Easties and Nonya Food lovers will be delighted to know that Marie’s Lapis Cafe at Bedok North serves Nyonya Cuisine including Ayam Buah Keluak, Beef/Chicken Rendang, Ngoh Hiang, Chap Chye, and more!
As described by Marie’s Lapis, the Beef Rendang is a dish where the beef is simmered in spices and coconut milk until it is tender. Rendang comes from the Indonesian word merandang or randang, which means “slowly” in reference to the long cooking process. It comes in many versions and our family has our own traditional recipe. Typically, the beef is cooked in a mixture of spices and then simmered in coconut milk. Ingredients used in the spice mixture, or rempah, are garlic, onion, red chilies, turmeric, ginger, pepper, lemongrass, galangal, star anise, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, and turmeric leaves. The cooking process over low heat serves to add flavour to the meat, tenderise and preserve it. There are three stages of cooking rendang. It starts as gulai, a wet gravy. With further cooking, the gravy reduces to what is referred to as kalio. Finally, the meat is cooked until it absorbs all the gravy.
As for Chicken, Buah Keluak with Keluak nuts and Blue Pea Rice top with Omelette; is a must-have Nyonya dish because Ayam buak keluak is a famous Peranakan dish. The Keluak and the tamarind gravy are the most important ingredient, it is one of the most time-consuming Peranakan dishes to make. The spicy gravy consists of several spices including candlenuts, turmeric, chili, galanga, and belacan. Lemongrass and the kernel of the keluak is mashed and added to the fragrant gravy. The kernel is filled back into the keluak nut after it meshes, and the rest of the mixture will be made into a thick gravy with chicken and tamarind juice. This dish is served with blue pea rice.
In addition to Nonya dishes, they also serve Western cuisine like Alio e Olio, Fish and Chips, and desserts such as waffles and gelato.
78-year-old Marie Yeo’s dream to open a cafe came true in November 2020 when her son Chris Lim, 55, opened the cafe for her.
According to an article featured by The Straits Times, Ms Yeo also uses her lapis in desserts – the coffee version is used in Lapis Misu, layered with mascarpone cheese like tiramisu. The traditional lapis is served in a bowl with grapes and raisins poached in red wine and topped with vanilla bean ice cream.
Marie’s Lapis Cafe is an F&B establishment with a seating capacity of 24 people. It’s a fully air-conditioned space. It’s also a comfortable and homely vibe space to study and work with free Wi-Fi, charging ports, and a tasty cup of coffee to fuel your productivity.
It can host events and TV for presentations is available too. On Mondays, the cafe is open to host classes or events all day. Marie’s Lapis cafe accepts reservations for lunch/high tea/dinner during the weekdays, Tuesdays through Sundays, throughout our opening hours.
