The Blue Ginger (Tanjong Pagar) - 97 Tg Pagar Rd

Authentic Peranakan food and a notch above most places serving Peranakan cuisine. Sambal and achar were nicely done. Ngor hiang had good bite and texture to it, with crispy outer layer. Beef rendang full of flavour and rather lemak. The ikan masak assam gulai had lovely nuances of flavour. Otak otak was authentic. Kueh pie tee was a letdown though, without much taste and the pie tee shells were soft. Chendol had nice gula melaka quality though it was packet coconut milk used. Overall service was excellent.

As it has been some time since we enjoyed Peranakan food,, we went to Blue Ginger for lunch on a weekday. There was only one occupied table on the ground floor when we arrived. However, by the time we finished our lunch, all the tables on the ground floor was occupied. My wife and I shared two dishes, ie. Beef Rendang and Ikan Masak Assam Gulai, with steamed rice. Both dishes were well prepared and we enjoyed them. The piquant flavours of Assam, tamarind and lemongrass in the fish dish were very appetising, and I had two servings of steamed rice to enjoy the sauce. What is a Peranakan meal without chendol dessert? We ended our lunch on a sweet note. Although it was just two dishes, it was a heavy meal for us but an enjoyable one.

This Peranakan restaurant is located along Tanjong Pagar Road, just next to Orchid Hotel amongst the refurbished shophouses. As their space is small, reservations are a must as walk-ins tend to be turned away. After the dishes were ordered, Archar was provided as an appetiser. It was good and helped to whet the appetite for what was to come. The Otak Otak arrived soon as the first dish. It had a slight spice and a springy feel to it. Loved the taste although the springy feel made it feel more like a fishball texture-wise. The Ngor Hiang came next. The texture of it was good but it needed the sweet sauce to help enhance its otherwise flat flavour. The next dish to arrive was the Hee Peow Tng. The fish maw was of good quality and taste, while the soup was light and tasty. The Starters ended with the arrival of the Terong Goreng Cili. The eggplants were well grilled and covered with chilli paste, which had a really strong kick of spice that almost killed all other flavours of the dish and making it just taste very spicy. The first main soon arrived and it was the Beef Rendang. The rendang flavour was yummy and went well with the rice while the beef cheeks were tender. Although yummy, a slight grouse is that there was still a slight gamey taste to it but it wasn't too strong to be put off by. The second main to arrive was the Ikan Masak Assam Gulai. The sauce was on the tangy side but the good tangy side with a slight spice. The Mackerel was fresh as can be seen in the firmness of the fish. It was a joy as each bite into the fish was welcomed with that tinge of sourness that made it all the better. This dish was definitely the star of the evening. Ending the meal, an order of Durian Chendol and Sago Gula Melaka were made. They were both yummy and had the right amount of sweetness. This was a good place to end the meal. General Verdict: The experience here was pleasant and the staff were attentive. Definitely a place with good customer service. The dishes here were yummy and the Ikan Gulai was a winner that is a dish worth returning for. Opening Hours: Daily 12pm-3pm and 6:30pm-10:30pm Queue Situation: Reservations required Prices: SG$30-SG$45 per person Payment Mode: Cash and all Major Credit Cards Is this worth a try? Yes Is it worth making a trip just to try it? Probably Is this worthy of the Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Award? Unsure Items Ordered: 1) Item: Archar - Pickled Vegetables Description: Yummy appetiser to whet the appetite Verdict: Very Good, Served upon sitting Price: Free 2) Item: Otak Otak (1 serving in 2 halves) Description: Springy texture that makes one wondering if one was eating a fishball Verdict: Acceptable, Order only if you want to try Price: SG$4.80++ per serving 3) Item: Ngo Hiang Description: Texture of it was good but it needed the sweet sauce to help enhance its otherwise flat flavour Verdict: Acceptable, Order only if you want to try Price: SG$15++ 4) Item: Hee Peow Tng - Fish Maw Soup Description: Good quality and taste, while the soup was light and tasty Verdict: Good, Can Order Price: SG$8++ 5) Item: Terong Goreng Cili Description: Had a really strong kick of spice bordering on over spicy which kills the taste if one is not used to very spicy food Verdict: Acceptable, Order only if you want to try Price: SG$14.50 6) Item: Beef Rendang Description: The meat was tender and yummy, with a slight tinge of gamey-ness that was present but not off putting Verdict: Acceptable, Order only if you want to try Price: SG$25++ 7) Item: Ikan Masak Assam Gulai Description: Mackerel fillets in a spiced tamarind gravy with a tinge of lemongrass and ginger flowers for a citrusy-floral note Verdict: Very Good, Must Order Price: SG$26++ 8) Item: Durian Chendol Description: A sweet dessert that is rich in flavour and optimal in sweetness Verdict: Good, Can Order Price: SG$7++ 9) Item: Sago Gula Melaka Description: A good mix of flavours but the ice was packed too tightly resulting in the ice remaining flavourless Verdict: Acceptable, Order only if you want to try Price: SG$5.50++

I love love Peranakan food and this is one of the few restaurants in Singapore capable of serving up delicious Nonya food at reasonable prices. We had kueh pie tee, chap chye, achar, beef, assam pork ribs (supergood!), and ngoh hiang. Love every dish that was served. I also love the location in Tanjong Pagar in a charming shophouse, definitely very rustic and authentic feeling. Definitely worth another visit!

Tried this restaurant for delivery a few times and finally went for dinner. Service was quick and friendly - we had the Blue Ginger Chicken (our favourite), Beef Randang (very tender), Otak (very tasty and crunchy), and some prawns. Everything was cooked well - very tasty but not overpowering. Will definitely return soon.

We had our sweet and cozy wedding solmization in the restaurant, and thanks Blue Ginger to make our big day as one of the most memorable days of my life! The event team are talented and fast respond to all request, the final setup is amazing! Well equipped with sound system so no need to worried about the music or mic. Highly recommend for those couple with small size of guests and want intimate and personal setup!!

First Peranakan restaurant experience and we were disappointed with the service and quality. There were not enough staff on the second floor when we visited for Sat lunch, and they didn’t seem like they wanted to be there either. We asked what dishes they would recommend and one of them asked us to look at the icons in the menu instead. Okay. Out of the 3 dishes we ordered, we loved their beef rendang ($26) the most. Assam fish was flavourful but the belly part had a strong fishy taste. We found their chap chye ($16) pretty average however. One thing to note is that rice is charged at $2.80 pp at one bucket per table. So even if you don’t want any you have to pay for it. Overall it’s a pretty overrated restaurant, we would probably skip this for other choices around Tanjong Pagar next time.

The moment I stepped in, I felt like I was coming home for a meal. That was my feeling throughout the entire dining experience. It felt homely and I loved it. The service staff were friendly as well. The food certainly did not disappoint. All of the dishes were well cooked and flavoured well - not too salty and the desserts were not too sweet. I will certainly return to try out other dishes which I had to give a miss today.