The Little Nyonya by 1doc Bistro

It does seem that Mediacorp’s 2025 hit drama series Emerald Hill has already kickstarted an uprising of Peranakan-themed concepts across the island — was scrolling through social media and got to learn about the existence of a concept named The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 at Heartbeat @ Bedok that seemed to have sprouted up fairly recently. Turns out, The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 is actually a concept by 1doc Medical Centre that is situated beside it; 1doc being an integrated healthcare platform with the operations of the medical centre being quite similar to what one would expect from a clinic — the space that The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 occupies would be what used to be 1doc Bistro that used to served up more cafe-style dishes and local fare that places an emphasis on health-conscious meals with an added advantages of having the nutritional information being integrated through their health platform via mobile phone application. With the change of its concept from 1doc Bistro to The Little Nyonya 小娘惹, the interior of the dining establishment has been switched up to one that exudes Peranakan flavour — this can be noticed from the exterior of the establishment where it replicates the look of an old-school Peranakan shophouse; the interior complimenting that look with the use of flowery wallpapers and vintage wooden furniture and fittings that are period-correct. One can also observe various ornaments that one would typically associate with Peranakan culture being used in its decor, whilst one can also find lavish-looking chandeliers hanging from the ceiling alongside traditional-looking lanterns that one might find hanging outside Peranakan-style shophouses that is commonly used way back in those days as well. Service staff of the establishment also matches the vibes of the establishment, being dressed in Peranakan-style Kebaya that makes one feel immersed into the culture. Much like how things are at 1doc Bistro, The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 champions itself as an establishment that promotes healthy eating — much of its offerings does see the use of some form of substitute ingredients that decrease the overall calorie count of the dish whilst being more nutrient-rich as well; such nutritional data of the orders made by one patron can also be synced into the integrated health platform for those whom are using it to track their daily eating habits. The food menu is curated by Chef Raymond Khoo previously of The Peranakan, and is being segmented into categories such as Starters, Mains and Desserts; there is also a Specials section where one can also go for their Tok Panjang set (pre-orders required). Beverages available at The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 will include a variety of teas as well as espresso-based coffee.

We found ourselves being intrigued by the Beef Rendang which is an item that is listed on the “Mains” section of the menu — considering how the items at The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 does come with some adjustments to appeal to the more health-conscious diner, The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 has claimed that the Beef Rendang sees the use of “lean meat and low-fat yogurt” to “cut down on saturated fat”. Whilst we were initially concerned about how the portion sizes of the food at The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 to be a bit generous for two (2) pax considering how Peranakan establishments tend to portion their fare to be better shared amongst bigger groups, we did find that the portioning of food at The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 for one serving to be quite manageable for smaller groups in general. Considering the use of some substitute ingredients, we did notice that the Beef Rendang at The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 didn’t turn out to be quite as rich nor greasy or even paste-like as most of the variations of Beef Rendang that we had come across at other Peranakan dining establishments. That being said, this version of the Beef Rendang still carried the spirit of the classic Beef Rendang where flavour is of concern — the notes of the spices were definitely prominent, while the beef does seem to have absorbed the flavours of the gravy pretty well whilst still carrying a very light whiff of gaminess that helps to provide the contrast of flavours in the dish. Whilst fattier parts tend to be used for the making of Beef Rendang, the use of lean meat in this variant also means that it carries more bite — one can still tell that the beef is still sufficiently tender especially considering the cut of beef being used.

During our visit, we had also given the Nasi Ulam Dulu Kala a try; this item is actually listed under the “Starters” section of the menu despite being a rice dish — this is due to the fact that the Nasi Ulam Dulu Kala is actually a rice salad dish. The menu at The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 describes the Nasi Ulam Dulu Kala to come with fifteen (15) fresh herbs and spices; the type of grain being ueee here would be basmati rice — it also mentions that the dish to be one that is served at room temperature as well. This is not our first encounter of Nasi Ulam and the Nasi Ulam Dulu Kalam at The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 does check off all the right boxes for a Nasi Ulam dish — the different spices all resulted in a refreshing note that provides a complexity of flavours to the tastebuds; each also giving the dish which provides an element of crunch that adds on to the fluffy and light basmati rice. A dish which we found to be pretty easy to finish on its own considering how appetising and light it is. We also had ordered the Chinchalok during our visit to The Little Nyonya 小娘惹; The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 actually allows patrons to pick between Okra or Brinjal for the choice of vegetables to come with the dish, whilst there is also a choice of Chinchalok or Spicy Sambal Tumis to come with the dish — we went with the Okra and Chinchalok for our order. The Chinchalok does come with a pungent note of fermented krill when it first arrived the table but it does turn out that the Chinchalok tasted less intimidating than it smelt. The Okra here seems to have been lightly blanched to preserve some of its crunch amidst the softness as one chews into it; that being said, the Chinchalok definitely provides sufficient flavour to dish with its savoury and umami notes kicking in — all that whilst also carrying a slight hint of spiciness to tickle the tastebuds of those whom are tolerable to slightly lower levels of spiciness. A dish that would likely do well to pair with a bowl of rice on the side.

We ended our meal at The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 off with the Apom Bok Kwa Pisang — this is being described on the menu featuring elements such as mini pancake, banana gravy and yogurt; it does seem that a common theme at The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 is to replace the use of coconut milk with yogurt. We did find that the pancakes here are a little bit on the denser side and also a bit more dry than what we are used to seeing at other Peranakan dining establishments — the undersides of the pancake also being crusted and a little bit stiff; not quite ideal. The use of yogurt over coconut milk also meant that it carried a slight tang that one would find familiar to that of the Indian-style Appam rather than the slight coconut-y fragrance that one would find in the classic version of the Apom Bok Kwa Pisang. That being said, the banana gravy comes in a manner that is almost sauce-like — smooth, dense and runny whilst carrying the natural sweetness of bananas; all that whilst featuring a slight drizzle of Gula Melaka that adds an earthy sweetness and also came with caramelised bananas for soft bite. Dipping the mini pancakes into the banana gravy adds that much needed moisture to the mini pancakes to make it easier to down — all whilst ask giving it an added touch of sweetness.

The change of of concept from 1doc Bistro to The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 can be described as a pretty opportunistic move by the folks behind 1doc considering the timing of which the change was conducted that seemed to be pretty much in anticipation to the airing of Emerald Hill on national television — perhaps riding on the wave in hopes that the broadcast will bring along folks whom are curious about Peranakan culture. Nonetheless, it is interesting to see how The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 was able to preserve the spirit of Peranakan cuisine in the way it is prepared and served, while trying to achieve the end goal of serving up dishes that are also healthier than the typical Peranakan fare that one is able to get from other establishments — the dishes from The Little Nyonya 小娘惹 does seem to be able to retain those classic flavours while fulfilling that objective of healthier and cleaner eating at the same time. Prices of the dishes in the Starters and Mains section of the menu are priced from $7 to $25; the more expensive items are mostly seafood / fish dishes — still a fairly interesting dining spot within Bedok that would be suitable for families given the communal-style dining experience that it offers.