Lush and ornate, Violet Oon’s eponymous restaurant is a sumptuous setting for the famed chef’s renditions of local heritage dishes. Spanning over 6000 square feet, it’s the brand’s first and only standalone restaurant, featuring a dining room dripping with chandeliers, three private dining rooms, a pet-friendly alfresco veranda and an edible herb garden. The refreshed menu has now expanded to include lesser-seen delicacies like the Hati Babi Bungkus, a spiced pork liver dish usually reserved for grand Nonya feasts. Winged beans you’ll see growing in the garden feature in the refreshing Kerabu Kacang Botol, a piquant salad tossed with a tangy sambal belacan dressing, dried shrimp and toasted coconut. Follow this with the crowd-pleasing Fuyong Hai Crab, a fluffy omelette filled with meaty crab and char siew.
The Daging Panggang Sambal Hijau – an Australian Wagyu ribeye grilled perfectly pink – is another standout, especially when paired with zingy green chilli sambal, but you shouldn’t miss the Gulai Nangka, a moreish curry made with young jackfruit, prawns and salt fish. To complement the diversity of dishes is a new beverage programme, developed by bar consultancy Proof Creative. The Dempsey-exclusive Midnight Straits is a silky, dessert treat, featuring Irish whiskey, kopi three ways, candlenut orgeat and coconut cream.
