Baba Steven's Private Dining: A ex-chef turned home cook

Baba Steven or Chef Steven is endearingly known as has been whipping up peranakan feasts from his Bukit Batok Home since he retired. We booked a table of 8 for a $450 dinner comprising of 8 dishes.
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Baba Steven's chilli is a must try, fragrant and so tasty with just white rice. I clearly overdosed on this whilst waiting for the rest to arrive, just like soy sauce and rice, so simple yet my belly was full on happiness.

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The feasting kind of started before the mains were served - freshly baked pineapple tarts. These open faced babies come with a mildly sweet pineapple jam baked atop a really buttery pastry shell.

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Bakwan Kepiting Soup

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This is almost a Peranakan staple across the private dinners I have done and whilst this is homecooked, I found the meatballs rolled a tad too tightly. Soup is refillable but those balls are limited to two per diner.
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Ayam Buah Keluak is the classic peranakan dish at all peranakan meals and Baba Steven takes pride in deshelling each of these tough nuts before replacing all the nuts with their stuffing. Gotta love the nuttiness of this dish though this is really a love hate for some.


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Beef Rendang is a mild affair here, barely hitting notes of spiciness and a really friendly dish.

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Ikam Kuah Lada 

This is a long lost recipe, at least I have not eaten this before. Stingray in pepper gravy, this boasts a toothsome gravy and tender stingray chunks.
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Sambal Lady's Finger also made it to the menu that night, presenting these photogenic green fingers and a dash of chillis. Yet once again I wish there were more heat.

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Nonya Braised Prime Rib tastes quite different from how it looks - tangy gravy almost hinging on sweet. The fall off the bone ribs makes a great dish for those who dislike eating off the bone or even using your fingers to eat.


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Chilli Sotong is a rather uncommon peranakan dish and these tender squid rings were dry rubbed with a medley of spices.

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Nonya Chap Chye is all too familiar and possibly one of my favourites from that dinner. Homecooked goodness.


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Dinner ended up looking like a never ending affair when all dishes were laid on the table.



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