Yesterday, my wife and I had dinner at Martina’s Kitchen, a new Peranakan place at Seletar Aerospace Park.
Seletar Aerospace Park has been converting its colonial shophouses into F&B outlets for some time now. Martina’s Kitchen looks new — I had not seen it on my last visit a couple of months back.
We decided to try it because of the Google rating. 4.7 over a thousand reviews is hard to ignore.
The Setting
The decor is the strongest part of the visit.
They have gone for a retro Peranakan vibe — green ceiling beams, a red brick bar counter, gold chiavari chairs, and green stained-glass doors. Soft Cantonese hits from the 80s and 90s play in the background. It feels nostalgic in a comfortable way.
There is a small stage at the back. They have a live band on Saturdays.
I asked the staff what kind of music — she said a mix of Chinese, Cantonese and English, no fixed theme. A pity. Given the decor, an all-Cantonese set would have been a nicer fit.
Every table has a bag hook tucked underneath. Small detail, but appreciated.
Ordering is done via QR code. The codes sit on cute mahjong-tile-shaped blocks at each table.
The Food
We were seated around 6:30 pm on a Friday. The place was quiet then. Most of the crowd that came in later was older — couples bringing parents.
Kerepek (tapioca chips) with a belacan-style chilli came as a complimentary starter. Yummy.
Chicken Satay
Nothing too special. We have had better.
I prefer satay with hearty chunks of lean meat and a bit of chicken fat. These do not have that.
Presentation was nice, but the taste was so-so.
Dry Laksa (their signature)
This was disappointing. As a laksa lover, I had expectations.
The thick white bee hoon was too soft. I would prefer it more al dente.
There were also no bean sprouts for crunch — laksa usually comes with a generous helping. The ingredients overall were not generous either. Most of what was on the plate was noodles.
I would skip this if you ever visit.
Fried Chicken
Also so-so. Nothing fantastic.
Pan Fried Otah Egg
This one is worth a paragraph on its own.
The menu photo shows clear chunks of otah sitting on a fluffy pan-fried egg base. What came to our table looked like a plain omelette.
I had to dig through the middle to find any otah at all. The mackerel taste was very faint. Halfway through, I had actually forgotten what I had ordered — I thought I was just eating an omelette.
Cendol
The cendol looks normal in the bowl. But the ice was hard and rough — you would expect it to be fluffy and soft. Quite bad.
My Personal Verdict
Food: 2.5/5 — most of the dishes fell flat. The dry laksa was the biggest letdown.
Ambience: 4/5 — the strongest part of the visit. Decor and music carry it.
Service: 3.5/5 — staff were friendly and prompt enough. Nothing to fault.
Will I return? No, the food does not justify the price. (Two of us came up to about $100 in total.)
Good Peranakan food is hard to find in Singapore. So if you visit, come for the setting and manage your expectations on the food.
Official Details
Martina’s Kitchen
8 The Oval, Singapore 797866
Tel: +65 9619 1578
Opening Hours:
Monday – Wednesday: 12:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Thursday – Friday: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
Saturday: 9:00 am – 12:00 am
Sunday: 9:00 am – 10:30 pm
Hours verified via Burpple as at 10 May 2026. Recommend calling ahead to confirm.
