions, and sat down to chat towards the end of the meal! It’s not a cheap evening, but for a special dinner it’s enthusiastically recommended.

Started with a couple of great Cosmopolitan’s… :-)
Meatless meatballs (parmesan and walnut) appetizer was absolutely delicious… as were the Spanish mackerel and black diamond pasta (which was REALLY good) mains…
We were tempted by dessert and were not disappointed… the sticky toffee pudding was fab… the tapioca cake was pretty good too… they were heavy desserts and we probably did not need 2 ;-)
Definitely a recommend — would love to come back, but just a few days left in Singapore with so much more to do :-)

Violet Oon was interesting. I’m not sure if I was impressed. I was initially impressed by the high star counts on Unilocal,that was until my local friends told me she was hated by the Singaporean community. Huh? Why? Whatever, as long as the food is good – bc that’s all I really care about! That and service, of course!
We ordered a mix of Western and local dishes. I do agree the local cuisine is much better than the Western. I was particularly fond of the chicken curry, arguably one of the best I’ve ever tried in Singapore. Western, meh. My eggs were over cooked. I hate over cooked eggs. I suggest sticking to the local cuisine when dining here.
Would I come back here again? Too far for and secluded for local food… so, nope.

Decided to try violet oon for dinner with wife. 2 of us we order kue pati, chap chay, dry laksa, babi pongteh & kluwak pasta.
Food:
— to bland — tasteless. Looks good but not tasty at all. Not only one dish but all we ordered aboved.
Décor: — ps café wanna be. Thats our first impression when walked in.
This place should sell food… Not the brand itself.

It’s a Sunday brunch …
Upon arrival, the service crew show us to the seat … The ambience is good and cozy but it’s alittle too noisy for me. Plates cluttering drives me crazy as the service counter just write behind the tables. Service crew was wiping th plates dry.
As for the food wise I ordered the Corn Beef Hash $ 17, Babi Pong Tay $ 20 and Roti Babi $ 14.
Corn Beef Hash the taste is nice and it’s cook with the baby potato but I felt it’s alittle dry. It would be alittle too much for 1 to consume as it can be alittle overdose.
My friend commented that the Babi Pong Tay is nice and the meat is so soft and tender. Lastly, the Roti Babi is overdose with oil and the topping is alittle dry. When I cut it the oil just ooze out. Oh Gosh, it’s so fattening.
As for my brunch today, it’s alittle different from usual as it has a the peranakan taste. Maybe it’s the food I ordered and I felt it’s a little oily for all the food.
Overall experience is good but maybe I have to try other food so I can give another review.

A great find for us !!! Small place with home cooking and great service !!! The food is just unbelievably good !!!

peranakan done up all fancy-​like. it’s decent food here, if you’re hankering for something a little out of the brunchordinary: local classics dished up pretty, as well as nonya interpretations of brunch classics.
I heard quite a lot before coming, and it’s gratifying that the food didn’t disappoint. especially since it’s rather a bit of pain getting here by public transport (try to cab or drive if you can).
it’s a nice space reminiscent of those black-​and-​white colonial buildings, lots of sunshine streaming in from the lack of doors, and a long sleek counter lining the entrance.
we started with smoothies, one lychee and mint and another berry yogurt smoothie. they’re just a little on the sweet side — but otherwise refreshing on the extraordinary hot days we’ve been having.
the brunch menu itself has an intriguing spread of light-​to-​heartier portions, with smaller items like roti babi of five-​spiced minced prawns and pork fried on toast, and tau kwa pao, essentially diced stuff stuffed in fried beancurd.
simple, but they went down plenty quickly.
if you want something heavier, you’ve got the choice of an asian big breakfast — yellow rice with all the fried nasi lemak accouterments you could (probably want) — or a nonya-​interpreted brunch — like french toast served with bananas cooked up in gula melaka (like the sort you find in apom balik) — or just (not-so-)plain interesting items like a crab cake benedict or vietnamese pulled pork burrito.
that crab cake was mine, a substantial round of loosely-​packed (proper!) crab atop an english muffin, complete with poached egg and hollandaise. I would have appreciated a slightly fluffier muffin, and a little more salsa, but the dish was very nicely done, and well worth ordering.
I wholly recommend coming at about 11-​ish, so you start with the brunch menu and then move on to lunch proper. the menu carries on in the same vein, with traditionals and not-​so-​traditionals (like buah keluak pasta) sitting alongside a large compendium of dishes — mostly decent, with positive vibes even if imperfect.
and while I wasn’t able to stay for dessert this time (damnit), I was mocked by a friend who kept me regaled with photos that already on their own render a re-​visit imminent (apparently most a class of execution above the food).
reasonable prices and decent service — I just wish the darn place were more accessible. worth visiting, at least for something different.

I’ve heard of Violet Oon’s for awhile but it always seemed rather out of the way without a car so… luckily it was our destination of choice for the May installment of the Unilocal brunch club! (as picked by Nik, whose awesome poetic review is right below this one)
Tried the Asian big breakfast (nice but portions were a bit small, rice a bit dry and not fragrant enough, otah was very good though), babi pong tay (nice but very small, best to order for sharing), tau kwa (ok only), vietnamese pulled pork burrito (nice but tasted more mexican than anything)
I thought that the desserts were the highlight of the meal!
Durian cendol panna cotta — having just come back from Penang less than 2 weeks ago I’ve been having some serious cendol cravings and this hit the spot! Comes in a tall glass with layers of cendol toppings/​durian and the panna cotta at the top, with a cup of gula melaka to pour in an mix as you please. This was a really good dessert and I would return for this.
Sticky toffee date pudding — quite a good rendition, on par (but not superior to) the ones at Marmalade Pantry/​PS Café.
Tapioca cake with gulak melaka and coconut cream — not die-​die-​must-​try but quite a good version of tapioca cake, I couldn’t resist gobbling this down either. It’s not too cloying/​sweet. I ordered this for takeaway so I don’t know how it’s usually presented on a plate, but you have to eat the cake with both the gulak melaka and coconut cream for maximum enjoyment. Tastes a bit plain on its own.
Bread and butter pudding with whiskey and custard sauce — nice (ie. I would eat it if it were placed in front of me) but not spectacular (I’d order the other desserts instead).
The place has a nice ambience, similar to PS café. Wait staff were very very polite and accommodating.
Will come back soon to try the dry laksa/​otah panini and of course the desserts!

Saw Unilocalers comment about this restaurant and it’s time to try it out since I live around this neighborhood.
It is located at a corner and you might miss it as it is hidden near to an alley. There are quite a few buses that pass this area so it is very convenient.
Came here at around 11am on a Saturday morning — wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would be as I called in to reserve. Was eyeing on the Asian big breakfast (weekend brunch menu) the night before and ordered that, the pulled pork burrito and dry laksa.
All I could say is that it is really delicious. The big Asian breakfast consist of yellow rice, two piece of chicken (wing and thigh), salad and egg balado (without chilli). I like the combination of spices and the spun around the food. It is a little on the pricey side though for a smaller portion. But worth a try.
The pulled pork burrito was on the saltier side — not sure is it from the pulled pork itself or from the sour cream. The skin was not thick or thin, just right.
Dry laksa — been eyeing it since I checked on the website. It is however not on the brunch menu so have to wait until 11.30 before I can order it. Taste wise it is like hokkien fried noodle but it has more spices and taste. There are prawns and sliced fish cakes in it as well as fried tofu. Yum!
I ordered ice peach tea as well. The peach was infused correctly and putting half a peach in the drink make the ice taste lesser. Make sure to ask the server for less ice.
The atmosphere is interesting as it is an open concept but it’s at the shop houses. It is good timing to come here during drizzles as the outside wind combined with the fan making the environment to be much refreshed. Customer service wise they are fast and efficient. Will definitely return.

Great ambience, pretty good service, delicious Sunday brunch.
Highlights:
Dry laksa was delicious– we were way too ambitious and ordered 2 for a table of 4. But no regrets!
Babi pong Tay — perfectly done stewed pork. Wow
Kuey pie tee– another yummy appetizer that everyone should try.
Younger waitstaff a little blur, but the older ones were on it. Better training, perhaps?
Will return for another brunch when I’m back on the island!

What a darn good Unilocal find!
Violet Oon’s Kitchen (VOK) is precisely the type of establishment I wish more restauranteurs would create in Singapore. Great fusion food that shows creativity AND an understanding of local flavors. Beyond the usual, highly boring and poorly executed dishes like eggs benedict, what passes as pancakes and french toast, Violet goes one step further and innovates by pulling Vietnamese pork and stuffing it in a breakfast burrito, grilling a panini with otak otak. You get the idea. Add to that the Perenakan classics that she’s known for, I can’t think of a better restaurant to recommend to friends who ask me for a modern «uniquely Singapore» restaurant, which until now I’ve been hard pressed to find.
We had brunch on Saturday and tried the Vietnamese pulled pork burrito, corned beef hash and a side of potatoes. My burrito was ahmaaazing. Perfectly charred, sweet and tender thit nuong (think the lovely grilled pork you see on the streets of HCM served with vermicelli and fish sauce) stuffed with the usual fixins, accompanied by a simple tomato and avocado salsa. The side of potatoes weren’t as crisp as I would’ve liked but they were the greasy carbs one needs at 2pm on a Saturday. The dude thought his corn beef hash was pretty darn good too. We also ordered a lycée smoothie that was a little on the sweet side but refreshing.
I have to admit I didn’t give the VOK 5 stars because I want to come back and try the Perenakan dishes before making that call. Service was very attentive and I was pleasantly surprised because my experience with chi chi brunch places hasn’t been the best. The décor at VOK is, to put it simply, reminiscent of P. S. Café and Pep pizza with old school white tiles, lots of black finishings, wooden chairs and dramatic floral arrangements on the bar counter. It’s not exactly original but I loved that the restaurant was chic yet cosy, unpretentious and they’ve got their food and service down right.

the rose is red,
the violet is oon’s,
her kitchen is sweet,
and eat must you.
i love how they open at 10.30am on a weekend.
their brunch menu runs all the way till 3pm.
at 11.30am the lunch menu kicks in as well.
free parking right in front of the shop and along the entire length of cherry avenue.
the staff have always been friendly, courteous and professional in their service.
they will cater to your needs, if any and possible, when you so request.
warm, hot or cold water as you like it.
and they come back to refill remembering what you asked for.
ambience is casual, clean and can cater to big groups.
the asian big breakfast always calls out my name!
nasi kuning, ikan bilis, sambal eggs, fried chicken wings, otak and mesclun leaves, $ 20.
fragrant rice, sweet and savoury sambal, crispy wings, spicy soft otak, sour vinegary salad dressing all combined into one colourful plate.
the otak panini was another highlight of their brunch menu, $ 15.
stuffed with their homemade otak and branded with well pressed grill marks.
the vietnamese pulled pork burrito, $ 18, is another that i liked.
a real ethnically confused combo but tasty nonetheless.
their corn beef hash is a spicy rendition, $ 17.
a good ratio of corn beef to potatoes.
the crabcake benedict did not live up to it’s $ 23 billing.
it was only ok and nothing more.
their french toast brioche, $ 15, could be crispier on the outside to make it more complete.
for dessert, the kueh bingka $ 9, i found was a little too cakey in texture.
but the accompanying fresh coconut milk and gula melaka sauce kept me spooning more into my mouth whether i was full or not.
roses are red,
violets are oon’s,
i eat here,
and so should you.

The dry laksa is great! As well as the babi pong tay, and the ngo hiang… the venue is ok, in a location where you need to go on purpose, and the service is actually pretty good (i was surprise, i did not expect much).
I was there for lunch on a Saturday and saw a few people looking at their brunch food menu (mostly American…) I am not sure about that, but the nonya food is great!
If I am ever back in that area of Singapore, I will def be back here.

After hearing so many great reviews and raved comments about Violet Oon’s Kitchen, I finally made a reservation for two on a quiet weekday. So it seems, even for a quiet weekday, the dining room was quickly filled with regulars and new faces.
The food was without a doubt great. I love the fact that the menu is well organized and a mix of fusion, seafood and meats. They also have a separate vegetarian menu and seems to be aware of certain allergies, which I thought was very well-​thought off. Some traditional peranakan dishes have some twists with modern western influences. Mostly either a main with local herbs/​chili flavors and accompanied with rice.
I really enjoyed the wholesome flavors and sambal very much. The ambience is classy but cosy. It’s a place you can bring your family regardless of age as everyone will have something to eat and enjoy. There are also cocktails and lovely desserts if you plan to catch up with your girlfriends. My only complain is the expense my wallet has to endure. Nevertheless, for a great evening with good company and delicious food, I would turn a blind eye.
Remember to share!

The décor is lovely and very modern, really not something that you would normally connect with peranakarn food. We ordered the pong tau hu soup which was extremely flavorful and my hubby finished every last drop!
For mains, we had the beef rendang and chicken buah keluak. The dishes came out very quickly but my chicken buah keluak wasn’t very warm, otherwise the taste was great with 3 decent sized chicken pieces. I wouldn’t mind some extra gravy though! The beef rendang was flavorful and as the previous reviewer stated, they used the more gelatinous cuts of beef which I loved!
We shared a pulu hitam for dessert which was pretty decent. Service was swift and pretty friendly. In terms of value, I would say it’s pretty pricey. Luckily I have the palate card so could get 50% discount, making it a good deal! Otherwise it’s a bit steep.

I grew up hearing of Violet Oon but never got the chance to try any of her dishes until last year when she opened this restaurant. Or rather her children open and manage the restaurant while I believed she supervises and rules over the kitchen. A real family business.
I saw the pictures my friend took when she dined there during Restaurant Week last year and I just had to try them too. It looked that appetizing. I managed to snag a table during the Restaurant Week promotion and was in for a treat. That was really a good introduction as the ala carte prices were pretty high for nonya food.
The restaurant was done in a mostly black and white décor, with clean lines, reminiscent of a Parisian café. The washrooms had little touches of warmth with diffuser and nice hand soap bottle (whether the content is really of that is another question).
Restaurant Week Menu (October 2012)
Appetizer — 2 dip board with pita bread and buah keluak sambal dip and chili crab dip. They came on a wooden board which was a nice touch. This was pretty awesome and set the stage for what was to come. Surprisingly the chili crab dip was spicier than the buah keluak sambal dip and we pretty much scraped every little bit out from the tiny ramekin pot.
Mains
Dry laksa — so yummy with the little bits of crunchy dried shrimps (hae bee) dotting almost every strand of the noodle. It is also quite lemak so it is much better to share this.
Babi pong tay — I rarely take pork but I could become a convert after trying this. The braised pork belly just melted in the mouth and there was no porky taste or smell at all. Must try. Again, maybe better to share this so you don’t get tired of it.
Dessert
Sticky date pudding with vanilla ice cream — I like the caramel sauce over it.
Pulot hitam with vanilla ice cream — not too sweet and the ice cream added the sweetness. I like this.
We went back again and ordered from the a la carte menu. The menu does not really have dishes to share as each dish comes with its own serving of rice, salad and pickles (achar). What you are supposed to do if you want to share is to put the dish in the center and voila, you could share them.
Other dishes tried:
Fish tempra which was fried sea bass fillet with chili a sweet, sour and spicy sauce which was quite ok and the ayam buah keluak was also quite good though I would not say it is the best I had.
Other dishes which were recommended were the pulled beef ragu rigatoni and shepherd pie which I have not tried yet.

Do you know who Violet Oon is?
If you do, you are all set. For me, the first time I’ve heard of her was actually a week back when I saw on Facebook a friend’s photo of a chalkboard menu, the signboard and a caption — «best meal of the year».
Of course I had to ask where. Apparently it is so new it wasn’t listed.
And then I googled. So apparently she is Singapore’s Food Ambassador, Celebrity Chef, and apparently quite well-​known by Singaporeans!
Maybe she was the English version of «Fang Tai» that used to appear on Channel 8 cooking shows every day at 4pm.
So of course I had to check it out. The place is just down from the 6^th Avenue stretch and next to a Bar Bar place. First impression is that this place is very stylish. I really liked the décor, which reminds me quite strongly of P. S. Café’s.
t was really crowded on the Saturday night that we were there. Filled with families who knew about this place via word of mouth, just like us? Every single table was occupied. No kidding. They also had a small space outdoors for alfresco.
Looks like quite the plethora of choices! I was slightly stumped with it. The guy who attended our table (who looked like the son-​in-​law of Violet’s) was quite friendly and said our choice of the Beef Rendang ($ 22) was very good. And I ordered the Chicken Buah Keluak ($ 22).
OK but so here’s the thing. We waited. and waited. and waited. In eager anticipation of the food. We also saw Mdm. Oon in the kitchen.
But after 30 minutes, the food is still not here. We had checked on it with the staff 25 minutes in and they told us «5 more minutes». Then finally, it arrived!
So the Rendang was quite well-​flavored and the gravy filled chock full with spices. But what we didn’t understand was how something like this which you scoop out from a pot will take 30 minutes.
The beef was also made from the softer, almost jelly-​like parts of the cow which my dining companion did not really liked. Though apparently it is quite common for rendangs to be prepared with that type of meat.
I rather enjoyed my chicken buah keluak. On just an objective food level, yes the quality is there. Again, the magic lies in the gravy of the buah keluak. The chicken was a tad bony and dry though and barely had 3 substantial pieces. Salad was an afterthought. Rice was average.
My problem with this beautiful dish is that it is up-​classed Nonya food but the portions were tiny for the price of $ 22. I understand I am paying for everything else instead of just the food, but it just left me wanting a little bit more.
Quite a nice touch however was when the same guy who attended our table came over after our food’s served to apologize for the long waiting time. He could have just ignored that fact, but acknowledged it instead which I felt made up for it a little.
Perhaps it was that that made us go for the dessert — the sticky toffee date pudding with vanilla ice cream ($ 12). Wrong choice. The cake was really soft and sweet and had bits of dates inside, which did not add any flavor at all. The ice cream was average Wall’s/Nestle ice cream, no vanilla bean type. Marmalade Pantry’s Sticky Toffee Date pudding is much much better.
Alright so I am at a dilemma as to what rating to give it. Thing is, the food is actually good for the main dishes. The service was actually quite attentive and friendly too. However, the price and the waiting time and the poor dessert makes me think twice about going back.