I don’t usually write about restaurants that are on the verge of closing, but I made an exception for Quentin’s. After reading a Straits Times article about its uncertain future, we quickly organized a makan session to revisit one of the last remaining Eurasian restaurants in Singapore. Given how rare Eurasian cuisine has become, I felt it was important to document some of its iconic dishes for posterity.

Tucked away along Ceylon Road, Quentin’s has long been a torchbearer for this unique Singaporean culinary heritage—and if it truly is closing by year’s end, we wanted to savour it while we still could.

I last wrote about Quentin’s way back in 2010, and since then, not much has changed when it comes to Eurasian food in Singapore. There still hasn’t been a new Eurasian restaurant opening. Meanwhile, Peranakan food continues to be trendy—especially with the current Emerald Hill TV series, which is likely to give it another boost in popularity.

Some Peranakan spots, like Damien D’Silva’s Rempapa, include a few Eurasian dishes here and there. Damien himself is proudly Eurasian, but his menu isn’t strictly so—it’s an eclectic mix of Peranakan, Indian, Malay, and Chinese influences. That’s why Quentin’s still stands out as the only restaurant in Singapore fully dedicated to Eurasian cuisine—and it feels especially fitting that it’s located at the Eurasian Association.

Which is why it’s so hard to understand: why isn’t the Association renewing their lease?

Shouldering the weight of preserving Eurasian cuisine is Quentin Pereira, the current chef owner of the restaurant. Growing up, Quentin and his five siblings always returned home for Sunday lunch and dinner to a meal lovingly prepared by t...