National Kitchen by Violet Oon

#02-01, National Gallery Singapore, 1 St. Andrew’s Road 9834 9935 | violetoon.com

Teatime: Daily from 3 to 5pm. Now 68, Violet Oon remembers bygone afternoons enjoying high tea with family and friends, and this precious memory is the inspiration behind her Peranakan high tea experience at the stunning National Kitchen. A three-tiered set ($56 for two people) includes six savoury and six sweet Peranakan-inspired delights, plus free-flow tea (English breakfast or Earl Grey) or local kopi.

Highlights among the food offerings are the pulled beef sambal pao (spicy-sweet beef in a steamed white bun) and kueh pie tee (sweet bamboo and turnip in a deep-fried “top hat” cup). The sweet choices include creations made from sago and tapioca; one of our favourites was the lacy nonya pancake known as roti jala, which is served with gula melaka (palm sugar) and banana coconut sauce. And everyone loved the kueh dah dah (grated coconut in gula melaka, wrapped in a pandan-infused crepe).

Bring your visiting friends and relatives for a one-of-a-kind Singapore experience – and Instagram-worthy shots, too! Tastiest treat: There’s an afternoon à la carte menu from which I highly recommend the wickedly delicious chilli crab mantou ($15) – a variation of Singapore’s iconic seafood dish. Psst! Snag a seat by the window for fabulous views of the Padang and Marina Bay Sands.