Orang Laut SG will open a café-style pop-up called Terumbu at Chef X in Clarke Quay Central, Singapore, from 23 October to 26 December 2026. The pop-up will serve traditional Orang Pulau cuisine based on family recipes from former Pulau Semakau islanders, alongside a community gallery on the heritage of Singapore’s Southern Islands.
Orang Laut SG is a community-led non-profit founded by Firdaus Sani, a fourth-generation Orang Laut and Orang Pulau descendant. The organisation works with indigenous coastal communities from Singapore’s Southern Islands and beyond, and its activities include research, education, cultural programmes and coastal tours. Terumbu, which translates to coral reefs, marks its first café-style pop-up.
Sani began documenting his family’s recipes with his mother, Noorani Rani, drawing on dishes passed down by his grandmother. He described what bringing the recipes to Chef X means to him.
Family recipes on public display
“For my family, these dishes are more than just food. They carry memories of Pulau Semakau, of the life my grandparents knew, and of the traditions my mother and grandmother passed down to us. Although our family no longer lives on the island, these recipes have remained a way for us to stay connected to where we came from. Bringing them to Chef X is especially meaningful because something that began in our home kitchen can now be shared with people who may never have known these stories. I hope that when people sit down to eat, they leave with not just a taste of our food, but a better understanding of our community, our history and the heritage we continue to carry with us today,” Sani said.
The dishes are prepared today by Sani’s mother, Noorani Rani, and his aunt, Rohaini, following recipes originally passed down from his grandmother. Orang Laut SG said the cooking approach follows the philosophy of “ikut hati kau”, or “follow your heart”, relying on taste and experience rather than fixed measurements.
What is on the menu
The menu includes the Pulau Bowl at S$15.90, combining Asam Pedas Ikan Karang, Sotong Hitam and Sambal Udang served over jasmine rice with vegetables. Bubur Lambuk Tenggiri, a mackerel rice porridge, is offered in three variations priced between S$11.90 and S$13.90, with prawns, squid or both. Desserts include Kueh Koleh-Koleh and Kueh Puteri Salat.
Terumbu operates at Clarke Quay Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, from Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 9pm.
