Tucked away in the hip Tiong Bahru enclave, House of Peranakan Petit lives up to its name with floral-painted tiles and a turquoise-and-white colour palette that pays homage to its Straits Chinese heritage. It is part of the House of Peranakan Group that has been established for over three decades.

Though its menu is largely made up of authentic Nonya dishes, some have been given modern twists. To wit: Scallop lemak, a light curry kissed with coconut milk and lemongrass, features plump scallops instead of the traditional vegetables, fish or prawns.

Ngoh hiang and assam sotong are great dishes with which to begin the meal. The former features minced pork, prawns and water chestnuts infused with five-spice powder and rolled in beancurd skin. The rolls are deep-fried and served with a sweet dipping sauce and piquant chilli sauce. The assam sotong sees squid stir-fried with onions, lemongrass and tamarind, which lends a lovely sour edge to the bold mélange of flavours.

Peranakan classics like ayam buah keluak should not be missed here. In this dish, chicken is braised in a luscious tamarind gravy and lemongrass along with the much-loved black nut, which is earthy and pungent, and definitely an acquired taste. The beef rendang stands out for its lighter-than-usual coconut gravy infused with lemongrass, onions, blue ginger, chillies and ginger. The flavours are still rich, and the beef meltingly tender.

Even the drinks here are homemade—ask for the ginger lemongrass tea or freshly squeezed lime juice with jelly. For desserts, order the durian chendol served with jelly and coconut ice cream. Coconut palm sugar, aka gula Melaka, is served on the side, so you can adjust the sweetness to your preference.