Ayam Buah Keluak, blue pea rice, chap chye, sambal udang… what these dishes have in common is that they’re all part of the Peranakan cuisine. There are so many different types of cuisines in the world, and we are fortunate enough to be living during a time where they are all rather accessible. Peranakan cuisine is definitely something special, and many are fans of it thanks to its wonderful flavours. If you’re thinking of where to go for Peranakan cuisine, you’ve got to check out Godmama!
About Godmama
Launched in June 2019, Godmama is located in Funan, the latest lifestyle destination in the heart of the Civic District. A modern Peranakan restaurant and bar, Godmama has both indoor and alfresco dining options, providing guests with a dining setting of their choice. With a contemporary setup, Godmama is a place where one can enjoy authentic Nyonya cuisine and innovative Peranakan food creations in style and comfort. Prior to launching, the idea for Godmama had been born since January 2018, and they spent 18 months performing research and development. Besides bringing providing good Peranakan dishes, Godmama is also focused on creating a conducive environment for their team to enjoy working and for them to thrive in the food and beverage industry.
Labour of Love
The name Godmama actually derives from two people close to founder Christina Kelithy’s heart, her mother (Ma) and her Godma. Christina has a strong bond with both of them as she was always with them during her formative years. They imparted values of generosity and kindness to her, and Christina believes this helped shape her into the person she is today. Godmama is a tribute and celebration to both these women, to uphold their legacy and carry on their recipes. Chef Fredric Goh soon joined the fray as Head Chef and co-owner. Being Peranakan himself and in the kitchen helping his grandmother since a young boy, he brought over his own family recipes. Now with an education in Western Culinary Arts and strong Peranakan roots, Chef Fred is the epitome of the modern Peranakan Chef. Together, Christina and Chef Fredric hopes to share the love of Peranakan cuisine to guests, and to also nurture their own Godmama team.
Peranakan Cuisine For All
At Godmama, they aim to make good Peranakan food to be accessible to as many people as possible, and to propagate it to the younger generation as well. They have three different menus to choose from: lunch, brunch and dinner. Besides that, they also have a range of delectable desserts and unique Peranakan-inspired cocktails, which are definitely a must-try! Check out their executive set lunch, where you can pick your choice of mains to be served with blue pea rice, chap chye, archar and sambal blachan. Dinner is an ala
carte menu featuring traditional Peranakan fare like the ayam buah keluak, babi pongteh, ikan gerang assam, and their signature egg-skin popiah and nasi ulam. Available only on weekends and public holidays, brunch at Godmama puts a twist on classic western dishes such as Otak Otak Benedict: grilled otak otak fish mousse with sourdough toast and poached eggs topped with creamy hollandaise sauce. Sweet tooth? Try their Durian Pengat Buttermilk Pancakes, which includes rich durian pengat on three pancakes topped with vanilla bean ice cream and coconut crumble. As such, their menu caters to people of different age ranges!
From The Heart
Godmama prides themselves on being affordable and accessible: just take their executive lunch menu for example. For about $20 inclusive of a drink, diners get an opportunity to try different dishes. But more important than that is service that comes from the heart. Christina calls her team “our awesome team”, where they are hardworking, energetic, committed individuals whose input are valued. With them, Godmama is able to bridge the age gap and appeal to younger customers, including a modern ambiance and curating playlists from Spotify. Like most of everyone, they have taken a hit from COVID-19, but they have managed to tide through it thus far, and are thankful for support from the government, their landlord and all their customers. They were voted the Best New Restaurant 2019 with Chope Diners Choice within five months of opening, and they have also made it to #2 on our list of Top 10 Peranakan Restaurants in Singapore. In the next five years, they hope to expand, but not necessarily as just a Peranakan restaurant — they are open to other concepts as well.
“Lead by example, trust and respect each and every member of the team, show appreciation.” – Godmama
For more Peranakan goodness, check out godmama.sg!
