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.
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