Woody Family Cafe

Woody Family cafe is a cozy and casual place to enjoy some fusion Peranakan and western cuisine. Here, you can savour a variety of dishes that blend Western and Asian flavors, as well as some authentic Peranakan specialties. Let’s take a dinner din-in at the rather quaint eatery located in the north outskirts of the city, in a and quiet neighborhood.

A cosy café restaurant

Woody Family Café is a cozy located in a private estate just off Sembawang park. Interestingly, it used to be located where Handle bar first restaurant was located near the Singapore Canoe center. The location is rather isolated and getting there involves driving or taking an Uber or Grab in. There are no notable nearby MRT stations in this private estate. There are free roadside parking in the estate.

In a nutshell, Woody’s restaurant and Family Café is an establishment is a rustic family-run western and Peranakan fusion restaurant cafe serving up home-cooked food. Moreover, it is run by couple Sam and Jenny, who share a passion for serving true blue Peranakan kitchen dishes, having learnt the recipes from their parents. They decided to open their own cafe in 2009, here located within at a corner house in a private estate. The family restaurant has a rustic feel to it, also considering it is located in such a remote and isolated part of Singapore.

Moreover, the dining ambience is chill and quiet, pretty much of what you expect of a secured private estate. The cafe is located a few units just off the Sembawang park along Andrew’s Avenue road. Also, the interior counter is decked with references to Woody characters, such as the cowboy pillaring toy as popularised in the Pixar animation in Toy Story. Also, the place is exceptionally best visited at night, where the roof tops are nicely lit in twinkly lights. It does have tad a blue hue and mystical feel to it.

Interestingly, the restaurant cafe establishment is set in a rather quirky setting which looks like right set in someone’s private house front yard. After all, the restaurant is located in a residential private neighborhood. Furthermore, Woody café opens till about 11pm, making the restaurant a rather compelling dinner place. At night it is lit with an array of outdoor lights. This is stringed all about the ceilings and draped on the wall with notable decorative items.

And East meets West menu

Furthermore, let’s take alook at their food offerings. At its heart, Woody’s is an Asian fusion restaurant, with emphasis on Peranakan food. Moreover, the menu at Woody’s cafe eatery is diverse with fusion of local east meets west. You can find Western dishes like burgers, pizzas, pastas, and salads, as well as Singapore Asian favourites like nasi lemak, mee siam, and laksa.

Also, I found the highlight of the menu is the Peranakan dishes, which are a fusion of Chinese, Malay, and Indonesian cuisines.  The cuisine is largely influenced by the culture and history of the Straits Chinese community. The À la carte Peranakan can be ordered zi-char style to go with rice or you option for a western menu.

But first let’s touch on their western grill menu. Woody’s western grill menu is a curated selection with only the essentials. For steaks, you only have one choice of steak ribeye. The Western ribeye steak with black pepper sauce ($28.90) has a sizeable portion and best enjoyed medium-rare.

They are served with sides of crispy chips and greens. Also, the steaks are tender and juicy within. However, I found it does not exhibit the same generous cuts and refinement we tried from iSteaks grass-fed range despite being similarly priced in the same $30 asking price range.

Moreover, other western staples include Beer fish fish ($19.90). Wrapping up their western food selections are more pricey premium offerings, such as their Guinness braised lamb shank ($28.90) and Baby back pork ribs ($29.80).

Try their satay and wings

For the hungry, their sizable whole spring chicken at $22.90 is one to consider. Additionally, their menu offers a selection of Peranakan style dishes including a local take on Buffalo wings.

Moreover, do try their buffalo wings, with 9 levels of spicy levels of fiery spicy levels from very mild to towering inferno. They come in half and full dozen portions with prices starting from $18.90 to $38.90. Notably, the wings are based on a recipe handed down through the generations featuring the cafe’s unique flavour of 15 spices.

Also, for sharing with a local flair, an alternative to their wings be also their Woody jumbo satay. It is great for groups and treating foreign visitors to a dine-in here for Singapore Peranakan cuisine.

Fried chicken wings

Laska infused patty

Deco items

Their Jumbo satay is one to go for freshly cooked in chicken, pork and mutton variants. Satay prices starts from $14.90 to $16.90 for premium choices like pork belly and mutton. I would also recommend their Woody special Hawaiian pizza ($19.90) is a great dish for sharing topped with home-cooked mushrooms.

Peranakan style dishes

Back to their Peranakan dishes ala-la carte specialities with price ranging in the sub- $20 range per dish. This includes a variety of vegan dishes comprising of burgers and olive rice dishes. Asian menu recommendations include their fried rice as an Asian staple as well as Laksa pasta with tiger prawns and mussels and Tom yum with tiger prawns.

Additionally, if you crave cosy Asian home-cooked style dishes you can mix and match with servings of rice. Dishes worth considering includes their Babi Pongteh ($16.90). It calls for a rather hearty and comforting dish, consisting of pork belly and potatoes, cooked in a sweet and salty soybean paste sauce. Also, their Babi Buah Keluak ($18.90) is a signature Peranakan dish, featuring pork braised in a thick and savory gravy. It is cooked and made from the nuts of the keluak tree, which gives it a distinct earthy and nutty taste.

Menu

Peranakan themed

Locally inspired

Home cooked goodness

For greens, pairings of Nyona Chap Chye ($17.50) is one worth considering. Also, their Prawns Nanas Geram Assam ($19.90) is quite a spicy affair. It is a tangy and spicy dish, featuring prawns and pineapple, cooked in a tamarind and chilli paste sauce. Other more spicy Peranakan selections includes their Curry pork ribs ($18.90), Sambal chicken ($17.50), Sotong hitam ($18.90) and Nyonya chap chye ($17.50) to name afew. Do note that most of their Authentic Peranakan dishes here are rather spicy. Hence, it might be tad something to watch if you can’t take spicy foods or have foreign guests with lower spice tolerances.

Moreover, their Lamb Redang is one of their more pricey dishes at $30.50 per pop. Also, do expect to pay a premium for their Peranakan range. The food here is not exactly cheap and priced tad higher than average. It is priced similarly along the line of price range offered by the Rider’s cafe at Fairways drive, also a similarly remote and cosy restaurant we previously visited serving comfort food.

Additionally, if things go too spicy, you can also order some of the cafe’s homemade drinks, such as the lemongrass ginger tea, the bandung soda, or the soursop smoothie, to complement your meal. For dessert, you can indulge in some of the cafe’s cakes, ice creams, or traditional Peranakan kuehs, such as the ondeh ondeh, the kueh lapis, or the kueh salat.

Locally inspired burgers

Topped in small off the shelf buns with a juicy patty and fired egg. It is also paired with a side of fries. They are similarly price to Wolf burgers, but not as awesome in quality.

Burgers are priced in the range of $16.90 and under $20 per pop. Rendang Beef Burger, Satay Chicken burger, Otah, club and Mama Laska Burger.

Also, their burgers have a localised fusion inspiration too. For instance, their Mama laska beef burger brings about a take of juicy beef patty with Alaska sauce which has an authentic taste. Selections includes their Sambal babi, Mama laska beef burger, and buah keluak burger. They are all similarly prices at $19.90 per burger and served with a side of fries.

Steaks western offerings

Burgers with fries

Woody burgers

In addition to their western dishes is a selection of pastas all in the $19.90 price range, with tiger prawns being a staple ingredient in most of their pastas. Other selections includes Mac and cheese with turkey ham and Chilli Garam tiger prawns aglio alio.

Wrapping up

Notably, Woody’s also runs regular set menu specials. They are typically priced at $60 for 4 pax. Also, it is rather affordable with servings of Perankan favourites, such as Sambal chicken, Fish fillet Tempua, Babu Ponteh, Masak Garam Chicken, Sambal prawns and even Beef Rendang. Do try their Beef Randang, though it is one of the more sinful menu offerings here. Also do have a palate for spicy food, as that is the signature flavour of Perankan dishes.

All in all, that wraps up our dine in at Woody’s. The food at Woody Café is something worth trying, especially if you are in the Sembawang area, and if you are craving Peranakan food. It is a nice small rustic place for a quiet dine-in. Great whether you are looking for a casual lunch, a romantic dinner, or a family gathering. The cosy and rustic ambience, paired with friendly, decor and hospitable service makes for Woody’s cafe eatery is a hidden gem in Singapore. That will make you feel like you are part of the family.

This review is not sponsored by the establishment nor did they provide any editorial input or reimbursements into the content and outcome of this review. All meals were paid for in full out of my own pocket as a regular and anonymous patron.

Article updated on 2023 with new photo on subsequent visits.