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Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
From coconut cold porridge to bubbling crispy rice in broth, Hollysweet serves the best ‘tong sui' and ‘pao fan' in Melaka
MELAKA, Aug 14 — The bowl of Coconut Cold Porridge awaits us, pale and glistening. Rich coconut milk, slow-cooked to a silken thickness, slips over the tongue with a nutty sweetness. Thanks to an abundance of ice cubes, the tong sui stays cold as we take our time with every spoonful. There is no rush; the crowning scoop of coconut ice cream in the centre won't melt unless we hurry it along. Desiccated coconut offers a fragrant, toasty lift to ensure it stays refreshing. We are at Hollysweet, tucked into the calm neighbourhood of Taman Pertam Jaya in Melaka. The name might suggest confectionery but what the kitchen dishes out instead are sweet dessert soups or tong sui in Cantonese. Outside, a cluster of potted greenery spills towards the pavement, hinting at the relaxed mood within. Hollysweet is located in Taman Pertam Jaya, a quiet neighbourhood in Melaka. — Picture by CK Lim Inside, the space is bright and airy, perfect given whatever you order might arrive chilled by ice cubes or steaming in a stone hotpot. For Hollysweet's menu focuses on two specialties: the aforementioned tong sui as well as soup rice or pao fan (literally 'submerged rice' in Chinese). Having started with an exemplar of the former, we turn to the latter, but not before a small plate of seasonal greens. Today's is kailan, blanched to a satisfying crunch. Crowned with a savoury XO sauce that smells faintly of shrimp paste, each leaf of this Chinese kale is seasoned to sublime levels of umami. Seasonal 'kailan' (left). Crispy puffed rice (right). — Picture by CK Lim There are three versions of their signature Crispy Rice in Broth (the soup rice, essentially) to choose from: seafood, old hen and mushroom; we decide on the first two. Both come with a trio of sides: chilled stewed mushrooms, fresh carrot and radish pickles, and blanched vegetables with chilli. And, of course, a saucer of crispy puffed rice (but more on that later). For the Crispy Rice in Seafood Broth, the stock is a deep amber, brewed from prawn shells fried until they surrender their colour and scent to the oil. The steaming broth comes with soft rice already mixed in, the grains nearly indistinguishable from the soup. Crispy Rice in Seafood Broth. — Picture by CK Lim Prawns, plump and sweet, lounge in the liquid while strands of egg drift across the surface like ribbons. We ladle some of this ocean-kissed congee into smaller bowls, to allow it to cool (be careful not to burn your tongue!). Now comes the fun part, pouring some of the puffed rice into the bowl and watching as each crunchy grain first swells quietly in the broth, before softening into something more yielding. The contrast of textures is what makes this such a winning combination. The Crispy Rice in Old Hen Broth offers a different sort of depth. The broth's lighter golden hue tells of long hours over the stove, the chicken lending a savouriness that is both assertive and rounded. Here there is little more accompaniment to the chicken than ginger, scallion and salt, yet the result feels divine. The old hen used to create this broth has to be at least two years old; more often than not, the bird is at least three to four years of age – hence the intense flavour. Crispy Rice in Old Hen Broth. — Picture by CK Lim To complete our meal, we also share their recommended Taro Chicken with Sakura Shrimp. It arrives in yet another stone hotpot, the taro melting into thick wedges that seem to balance the meaty chunks of chicken. The velvety gravy is sharpened with rice wine and garlic. The pink sakura ebi – the shrimp get their name from the Japanese cherry blossoms – scattered on top remain crisp despite the heat, a counterpoint to the unctuous textures beneath. Elsewhere on the menu are savoury delights such as Century Egg Steamed Egg Custard, Beef Stew with Daikon, Steamed Cuttlefish Paste, Prawn Dumplings in Red Oil and Drunken Chicken. Taro Chicken with Sakura Shrimp. — Picture by CK Lim For those with a sweet tooth, there are different tong sui such as Red Bean Soup with Tangerine Peel, Barley Beancurd Soup, Walnut Paste, Osmanthus Jelly and even, rather unusually for a Chinese restaurant, Red Wine Poached Pear. What lingers most after a meal here at Hollysweet isn't just the refined yet unpretentious menu but the sense of comfort it fosters. We take our time to appreciate every bowl that is set before us, be it their signature tong sui of Coconut Cold Porridge, or the bubbling pots of Crispy Rice in Broth. Whether the dish is ice cold or steaming hot, the approach is the same: Slow down, sip and savour, surrender. Hollysweet 荒糖 55, Jalan Taman Pertam Jaya, Taman Pertam Jaya, Melaka. Open Thu-Tue 11:30am-10pm; Wed closed Phone: 06-223 9096 IG: * This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. * Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
Malay Mail
03-07-2025
- Malay Mail
For big, plump oysters tossed in luscious noodles or folded into hot plate omelettes, make a beeline for Eng Kee Oyster Mee in Melaka
MELAKA, July 3 — In a secluded corner of Taman Pertam Jaya, Melaka, there's a restaurant that has been run by a single family since 1981. Eng Kee Oyster Mee serves Teochew dai chow fare — no prizes for guessing their bestselling dish — but they are more than just their menu. Locals have known Eng Kee since they started at the bustling Jalan Bunga Raya's 'London Bridge' (where they stayed for almost 20 years) before settling down in their current premises — and even that, only after moving a few times. In fact, it was at their last location of Ujong Pasir, where my family lives, that we finally got to know this restaurant better (Jalan Bunga Raya was and remains a challenging place to get parking). Their present shop in Taman Pertam Jaya has been around since 2004, so there is a lived-in charm to the space. Round tables, stackable red plastic chairs, and regulars coming and going. This is a real neighbourhood eatery. Eng Kee is an old, family-run Teochew 'daichow' restaurant. — Picture by CK Lim Drinks are matter-of-fact here. Traditional Chinese herbal teas such as chrysanthemum and pat po liong cha are offered sweetened or not, depending on your preference. We ask for lightly sweetened chrysanthemum, with plenty of ice cubes — even in the evening, the weather remains far too warm nowadays. What truly matters is the food, and Eng Kee's two signature dishes both employ big, plump oysters — fresh and several sizes larger than what we've seen at other restaurants and dai chows. The star of the show is their trademark Oyster Mee, of course; it's in the name of the restaurant. A huge platter of noodles arrives cloaked in a deeply savoury sauce and speckled with nuggets of crisp pork lard. There's no need to hunt for oysters in this dish. Fat and impeccably fresh, they are everywhere, tucked beneath every sauce-slicked strand. Honestly, the noodles are merely the vehicle for these molluscs, these fabled aphrodisiacs. Oyster Omelette. — Picture by CK Lim Then there's the Oyster Omelette. Which is a far cry from the typical o chien you might be thinking of — and this is a good thing. Unlike its glutinous cousins found elsewhere, Eng Kee's version dispenses with starch entirely. What you get instead is an eggs and oysters only affair, soft and lightly charred from the sizzling hot plate. It looks rather ordinary, truth be told, until you taste it — and then you'd want seconds and more. Sweet and Sour Pork. — Picture by CK Lim Even the Sweet and Sour Pork — a dish that is a staple on so many Chinese menus to the point it is taken for granted — is executed with much skill here. The pork is lightly battered, fried till golden, and dressed in a sauce that is a perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Vegetables, often an afterthought in many dai chow restaurants, are prepared with the same care as the meat dishes. Our favourite — Stir-fried Sweet Potato Leaves with Garlic and Pork Lard — benefits from just enough time in the wok (and not a minute more), so the juicy greens retain much of their natural flavour. Stir-fried Sweet Potato Leaves with Garlic and Pork Lard. — Picture by CK Lim On previous visits, another popular dish was their Claypot Ginger Wine Chicken. As their broth is built on glutinous rice wine, and not the sharper varieties used elsewhere, Eng Kee's version is more delicate and quietly warming rather than an overwhelming, in-your-face heat. A good dish to order on rainy evenings. There are many more dishes, and hopefully many more visits by my loved ones and me. Eng Kee might not announce itself with much fanfare but it's what we crave for a simple family meal. Judging by the number of families who return each week, we aren't the only ones who feel this way. A simple family meal. — Picture by CK Lim Eng Kee Oyster Mee 永記蠔麵 78, Jalan PJ 18, Taman Pertam Jaya, Melaka Open Wed-Mon 11am-9pm; Tue closed Phone: 06-281 7164 * This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. * Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
