Candlenuts (Aleurites moluccana) are a relative of Macadamia nuts and resemble them in appearance and in texture. They have a hard furrowed shell and the the nuts are yellow, waxy, and brittle, much like their Macadamia cousins. They are so named because they used to be used to make candles. The name is sometimes rendered as two separate words, candle nuts.- Culinarlore
Candlenut also happens to be the first Pernakan restaurant with a Michelin star on the planet. Granted, pernakan is a small subculture in Southeast Asia where the arranged marriage of a princess from China and Malay royalty resulted in a new sub culture, also known as Straits Chinese. The resulting cuisine is known as Pernakan cuisine.
I’ve dined at Candlenut in its early days where chef Malcolm Lee made a mark with his mark on Peranakan cuisine.
The cooking then was more traditional with light flourishes of modernity.
On this visit, at the eve of its move from their existing location to the trendy Dempsey Hill area, I found a refreshed chef’s menu that evoked confidence and a perfect balance between tradition and modern cuisine.
thebearandhiscigar 