Kokoyo Nyonya Delights: Legit Peranakan Eatery With $1.50 Kueh By Gen Z

Kokoyo Nyonya Delights has legit peranakan food in Serangoon

I have always associated Peranakan food with luxury—see our Violet Oon restaurant feature and Indocafe review. So when we came across Kokoyo Nyonya Delights, a restaurant serving affordable Peranakan cuisine in Serangoon, we had to give them a try. 

Located a 10-minute walk away from Serangoon MRT Station, the restaurant is run by a passionate Gen-Z who aims to preserve his grandmother’s recipes. The menu offers a small selection of zi char-style plates, nasi lemak, kopi drinks, and various types of Nyonya kueh. 

We were recommended their Nasi Lemak Beef Rendang ($11.90), which stars double-steamed coconut rice, beef rendang, ikan bilis, peanuts, cucumber slices, and sambal telur. Despite its striking red hue, the sambal struck the perfect balance between sweet and spicy, pairing well with the other components on the plate. 

What’s special about the nasi here is that it’s more redolent of pandan than anything else, whereas most other nasi lemak stalls favour a heavier, coconut-forward flavour. We were told that Kokoyo’s team soaks their rice in pandan juice, resulting in a richer fragrance. We also appreciated that the anchovies were perfectly crispy. 

While the beef rendang was well-marinated, we felt that it could have been a bit more tender. 

The Babi Pongteh ($10.90) fared better. Sitting in a rich and savoury gravy laced with fermented bean paste and ginger, each piece of pork belly was flavourful and meltingly tender. 

The meat got a little jelak after a while, so we recommend pairing it with rice to cut through the heavy flavours. Another thing we appreciated was how generous they were with the portion, considering the price. I’d definitely come back for this dish again!

You can also get drinks such as Kopi ($1.60), Teh ($2), Barley ($2.50), as well as a few canned drinks ($2) to go alongside your meal. 

A huge selection of Nyonya kueh sitting in a display case at the entrance caught my eye, so I couldn’t resist getting a few to try. Not to mention, these were well-priced at $1.50 a piece, or $12 for 10 pieces. 

We got the ondeh ondeh: glutinous rice balls filled with molten gula melaka. These chewy balls came in three flavours—coconut, yam, and pumpkin—and were dusted with shredded coconut flakes. Our favourite was the classic coconut flavour, which came with the perfect balance of fragrant coconut with sweet gula melaka in each bite.

We also tried the rainbow-striped kueh lapis, a simple but classic favourite of ours. This kueh boasted a light pandan flavour and wasn’t as sweet as the other kueh in the spread. 

Lastly, there was the kueh salat, which consisted of steamed glutinous rice, topped with a pandan-flavoured kaya custard. The smooth and sweet custard complemented the chewy rice layer, which was slightly savoury.

Kokoyo Nyonya Delights can seat 15 diners at a time, and they have both indoor and outdoor seating. It’s hard to find cheap and authentic kueh nowadays, so we’re glad they have that here at Kokoyo!

In other news, check out Pull Tab Coffee, a China-famous coffee chain known for its aerofoam coffee and thick butter kaya toast. Otherwise, check out our Kichi Kichi Omurice x Tsukimi Burger feature for more details on the exciting launch featuring the famous chef! 

Address: 263 Serangoon Central Drive, #01-43, Singapore 550263
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 8:30pm
Website
Kokoyo Nyonya Delights is not a halal-certified eatery. 

 

Photos taken by Tao Zhi Tan.
This was a media tasting at Kokoyo Nyonya Delights.