A step into the past – Askel menneisyyteen

For the past few months I’ve learned how charming my new neighbourhood is. Just at my doorstep is Katong/Joo Chiat. This is an area where you can immerse yourself in very colourful Peranakan culture with colourful buildings, traditional food and cultural heritage. There are many Peranakan districts in Singapore and Joo Chiat area is among them. This is the area where a multi-cultural mix of Malay, Chinese, Eurasians and expatriates reside. The terrace houses and buildings offer a vibrant mix of European and Asian architecture with ornate facades.

So what is Peranakan? The Peranakans are descendants of Chinese who migrated to Singapore from the 15th century onwards. They have developed their own distinct and unique and eclectic culture and cuisine, and in the meantime became prosperous and respected members of the establishment.

Peranakan Chinese commonly refer to themselves as Baba-Nonya. The term Baba is an honorific for Straits Chinese men. It originated as a Hindustani (originally Persian) loan-word borrowed by Malay speakers as a term of affection for one’s grandparents, and became part of the common vernacular. Female Straits-Chinese descendants were either called or styled themselves Nyonyas. Nyonya (also spelled nyonyah or nonya) is a Malay and Indonesian honorific used to refer to a foreign married lady.

Katong (Tanjong Katong) was once filled with coconut plantations and used as a weekend retreat by wealthy city dwellers. Katong developed into a residential suburb by the early 20th century. It became populated by a growing English-educated middle class, including Peranakans and Eurasians.

Joo Chiat is the area named after Chew Joo Chiat, a wealthy Chinese landowner in the early 20th-century. The area’s identity is especially shaped by its unique pre-war architecture – colourful two-storey shophouses and terrace houses with ornate facades, intricate motifs and ceramic tiles.

East Coast Road goes through the area and even today you can see what’s left from the old colonial time. This vibrant neighbourhood is very “hip” now a days. The area has an amazing number of restaurants and traditional coffee-shops offering a range of cuisines. You can check some of the restaurants here. Evening is filled with locals and expatriates chatting and hanging around. Morning is another quiet scene. Joo Chiat is low key and laid back. This is where the locals shop and eat.

I love the fact Joo Chiat has its own vibe. This place is different than others in Singapore and it is just a quick 10-minute drive from the city centre. This is a complete change to the busy urban Singapore. As this is one of the country’s best dining destinations, Joo Chiat/Katong is also well-loved by many Singaporeans. Culinary choices are endless. Why don’t you try out for example the famous Katong ‘laksa‘.

Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup in the Peranakan cuisine. Laksa consists of rice noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup; either based on rich and spicy curry coconut milk, or based on sour asam (tamarind or gelugur).

Whilst exploring Katong why don’t you visit also Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple. It is very clean and tidy – definitely worth a visit!

The temple is for the Hindu god Ganesha who is the presiding deity. In the 1850s, a statue of Lord Vinayagar was discovered by the side of a pond. A Chempaka tree, Senpaga in Tamil, stood on the bank of the pond. As the Vinayagar statue was found besides the Chempaka tree, the temple came to be known as “Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple”. A Ceylon Tamil, Mr. Ethirnayagam Pillai pioneered the building of the first structure as a modest shelter with an attap roof with the help of the nearby Indian workers. This humble abode under the Chempaka tree became the temple of Sri Senpaga Vinayagar.