Baba Low's - Malacca Peranakan Food

Also known as 486 Baba Low due to its address at 486 Jalan Tengkera, Melaka 75200, Baba Low's is a 'back to nature' experience, totally different from what we get back home with the hustle & bustle of city life.

Coming here direct from Baba Charlie Nyonya Kuih, it is a mere minutes' drive away.

The food preparation area cum order taking counter

Baba Low's new menu and prices - as you can see, it is simple. Try it to know if it is delicious and authentic!

Drinks menu at Baba Low's

Branches where 486 Baba Low's can be located in Malaysia

Looking at the humble hut from where Baba Low's operates, we never expected that they had any branches. Thus, we were reminded not to judge a book by its cover!

Nyonya popiah at Baba Low's

Baba Low's mee siam

Kuih pie tee also known as top hats. Enjoy its crunchiness with the special chilli sauce.

Nyonya laksa with a sweet and rich taste

Chendol - mum and brother seems to prefer this to Jeta Groves, another outlet serving nyonya food

Preparing food for the hungry

Experience the nature, in a little hut, under the trees

Brother especially loved the experience of eating the simple nyonya lunch at 486 Baba Low's and was raving about the ambience and the food.

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Baba Charlie Nyonya Kuih - Malacca

Baba Charlie Lee (better known as Baba Charlie)
72, Jalan Tengkera Pantai 2
75200 Melaka
(Closed on Thursdays)

Contact:- 019-666 2907

Directional sign along the main road. When you see the sign, be prepared to turn left into the small alley that will lead you to the house below which should stand out with its bright red wall and yellow house.

If this is your first time looking for Baba Charlie, look out for the sign by the roadside. This was erected recently which helps a great deal as we could not locate the place when we first went looking for it even after our friend gave us directions.

A favourite with tour groups, you might just see tour buses parked along the main road as the small alley to Baba Charlie is too narrow for the big buses.

Baba Charlie is the owner of Baba Charlie Nyonya Cake which sells all kinds of delicious nyonya cakes. Baba Charlie also caters for buffets and produces nyonya popiah with lots of filling and at great prices!

Nyonya cakes galore

Nyonya cakes - Just love the myriad of colours

Baba Charlie started by selling his Malacca peranakan food at pasar malam (night market) about 20 years ago and has now grown into a major supplier of hotels and restaurants.

If you miss getting your nyonya cakes at Baba Charlie's house, you can visit them at the pasar malam:-

Mon : Bukit Beruang/Tanjung
Tue : KG. Lapan/Ujong Pasir
Wed : Bukit Beruang
Thu : Off
Fri : Malim Jaya
Sat : Kota Laksamana
Sun : Air Keroh/ Batu Berendam

A common sight to see big groups rushing for the famous nyonya kuih

Kuih koci hitam - what it looks like on the outside

Upon removing the leaf wrapping, outer layer made with black glutinous rice

Filling of sweet coconut

Going crazy over the wide choices of nyonya cakes

Kuih Talam and Pulut Seri Kaya

Ondeh ondeh

Kuih dadar and kuih bingka ubi

Lepat Kacang

Yam cake

Pulut seri kaya and kuih lapis

Rempah udang - Baba Charlie's specialty

Glutinous rice with the trademark blue colouring synonymous with nyonya cakes

Shrimp paste filling

Dumplings, also known as chang, a hot favourite and top seller

Various cookies on sale such as the pineapple tarts and kuih bangkit

Love letters or egg rolls

Pickles and chin cha lok

Photos of the family

Always smiling, family members at work

Baba Charlie (left) chatting with hubby

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Amy Heritage Nyonya Cuisine - Malacca Nyonya Food

Authentic Nyonya Restaurant in Malacca - Amy Heritage Nyonya Cuisine

For great Malacca Nyonya Food, visit Amy Heritage Nyonya Cuisine. You will not be disappointed. Away from the touristy places with high prices and non-authentic traditional nyonya food, Amy's will delight you with true-blue peranakan food.

Taste of Nonya Cuisine: Secrets of Nyonya Cooking (Celebrity Chefs)

Entrance of Amy Nyonya Restaurant

Location:- 75, Taman Melaka Raya 24, Taman Melaka Raya
Contact:- 06 286 8819 / 012 341 6836
Owner:- Amy Koh

Closed every Monday

Holiday travel tips:-

Call and make a reservation before going down just in case the restaurant is full. You might have a l-o-n-g wait if that is the case... Cos Amy will still make sure that the dishes served are cooked up to her standard! And that means cooking the dishes table by table, even though different tables may order the same dish.

Map to Amy's

Having opened the restaurant about three years ago upon the urging from her son, you can see Amy's credentials framed on the walls of the restaurant.

She has even been featured on stamps in the United Nations. WOW!

Free flow of rice is served in these traditional nyonya red, black and gold baskets

Left - Sambal jantung pisang (heart of the banana flower cooked in chilli with shrimp paste)

Right - Udang sambal petai (chilli prawn with stink beans)

The sambal jantung pisang is a rare dish and not easy to find in restaurants. Even for us, we had to visit Amy's 3 times before we had the good fortune to try this dish as it is not easy to get all the ingredients all of the time. It was definitely worth the wait! :)

As for the udang sambal petai, we love the sambal chilli and tender prawns that were cooked with the stink bean which is an acquired taste.

Back row (L-R) Ayam pongteh, ayam buah keluak and itek tim soup

Front row (L-R) Udang sambal petai, kangkung kobis keledek maska titik lemak

Being a halal restaurant, they do not serve pork, so instead we opted for the ayam pongteh (chicken stew cooked with fermented soy bean paste, potatoes and shitake mushrooms) instead. Nicely done, this dish was tasty and fragrant.

The ayam buah keluak (chicken stew cooked with black nuts) turned out to be a favorite as well with just the right blend of spices. If you do not have an acquired taste for the black nuts, this dish is still worth tasting here in Amy's.

L-R Otak otak panggang (grilled spicy fishcake), sambal belacan (chilli in shrimp paste) and udang goreng assam (prawns fried in tangy tamarind sauce)

The otak was alright but the sambal belacan made our saliva drool and the udang goreng assam was fresh and cooked just right!

Ikan cili garam

Surprisingly this dish was well received as the fish was well fried and tasted especially good when accompanied by the chilli.

Our wonderful nyonya dinner - everyone was deeply satisfied

Hee Peow soup (fish maw soup)

Though we would have loved to have more fish maw, the soup was lovely and delicious. With just the right blend of seasoning, this was a nice and clear soup.

Kangkong goreng cili belacan

This water convulvulus fried in chilli with shrimp paste could have been more spicy as we love spicy food. Maybe next time, we have to specially request for more cili.

Tai bak - a nyonya dessert

As we were all so full, we decided to just order one bowl of tai bak to taste. Fortunately for us, we had ordered only one bowl as we all found it too sweet. If it were not that sweet, it would have made a great dessert, cold and refreshing!  Great for those with sweet tooth...  :D

Part of the decor

Amy Koh herself, chatting with her customers

Those friends whom we have recommended to this restaurant have all raved about its food. With lots of love and care in the food that she serves, Amy makes sure that her high quality of food standard is maintained with just the right blend of seasonings and spices.

Lamenting the lack of good helpers and nobody to pass on her traditional nyonya recipes to, since her son is not interested in carrying on with the cooking, Amy is looking for someone with the passion to learn the art of Nyonya cooking and is willing to impart all her secrets... :)

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