Loi’s Beef Bak Kut Teh @ Taman Perkota, Melaka

Being a state where the local delicacies are predominantly the likes of unique chicken rice ball, Nyonya laksa, cendol and satay celup, Melaka doesn’t seem like the place to hunt for Bak Kut Teh. Moreover, when you talk about the best Bak Kut Teh the general perception is that the best best ones are nestled in Klang Valley and Klang.

But in Melaka there is a beef based Bak Kut Teh that you should not miss. The restaurant is called Loi’s and it is not the jeans brand we are talking about here. The restaurant used to do business in a housing area just opposite Bukit Sebukor Manmade Waterfall, but had relocated into a bigger restaurant in Taman Perkota not too long ago.
Before coming here, my initial expectation was that it would be like a normal Bak Kut Teh with only a slight difference in taste since it is prepared with beef instead of pork. Well, after trying it I can only say my earlier expectation was way off.

Given the vast difference in flavor, I don’t think this should be even called Bak Kut Teh. To begin with, the soup does not taste sweet or even herby, in fact it is quite spicy with a strong and warming peppery flavor. I know when you see words ‘pepper’ and ‘Bak Kut Teh’ together you are thinking about the southern style of Bak Kut Teh found in Johor and Singapore. But Loi’s is not anything like that, which is good news for me because I actually dislike the white pepper Bak Kut Teh a lot. And I mean A LOT.

So, drop all your expectations about this beef Bak Kut Teh tasting like one. For me, it is actually more like a Claypot Black Pepper Beef that deserves a unique name of its own. At first, the strong black pepper taste could be quite overwhelming. Then, slowly sip by sip you will find the taste more and more tolerable and before you know it, you are already hooked. Not to mention the beef balls are so good that they are add-on worthy and the meat is not tough or chewy at all despite sporting a rather rubbery look.

Overall, Loi’s Beef Bak Kut Teh is really quite the delicious dish – best enjoyed on a rainy and cool day, leaving you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside afterwards. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is visiting Melaka soon because the of uniqueness of the flavor, which you will find very different from the usual fare.
Lastly for oustation people, Loi’s new restaurant is quite tricky to find for and most GPS maps are not updated with the latest coordinates yet. Luckily for us, we had help from a Malaccan to navigate the way and luckily for you, I have the GPS coordinates listed below.

Loi’s Beef & Bak Kut Teh
Jalan Permai 2, Taman Perkota,
75350 Melaka
GPS Coordinates: N2 13.583 E102 15.822
Business hours: Daily 10.30am to 2pm, then 6pm to 10pm