If Violet Oon is where you go for Chinese New Year or a celebratory meal, then Bibik Violet is where you take your loved ones for Sunday brunch. The new café-bakery is the first casual concept in the Violet Oon Group, with a full-fledged kueh and cake counter and a selection of take-home goodies. Unlike its fancier counterpart, no reservations are needed at Bibik Violet, which is a walk-in only, scan-to-order sort of establishment. It officially opens on September 29 in the refreshed Temasek Shophouse, a social impact hub at Dhoby Ghaut.
Most of us in Singapore are familiar with Violet Oon, widely regarded as the matriarch of Peranakan cuisine. But before becoming the group’s culinary curator, the 76-year-old polymath lived many lives. She was formerly a chef, acclaimed food journalist, TV show host, and even a music critic and opera singer at one point. With Bibik Violet, she swaps out the glossy black-and-gold glamour of her other restaurants for something more vibrant, rustic and everyday. You know, the kind of feeling you get when eating at a Bibik’s – or a Peranakan aunty’s – home.
That explains the warm woody tones enveloping the 54-seater, the rattan furniture, tasselled lamps, batik prints and vintage Peranakan tiles from the 1900s. Even some of Violet’s own cookbooks and knick-knacks from her home make an appearance. Old records by Chinese and Malay artists play softly in the background, adding a tinge of nostalgia.
The menu at Bibik Violet isn’t a scaled-down version of Violet Oon’s, nor a repetition. Yes, the dishes are not dressed to impress, but the recipes are tailor-made for the outlet and distinctly homely in style (read: not just spicy, but unapologetically so). Must-orders include the ladies fingers sambal ($9), ikan panggang sambal ($18) and beef rendang ($19.80).
The chilled okra dish packs a punch, tossed in a piquant hae bee sambal with shallots and ikan bilis. Tender grilled barramundi is the star of the ikan panggang, finished with a generous slather of sambal sauce. This, together with the beef rendang slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices, makes the perfect pairing with rice. Bibik Violet isn’t trying to be ‘elevated’ – there’s no swapping out regular beef for wagyu here. Rather, expect honest-to-goodness flavours and attention to detail, like how the ikan bilis is served crisp and airy, instead of stone-cold and soggy.
There are other classics like the nasi lemak with ayam berempah ($14.90), ngoh hiang ($9), chicken curry ($14.90), laksa ($13.50) and kueh pie tee with homemade stuffing ($8.50 for four pieces). If you’re stopping by in the morning, traditional breakfast sets ($7.20) are available as well, with everything from regular kaya toast ($3) to the lesser-seen hae bee hiam toast ($5.50)
Since this is the only Violet Oon restaurant to have a dedicated kueh section (the Ion Orchard branch only serves a pre-selected kueh platter), it would be criminal to walk away without trying some of these decadent treats. They are displayed in a dizzying array at the counter and made fresh in limited quantities, so you might be getting something different each visit.
We are not exaggerating when we say Bibik Violet’s kuehs are some of the best we’ve had. The skin on the kueh dadar tears apart with such elasticity to reveal sweet bursts of fragrant palm-sugar-grated coconut filling. The same goes for the glistening ang ku kueh, with a thin outer layer encasing a delicate and light mung bean paste. We also sink our teeth into kueh salat and kueh bingka ambon, the latter boasting that signature striated, honeycomb-like texture that peels apart strand by strand.
Desserts and bakes deserve a shoutout too, particularly the pandan chiffon and cempedak cake. And in a short, tongue-in-cheek aside, Violet herself tells us what makes her almond jelly longan dessert ($6.90) “historically accurate”: canned longans and preserved cherries – and it has to be Maraschino. You can also pack up some of the cakes by the slice over at the counter, along with goodies like the brand’s signature coffee and tea blends and homemade pandan kaya, all in colourful, gift-worthy packaging.
Bibik Violet officially opens on September 29, from 8am to 9.30pm on weekdays and 10am to 9.30pm on weekends, at 28 Orchard Rd, Temasek Shophouse, Singapore 238832.
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