Indocafe review: Peranakan cuisine at the white house

Update 2022: Indocafe has exited the American Express Love Dining programme and will no longer offer its benefits.

This is my Indocafe Review! I’m so excited to share that it’s also the very first Peranakan / South East Asian restaurant that’s featured on this blog!

Note: From 1 January 2021 onwards, Indocafe has joined the Love Dining programme by American Express.

Indocafe review: the white house

Early in 2021, American Express announced that a bunch of new dining establishments would be joining the Love Dining programme, and Indocafe was one of these places.

Literally, a large white house

My regular readers know this – I’ve mentioned it ad nauseam, I’m a huge fan of the Amex Love Dining benefits. With my American Express Platinum Charge card, the husband and myself (and our six-month old son tagged along) dined at 50% off.

Inspired by this post and want to apply for an American Express credit card? Apply through one of my referral links and receive either bonus Membership Rewards points or statement credit:

• The Platinum Charge Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$900 statement credits and Samsonite Choca Spinner 68/25 (worth S$700) when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• The American Express Platinum Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$350 statement credits when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 38, 000 Krisflyer miles and S$50 statement credits when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met. 

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed on this page are that of Happy High Life and may not necessarily reflect the position of American Express. Happy High Life is not responsible for any decisions made by readers. The terms and conditions for each credit card's application and usage may be subject to change by American Express. Therefore, readers are recommended to check any matters with American Express or its partners; the list of all benefits of the Platinum Charge Card can be found here.

Building from old times

The entire building is reminiscnet of an old-school colonial building – the kind owned by rich Pernakan families during the days where the British still ruled Singapore and Malaysia.

Restaurant Entrance

Step into the interior and it looks like you’ve gone back in time. The beauty’s in the details: intricately carved wooden decor, prettily decorated teapots, parquet flooring, and framed pernakan costumes restfully hang on the wall.

“Looks almost like a Museum here” – the husband

In fact, people have had Pernakan-themed weddings here.

Do note that – being an actual house, the seating availability is limited. The setting is meant to be a more intimate and cosy one, so reservations are highly recommended.

Pernakan cuisine

White waiting, we were served some belinjau crackers (keropok) and dippings.

We were informed that it’s not quite a complimentary dish. As part of our meal, we had ordered some plain jasmine rice, and it so happens that the rice comes with all this:

Nyona Achar, Sambal Belachan, and a tamarind-based dipping Sauce served with Keropok

Then, the dishes appeared all at once.

Immediately our eyes were drawn to the Wagyu beef rendang. Slow-cooked wagyu beef cheeks marinated in Indocafe’s special blend of spices, this wasn’t any ordinary beef rendang. Slightly sweeter and a little more tangy than the usual local rendang, the beef was also super tender and came apart easily with a fork.

It also wasn’t too spicy as well, and pretty mild by local standards.

Wagyu Beef Rendang

Our vegetable dish of the day was the Sayur Lodeh. On the surface it looks like a simple, stewed mixed vegetables medly of carrots, green beans, cabbages and eggplant in coconut gravy. Eaten, however, it is a hot, comforting soupy goodness best taken with plain rice.

Sayur Lodeh

For variety’s sake, we also ordered a soupy seafood dish: Udang Masak Nanas. The outcome: stewed tiger prawns sautéed in spicy pineapple gravy and served with tomatoes and ladyfingers (okra).

Udang Masak Nanas

This was the spiciest item of the day. It’s not chilli-intensive the way tom yum soup is; in fact the taste is closer to a sweet and sour asam laksa. 

And of course, there were a few large peices of juicy and spicy tiger prawns:

Large Tiger Prawns. Mmm.

Dessert: Bubur Chacha

I love a good coconut-based dessert, so if Bubur Chacha is listed on the menu, that’s a no-brainer go-to. 

Burbur Chacha

This is Indocafe’s traditional Nyona dessert soup of yam, sweet potatoes, and BANANA, with little sago balls, all in a rich coconut milk base.

I don’t usually see banana in Burbur Chacha – so this was a novelty

After all that spicy main dishes, the Burbur Chacha was a lovely way to end the meal. Naturally sweetened with root vegetables and the banana, it was pure comfort and joy truly. My only complaint is that the serving was a tad small, and we honestly wished that there was more to enjoy.

Indocafe review

Overall, it’s clear why this place has won several dining awards. Authentic, wholesome, and tasty, it’s the perfect place to bring your overseas guests or foreign visitors who are hankering after non-Singaporean-but-still-South-East-Asian fare.

Service was attentive and staff were friendly, and food was served pretty quickly. The unique setting is a definite plus point, and it’s great if you want to celebrate a special occasion in a less conventional place.

Important note: for those who wish to use Amex Love Dining, advanced reservations are a MUST. In the reservation, you also must state that you intend to use Love Dining Benefits.

When we visisted, the staff actually asked us if at the time of reservation, if we specified that we’re doing Love Dining, and they actually double checked this on their system. While it may seem a little nitpicky, it IS stated on the terms and conditions – that such reservations must be done to qualify for Love Dining benefits here. 

American Express Platinum Charge Card (Image source: American Express)

Want some Love Dining?

Apply for an American Express credit card and get bonus points!

Inspired by this post and want to apply for an American Express credit card? Apply through one of my referral links and receive either bonus Membership Rewards points or statement credit:

• The Platinum Charge Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$900 statement credits and Samsonite Choca Spinner 68/25 (worth S$700) when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• The American Express Platinum Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$350 statement credits when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 38, 000 Krisflyer miles and S$50 statement credits when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met. 

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed on this page are that of Happy High Life and may not necessarily reflect the position of American Express. Happy High Life is not responsible for any decisions made by readers. The terms and conditions for each credit card's application and usage may be subject to change by American Express. Therefore, readers are recommended to check any matters with American Express or its partners; the list of all benefits of the Platinum Charge Card can be found here.

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