Straight from Singapore

The sound of acid jazz can be heard around the corner. Soft lights illuminate the entrance of the restaurant and shine off sidewalk outside the door. Tall palm trees and wooden shutters adorn the dinning area which resembles an outdoor patio. The aroma of tangy sauces and sweet fragrances flow throughout the room and into the night. The sound of people talking and laughing add to the comfortable, yet professional, atmosphere of the restaurant. Chris Yeo looks around the room and smiles. His dream has come true.

Yeo, 42, grew up in Singapore with a dream, to one day open up his own restaurant in the United States. After much experience including management training at the famous Mandarin Hotel in Singapore, Yeo moved to San Francisco and in 1987 opened up his first restaurant, the Straits Cafe. To ensure authenticity and to re-create the traditional styles he grew up with, Yeo brought in an expert to help design the menu-his mother.

According to The Cooking of Singapore, a book written by Chris Yeo and Joyce Jue, "Singaporean cooking is an amalgamation of four distinct kitchens representing three nationalities: Chinese, Malay-Indonesia and India." Out of these cultures came another type of cuisine, Nonya, which combines Chinese and Malay spices. Yeo expanded on these combinations to create the flavors that fill his menu.

Items such as Lamb Korma contain Indian spices mixed with a mild, white coconut curry, taken from the Malay tradition. The combination of the two makes for a hearty entree filled with the best of both cuisines.

Fresh ingredients and a balance of texture, color and taste is a Chinese tradition Yeo features in items such as Mee Goreng; a combination of Indian style stir-fried noodles (Chinese) mixed with tofu, prawns (Malay) and potatoes.

Many of the seafood items fetaured on Yeo's menu are primarily Malaysian, such as the Otak-Otak; a fish pate that is wrapped in banana leaves and filled with mild spices. Another is the Ikan Pangang; which contains spicy chili, garlic, onion, and lemongrass (Nonyan) stuffed into a trout filet that is wrapped and grilled in banana leaves.

Through culture collaboration and inter-marriages, Singaporean cuisine captures the diverse and distinct flavors of four major styles of cooking that Straits Cafe has become known for throughout the city. Gourmet magazine calls it "the most seductive cuisine on Earth." Being the only restaurant of it's kind in a city as diverse in San Francisco, it's clientele continues to flourish with loyal regulars.

With most of the appetizers and entrees priced affordably under $10, the menu emphasizes variety containing beef, lamb, chicken, seafood, and numerous vegetarian platters. They serve Singaporean sodas of all flavors, Lassi (yogurt drinks), french coffees and have a full bar featuring their own Ginger Vodka.

The Straits Cafe is open Sun-Thurs. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. It is located at 3300 Geary Blvd. in San Francisco. For more information, call (415) 668-1783.

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