I'm Peranakan and learnt how to cook from my Grandma. So I normally find something wrong with every peranakan restaurant I've ever been to.

BUT! I love love LOVE the food here! Candlenut's menu is limited but almost everything on it is fabulous. It's not for the stodgy old-fashioned traditionalist, but if you're into great tasting food that makes more than a nod to tradition, go for this!

The roast pork crackling is out of this world good. It is juicy, crispy and aromatic all at the same time. The pickled mustard leaves and chincalok that go with the dish is how my grandma taught me to serve it, and you won't find it in any other peranakan restaurant.The beef ribs in buah keluak sauce is another of those almost traditional dishes that you must try. For the true blue peranakan, it's an eye opener. For those who have never tried buah keluak, think of it as eating beef ribs braised in a nutty, almost dark chocolatey sauce.

And if you're a dessert person, you MUST do what we did - we ordered one of every dessert on the menu! Sounds decadent? Sorry. It's only about 4 items. But each is done wonderfully, especially the buah keluak ice cream with chocolate sauce and chilli flakes. Unusual, and totally in-your-face.

I just hope that the next time I go, I would still be able to get a table!

Let's start with the good things. Service at Gaia is amazing. We were asked a number of times how the food was, and they were responsive to our every desire.

A pity the food let the service staff down so badly. The dinner started with Tuna carpaccio. The tuna had been so marinated in watermelon juice, anyone with their eyes closed would not be able to tell the difference between the tuna and the watermelon. And no, the texture would not have helped any.

The second course of cream soup was a bit.... blah. I would have liked a fresh breadstick but it was alright.

The third course of pasta in a meat sauce is more american than Sicilian. Interestingly, the sauce was watery but the pork was dry. Not sure how they did that.

The fourth course of cod fish was a mistake on my part. I could smell the fish before the waiter even came near our table. Creamed potatoes in a very rich lobster bisque-like sauce didn't help. It was cream on cream with dry overcooked and frankly, not so fresh fish.

The dessert course proved the best part of the meal. Well, the ice cream did. The strudel was soggy and stodgy instead of being light and flaky.

Quite a disappointment all around. How bad was it? Let's just say, I returned their discount card.