Jonker Kitchen — Restaurant in Malacca

Right before leaving Melaka, we were walking on Jonker street and looking for lunch. What we wanted was a nyonya dish since we visited baba & nyonya museum the day before.

While we were browsing menus of places, this guy came to talk to us about his menu. He seems passionate and we saw a few stuff we would like to try. We chose this place to enjoy our last supper in Melaka.

They guy eagerly explained about his menu, so we confirmed "not spicy foods" to try.

Our order Blue butterfly pea flower tea Fried turnip springrolls Blue butterfly pea rice Pong teh curry with chicken

Blue pea flower tea looked impressive, but that strong color made me feel suspicious. (lol) But it was very refreshing and easy to drink. They put lemon slices, so it did taste like lemon tea with subtle scent of the flower. I wonder it has some healthy effect, maybe?

Blue pea rice gave me a similar impression. Gentle fragrance on rice made it a little fancy, but the appearance is strong. I am not really used to eating foods with that color in daily life. But I am glad I tried.

Fried turnip springrolls Great crunchy texture outside and the bitter turnip flavor match very well. It did remind me of Kyoto's kaiseki dishes which push ingredients' flavor more forward than sauce or seasoning. I enjoyed the turnip itself and the crispy skin was a bonus to it.

Pong teh curry with chicken. The guy was right about the spicy level. It was not spicy at all and the flavor was something I have never tried before, but somehow nostalgic. The texture was similar to Japanese Niku Jaga (translated to beef and potato). Crumbled potato after simmering in a soup for a while. Chicken was so tender and flaked off out of the bone easily. This was a star dish on the table, and happy to choose it as our last food on Melaka.

I would recommend this place to the first timers in Melaka who are looking for nyonya cuisine...

Jonker Kitchen is a great place to get authentic Nyonya food with pork at extremely reasonable prices. The flavour profile generally leans more towards the savoury side and shows a good use of spices. I saw some reviews about the portion of the dishes, but I honestly think the smaller portions are justified by the extremely wallet-friendly prices.

Below are the dishes we tried: • Sambal Okra: Okra was very fresh, sambal was not bad too. A good dish to order to cut through the richness of the heavier dishes. • Cincalok Omelette: Tasty, reminded me a bit of ikan bilis in an omelette. The cincalok taste wasn't too strong, which I liked. • Tamarind Pork: This was really tasty, the pork was so tender, which amazed me as it still tasted roasted and not boiled. It reminded me of char siew but less sweet. • Kueh Pie Tee: This was nice, but nothing special, so you can pass on this. • Otak: Not bad, but it tasted slightly pasty to me, would skip this in future. • Rendang Chicken: Perhaps the best dish of the lot, this was really impressive. The flavour was on point, I could really taste the spices used. • Cendol: Not the best, but one of the better cendols in the area. There was a coconut milk and gula melaka fragrance, though the former could be a tad bit stronger.

However, service here could definitely be improved. Staff were a bit slow and inattentive. It was also really weird for them to be eating at a table that was clearly visible to customers during peak dinner hours.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this place as it is a great option for Peranakan food in the area as the quality of dishes is high and prices are...

Honestly, before visiting malaysia, I had zero clues about what Nyonya cuisine was all about. But let me tell you, it was an absolute revelation – love at first bite, indeed!

Big shoutout to Hari, Gaja, and Ammini for dragging us to Jonker Kitchen in Melaka. This place is a hidden gem! It's a small, cozy spot that might not catch your eye at first, but the flavors they pack are nothing short of amazing.

I'm going to be real here – I had no idea what we ordered, but every single dish was a hit. The prawn in sambal? Incredible. The spice level was just right, adding a zesty kick without overpowering the prawns. Then, there was this big fish curry – (the name sounded like asam something, promise to add proper names the next time we visit) absolutely mind-blowing! Rich, hearty, and packed with flavors that just danced on my tongue. And there was the the brinjal dish – an absolute delight.

The vibe of the place was just as delightful as the food. The staff were super friendly, and when we cheekily asked for a complimentary dish, they surprised each of us with a bowl of cendol. What a sweet end to an already fantastic meal!

If I had to nitpick, my only complaint would be my own stomach capacity. I wish I could have tried more of their incredible dishes!

To wrap it up, Jonker Kitchen is a must-visit if you're in Melaka. Can't wait to go back and explore more...