Rumah Bebe in Katong is a Peranakan heritage boutique, a school, a bake shop and also a mini museum. For us, it is simply the best place in the East for takeaway nyonya food.
Rumah Bebe in Katong
Rumah Bebe (which means house or home of Bebe) occupies a two storey shophouse along East Coast Road. It sells stylish Peranakan costumes & shoes, art & crafts and nyonya kuehs. Traditional beading classes are conducted there. Rumah Bebe also hosts private in house tours for small groups, where guests can learn about various facets of Peranakan culture, experience the aroma of nyonya baking and even try dressing up in nyonya attires.
Rumah Bebe Cuisine
In contemporary Singapore, Peranakans are perhaps most closely associated with nyonya food. Rumah Bebe home-made Peranakan food is one of the best versions of nyonya food available for takeaway. There is nothing complicated or pretentious. Just simple good Peranakan food prepared the traditional way.
The quaint Rumah Bebe sells nyonya kuehs, one dish meals and Peranakan dishes like Ayam Buah Keluak, Pork Belimbing and Itik Sio. It has no fixed menu. The daily menu is written on a chalkboard outside the restaurant. You can also call the restaurant and ask and what is available for the day will be rattled to you over the phone.
For an idea of the range of kuehs and dishes available you can visit the “Cuisine” section of their website to see photos of the typical items they have.
Takeaway Nyonya Food
We went to Rumah Bebe recently to buy Pork Pongtay ($15), Chap Chye ($12), Laksa Goreng ($6.60), Steamed Rice ($1.50) and Cheng Tng ($4).
The portion sizes of the dishes were quite substantial. The babi pontay and chap chye would be good for 3 to 4.
The Laksa Goreng was mee goreng with all the laksa flavours. We got all the satisfaction of a great bowl of laksa without the soup.
Rumah Bebe’s Pork Pongtay was very well braised and delicious. The pork, with a good amount of pork skin and fats, was really tender. There were mushrooms and chunky pieces of potatoes in the dish. It was a very delectable dish.
The Chap Chye of Rumah Bebe had lots of ingredients – including cabbage, tau kee, dry lilybuds, black fungus, pork and prawns – which were well stewed. The bean paste gravy was well balanced and tasty. The dish was flavaourful and had natural sweetness; and was neither too salty nor too sweet. It was one of the best chap chye we had enjoyed in recent times.
The cheng tng was chokeful of ingredients. It was a refreshing and delightful dessert to round off a good meal.
Excellent Peranakan Food
We cannot think of a better place for good takeaway nyonya food in the East than Rumah Bebe in Katong. You get good flavourful Peranakan dishes prepared the old fashioned way at reasonable prices.
Currently, Rumah Bebe is opened only from Friday to Sunday. However, we are told that they do prepare a limited number of dishes on weekdays. So if you really need a nyonya food fix, you can call them to find out what is available on that day and arrange to collect the food outside the restaurant.
Rumah Bebe
113 East Coast Road
Singapore 428803
WhatsApp / SMS : +65 98162177
Tel: +65 6247 8781
The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog
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