Newest Violet Oon Singapore Dempsey Hill restaurant opens with an edible garden & new outlet-exclusives

If you’re anything like me and have been following the latest Little Nyonya instalment on Channel 8 or Netflix, you might have found yourself craving some authentic Peranakan fare, as you watch the dishes being doled out onscreen.

Good news: There’s a new Violet Oon Singapore restaurant in town, and it’s the biggest one yet.

While the brand already has outposts at Ion Orchard and National Gallery, its latest at Dempsey Hill is its very first standalone outlet and occupies a sprawling 6,000 square feet. Not only does it cover two floors, but there’s also plenty of private dining rooms, as well as a pet-friendly al fresco space.

Stepping into Violet Oon Singapore’s Dempsey Hill outlet, you’ll see elements of its other spaces embedded within, such as its intricate nyonya tiles, as well as the black, gold and emerald green accents.

But one thing that’ll strike you in particular is just how green the whole space is — there is no shortage of plants in this new space, and if you thought that was all, there’s even an edible garden tucked beside the restaurant.

You’re more than welcome to touch and smell the various herbs grown there, such as its oft-used blue pea flower (bunga telang), raja ulam, and even winged bean, which we later had in our first dish. 

Beyond its expanded space, Violet Oon Singapore at Dempsey Hill also brings with it new dishes that continue to showcase its founder Violet Oon’s Peranakan heritage, many of which you might not even get to try in Peranakan homes nowadays.

Trying the menu at Violet Oon Singapore’s Dempsey Hill outlet

Menu items exclusive to the new outlet run the gamut from appetisers, to mains, and even desserts and drinks.

One of the more memorable dishes we had was the kerabu kacang botol (S$18), which features crisp winged beans tossed in delightfully zesty sambal belacan, lime and dried shrimp dressing, topped with toasted coconut.

With its refreshing, tangy notes, it was the perfect starter for a sumptuous feast at the restaurant, but be warned, the belacan is definitely spicy. You’d do well to get some rice to pad out the heat, even from the appetisers. 

I am a huge fu yong omelette fan, so when I saw this Chinese-inspired omelette, which typically comes with greens and proteins on the menu for the day, I knew we were in for a treat.

Violet Oon’s version, the fu yong hai (S$24) comes with generous crab chunks, bamboo shoots and char siew. Just as I was about to ladle it on my rice, we were told to have them with the fresh lettuce leaves instead, like a Korean ssam wrap. 

I’ve never had a fu yong omelette in this way, or any omelette in this manner, but it makes sense. The omelette is brimming with flavour, thanks to the crab and char siew, and having it with the lettuce leaf not only helps cut through the heaviness, but also lends some texture to the otherwise primarily mushy (in a good way) dish. 

Another new, outlet-exclusive dish that surprised us with the sheer flavour was the hati babi bungkus (S$24), said to only be usually served at grand nyonya feasts — and it’s a real treat, indeed. 

Here, spiced pork liver balls, infused with toasted coriander seeds, are fried to a golden-brown and served alongside a pickled Chinese mustard greens salad. 

I thought I’d need the salad to balance out the anticipated gameyness and strong flavours of the pork liver, but surprisingly there was next to none. While I found the taste familiar on the first bite, I didn’t manage to identify its components till I saw the accompanying sticky, sweet sauce — it’s almost like a traditional Chinese ngoh hiang that also comes with pork liver, but bite-sized, with a bouncier texture.

For more proteins, the daging panggang sambal hijau (S$69), which features a 200-day grain-fed black angus ribeye will undoubtedly satisfy. The steak is grilled to a medium finish and topped with a vibrant, spicy green sambal and crispy garlic chips. 

This is yet another dish that threw me off a bit with the spice, but the good thing is, the spiciness doesn’t linger and you’d be raring for the next bite within seconds. 

To wrap things up, you can opt for the roti jala with banana pengat (S$16).

I’ve had (and loved) roti jala, but never as a dessert, but this dish works. The banana pengat, which comes with coconut milk, gula melaka and pandan leaves, is fragrant and decadent without being too cloying, pairing well with the soft yellow lace crepes. 

Imbibers can also enjoy its thoughtfully curated alcoholic beverages, meant to complement the strong flavours you’d encounter throughout the course of your meal.

For one, I thoroughly enjoyed its herbaceous take on the negroni — the Ho Mia (S$25), which means “good life” in Hokkien. It comes with rojak gin, and hints of laksa and lemongrass. While lighter than a regular negroni, it goes immaculately well with some of the outlet’s spicier numbers.

If you’ve never had a meal at Violet Oon Singapore, you’ll be in for a real treat at its Dempsey Hill outlet, especially with its new herb garden and spacious new surroundings.

But if you’re already a regular, you most probably already know you should make your booking soon, especially if you want to try out its new outlet-exclusives.

This was an invited tasting. 

For more exciting openings and restaurants around town, check out our round-up of new openings in Singapore. 

Reserve a table at Violet Oon Singapore’s latest outlet to try the new outlet-exclusives for yourself and book a ride there, too.