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Bak Kut Teh
Bak Kut Teh!!
Claypot Pepper Bak Kut Teh @ Sekmechoy Restaurant, Bandar Manjalara
Oct 30th
Sekmechoy, a restaurant that has its roots at Salak South specializing in Claypot Pepper Bak Kut Teh is the latest addition to the huge list of Bak Kut Teh restaurants in Kepong. But first let me just say that if you do could not afford to be the earliest customer or wait for at least one hour during peak periods, you can forget about eating here because they are currently understaffed as well as overwhelmed with customers. Getting a table would be the least of your concerns, as the food is getting out of the kitchen really slowly. Luckily the food was very good and quite worth the wait, else I would have been cranky.
I know I have said some bad things about pepper based Bak Kut Teh in the past. But after trying Sekmechoy’s I have to take back those words now. Although it tastes very different from the herbal version, there is no doubt it is still delicious in its own way. I find the clear broth’s peppery flavor spot on and not too overpowering, which I think is why it tastes acceptable for me. Each portion costs RM11.
Loi’s Beef Bak Kut Teh @ Taman Perkota, Melaka
Sep 24th
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.
Restoran Yap Chuan Bak Kut Teh @ Puchong Utama
Sep 6th
I used to feel Yap Beng at Equine Park prepares better Bak Kut Teh even though they are actually a branch of Yap Chuan at Puchong. But a revisit to both after three years changed my mind, now it’s the other way round. Yap Chuan seems to be able to maintain the standards better while Yap Beng’s has dipped more and more over the years.
My taste buds have changed over the years too. I used to prefer Bak Kut Teh with dark stock that has strong herbal taste, probably because that is the only style available from where I come from (Penang) And Yap Beng’s is exactly like that, which explained my fondness towards them in the past.
But now I like those light colored ones with an even flavor of sweetness and herbs, liven up by suitable amount of Chinese wine. While Yap Chuan’s style is not exactly the one I described, it is still good enough in its own way. RM20 for a ‘dai guat’ (big bone) portion.
48 Hours of Melaka Food, the not so Touristy Guide
Aug 31st
I spent my last weekend in Melaka searching high and low for good food that I did not manage to try in my last trip. Honestly, when I read back the trip I had almost three years ago I find it very touristy feel. So this time my aim is to those I missed and those not-so-famous places that are equally good, if not better. This will be an executive summary of my 3 days 2 nights trip, short but concise – focused mainly on food and some side activities, hopefully it will be helpful if you are visiting Melaka soon.
By the way, due to the Hari Raya and National Day holidays there are long queues in almost all the famous makan places like Chung Wah Chicken Rice, Capitol Satay Celup, Jalan Bunga Raya Fried Oyster just to name a few and waiting time could exceed 1 hour easily. Tourist influx has definitely surged and Melaka feels different too after on-going developments over the years.
If you didn’t know, I spent a year completing my pre-U courses in MMU Melaka. That time there was a nice duck mee around Bukit Beruang‘s food court, which I only knew after SL told me. Three years ago we were not able to locate the restaurant because apparently they have shifted. This time, we found it. Taste wise it exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds, the closest thing I could think of that taste almost the same is Mamee’s instant duck noodle. Imagine that but with authentic duck flavor and meat instead, very recommended. Price: RM4
Currently the duck mee can be found at Chia Yean Coffee Shop near the Medan Selera Bukit Beruang, GPS Coordinates: N2 14.779 E102 16.489
Next, Aunty Koh’s cendol at Bukit Rambai. It was a long drive past the beach and paddy fields but man was it worth it. Unlike other cendol in Melaka that relies heavily on sweet Gula Melaka for the distintive taste, Aunty Koh emphasizes on coconut milk instead. What you will get here is the milkiest cendol with the purest coconut milk taste. This, in my book is the BEST cendol ever. Besides cendol Aunty Koh also sells Tai Bak, some sort of tong sui that taste like tong yuen but comes in long shredded slices instead. RM3.50 for a big bowl of cendol.
Aunty Koh cendol is open during weekends only from 12pm till finish. Come early to avoid disappointments and expect a lot of self-service here. GPS Coordinates: N2 14.804 E102 11.516
On the way back to town from Bukit Rambai you will surely go pass Pantai Klebang and here you should try Klebang Original Coconut Shake. A normal cup costs only RM1.50 but for an extra 50 cents you get the special version with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Not bad but the blended ice is not fine enough resulting in some annoying bits here and there.
