First and foremost on our list upon landing in Singapore from AirAsia Philippine’s maiden flight from Clark in Pampanga was lunch! The three-hour flight was apparently enough to reawaken the sleeping dragons in our stomachs and my first taste of Singapore was going to be at the Blue Ginger.

The restaurant is located at the colorful Tanjong Pagar foodie strip at the Outram District. Our guide explained that it is a Peranakan restaurant; meaning the cuisine is a fusion of Malay and Chinese culinary tradition.

Blue Ginger, which is named after the key ingredient in Peranakan dishes, is accessed through a dark flight of wooden stairs that reminds me a bit of Manila’s old buildings. It was a rather good blank pre-anticipatory canvass of what was to come.

The light shined through as we reached the stair’s final flight. Huge wooden ornate windows softly filtered in the harsh midday sun through the beautifully decorated restaurant. The floors are made of dark wooden planks, the walls alternating in solid reds and pastel creams. Circular marble tables set with porcelain white dishes welcomed us.

I totally dig Blue Ginger’s nooks. I personally like it better than their main dining hall with its cozier one on one dining set-up; perfect for couples looking for a quiet and a bit more private area to dine in.

A troop of very friendly waiters started serving a plethora of mouthwatering dishes as soon as everyone settled in. Everything is foreign to my eyes but I can distinguish elements that are quite similar from the dishes at home.

Kueh Pie Tee (Starters)
Shredded bamboo shoots and turnips garnished with shrimp in pie tee cups
Ngo Heong (Starters)
Homemade rolls of minced pork and prawns seasoned with five-spice powder wrapped and fried to crispy golden brown

Beef Rendang
Tender beef cubes prepared in rich coconut milk spiced with ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves and a dash of curry powder

Ayam Panggang “Blue Ginger”
Deboned chicken thigh and drumstick flavoured with coconut milk rich in exotic spices and grilled to perfection

Juhu Kangkong
Stir-fried kangkong with cuttlefish and sambal

Seasonal Green Vegetables
Seasonal vegetables with oyster sauce topped with fried shallots and Chinese black mushroom

Steamed Seabass
Fresh seabass prepared with a choice of preserved bean paste flavoured with fresh garlic,, chilli and spring onions or ginger and soy sauce

Sotong Kunyit
Fresh squid stir-fried with turmeric powder, flavoured with tamarind

Udang Goreng Tauyu Lada
Sauteed prawns with pepper in sweet dark soya sauce

As I mentioned, the dishes were foreign but somewhat relatively familiar to my homegrown taste. I sampled similar dishes in our country especially their Ngo Heong in Cebu, Beef Rendang in Marawi City, Udang Goreng Tauyu Lada at Dampa and Juhu KangKong right in our home. Elements from our own Malay and Chinese roots are definitely evident at Blue Ginger’s servings.

I love every single cuisine served on our table as Peranakan dishes seemed to have a common ground with the Filipino palate, just a tad spicier. My first taste of Singapore is a gutbuster of uniquely Singaporean delights, Blue Ginger style.

Blue Ginger Restaurant
Address: 97 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore
Telephone: (+65) 6222-3928
Fax: (+65) 6222-3860
Open Hours: 12:00PM to 2:30PM | 6:30PM to 10.30PM
Menu: Click Here

GPS Coordinates: 1.277361,103.843685
View Location on Google Maps: Click Here

THIS SINGAPORE TRIP IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:
AIRASIA PHILIPPINES – NOW FLYING DIRECTLY TO SINGAPORE
HOTEL AND TRAVEL PACKAGE BY AIRASIAGO
SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD

       THREE DAYS IN SINGAPORE TRIP ITINERARY & SUMMARY
       MANILA – CLARK – SINGAPORE | PERANAKAN LUNCH AT BLUE GINGER RESTAURANT | THE FLOWER DOME AT GARDENS BY THE BAY
       ABOVE AND BELOW GARDENS BY THE BAY’S CLOUD FOREST | FLYING HIGH AT THE SINGAPORE FLYER
       A NOCTURNAL RIDE AT THE NIGHT SAFARI | NIGHTS AT THE ROYAL PLAZA ON SCOTTS HOTEL
       AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE RIVER SAFARI’S GIANT PANDAS | LUNCH AT SENTOSA’S TASTES OF ASIA
       AN EVENING WALK AT THE ORCHARD ROAD | ELECTRIC NIGHTS AT THE MARINA BAY | HAWKERS HUNT FOR A FREEZING BOWL OF CHENDOL 
       STARBUCKS GLOBAL ICON CITY MUG PLUS A FEW MORE | SINGAPORE – CLARK