From chili crab to beef rendang, this restaurant brings the tastes of Singapore to the GTA

I'll be honest:a Toronto farmer's market is the last place I would expect a vendor to be selling adish like Singaporean laksa.

But that's exactly whereI cameacross home cook Eleanor Simand her pop-up, Peranakan Plates.

Simand her husbandGreg Woonmade their debut at theLeslieville Market two years ago. They were slinging bowls of laksa, a Peranakan curry noodle soup, when I first met them.

The dish wasexcellent. Thefiery broth immediately awakened my senses better than any cup of artisanal coffee.

Simand Woon were born in Singapore, and met during their previous careers in the financial industry.

"We decided about four years ago to move to Canada to raise our son," Woon said. "The future is brighter here for us."

The couple moved to Toronto afterWoon received a job offer. After a few months staying at home, Sim found she was getting bored.

"I was also missing Singaporean food," she said."I wanted to see if I could maybe start a hobby or something."

Singaporean delicacies come to life at this Mississauga eatery

6 years ago

Duration 1:02

Hokkien Mee and Singapore Chili Crab are an ode to Peranakan culture at Lion City Restaurant.

That's when they decided to test out Peranakan Plates, an ode to the Peranakan culture of their families descendants of Straits-born Chinese who settled in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

"The goal was to try and see if people will like the food, and then maybe open a restaurant," Simsaid.

While Simwas experimenting with her pop-up, chance would have it that one of the longest-standing Singaporean restaurants in the GTA was about to change hands. Lillian Chow, the owner of Lion City, was preparing to retire and hand over the reins to her more than 20-year establishment.

Lion City has played an important role in the GTA's food culture over the last two decades. I'm not exaggerating when I say you can count the number of Malaysian/Singaporean restaurants in the Toronto area on one hand.

For many people, Lion City was the only destination for food from their homeland.

Simand Woon took control of the restaurant early last year.

"I managed to keep all the staff here," Sim said."The cooks decided to stay and that has helped preserve the essence of Lion City."

I'm happy to say that over the last year, the food has only gotten better at the restaurant, with Simsteering the ship through a very traditional lens.

The couple hascreated a dining experience that represents how Singaporeans eat. It's reminiscentof hawker centres(a kind of open-air food market) and banquet-style celebrations.

The best way to enjoy Lion City is with a small group of friends and a roster of dishes.

There are many highlights on the menu, includingHokkien mee, a quick stir-fry of egg noodles cooked in sauce with egg, shrimp and chicken.

One of my favourite dishes is the beef rendang, which is impossible to perfect without years of practice. Picture a slowly-stewed pot of beef that has been cooked down with coconut milk andspice. Each bite has pronounced notes of lemongrass and curry, with an undercoating of creaminess.

For the main course, get the chili crab oneof the national dishes of Singapore. Portioned crab chunks are stir-fried in a thick, spicysambalsauce.

I suggest mopping up each piece of crab meat with sambal sauce.

And if you're curious about the laksa, good news:it's on the menu.