Food review: Newly minted Baba Chew has already hit its stride

SINGAPORE — The newly minted Baba Chews is part of Hotel Indigo Katong Singapore, but you’d never know it if you came in from the main entrance facing East Coast Road. Set in a spacious building that was once part of the old Joo Chiat Police Station, it feels like a standalone restaurant that happens to purvey all-day dining menus.

THE VIBE

Its name is an indication of the colonial sensibilities that permeate its interior design. Printed tiles line the wooden floor, large windows soak the space in natural light, and chairs lined in tastefully patterned upholstery impart a hipster-meets-old-world charm.

WHAT TO ORDER

Several menus are offered throughout the day. There is a breakfast menu and an all-day dining one featuring Singaporean dishes and Western classics such as sandwiches and salads. The dinner menu is a compact list of Peranakan favourites, while weekends bring with them an appealing brunch menu.

What’s great about the classic fare, such as beef rendang and ikan goreng chilli, is that they are elevated by the kitchen team’s solid technique. The rendang (S$25) is made using beef short ribs, so the slow-cooked meat is lush and tender, and smothered in a rather too-sweet gravy that could have used more spicy heat.

The barramundi goreng chilli (S$29) was impressive — the meat was succulent and tender, and the fish skin crisp and crackly. The sambal that bathed the fish had just the right balance of chillies, tempered with tamarind and sugar.

The chap chye (S$12) was also exemplary, with strong basal tones of tau cheo (fermented soya beans) and cabbage that was stewed for just the right amount of time so that they retained some of their juicy structure.

WHAT NEEDS IMPROVING

It is rare for a new restaurant to hit its stride in the first month of opening, but Baba Chews seems to have done this — at least when it comes to the food. Most of what we ate was impressive — the pong tauhu (S$9), while not the best in town, is certainly one of the better renditions you will find in Katong, with its rich prawn soup base and batons of fresh bamboo shoots.

For dessert, we were served a sinfully rich nangka (jackfruit) cheesecake (S$12) accompanied by a scoop of pulut hitam (black rice) rice cream. Individually, both components were fantastic, particularly the ice cream, which had all the flavours of the traditional pulut hitam dessert in one smooth scoop. Together, however, they made a confusing mix, as each individual element was rich enough on its own.

THE VERDICT

For residents in the area, Baba Chews is no doubt a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. Its myriad menu means multi-generational families can come here with something for everyone. On weekends, it addresses the need for a great breakfast or brunch place that doesn’t involve sitting in too-close proximity to other diners. The coffee, using beans from Common Man Coffee Roasters, is pretty good, too. In theory, at least, this all equates to a winning combination. ANNETTE TAN

Baba Chews

Where:

#01-01 Katong Square, 86 East Coast Road

Telephone:

6723 2025

Opening hours:

Daily, 6.30am to midnight