What makes Peranakan food so special?
Nyonya cuisine is celebrated for its fragrant flavours, often incorporating spices and ingredients like lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, chillies, tamarind, and coconut milk. Signature dishes include:
Ayam Buah Keluak: A hearty chicken stew with buah keluak nuts, imparting a unique earthy flavour.
Laksa Lemak: A spicy noodle soup with a coconut milk base, featuring prawns, tofu, and eggs.
Kueh: Vibrant, bite-sized cakes and pastries crafted from rice flour, coconut milk, and palm sugar, such as kueh lapis and onde-onde.
Achar: A tangy pickled vegetable dish seasoned with spices, vinegar, and sugar.
Pongteh: A savoury, slightly sweet stew made with pork or chicken, fermented soybeans, potatoes, and bamboo shoots.
Where is the restaurant located and how do I get there?
Address: Central Market, Kuala Lumpur
Time: 11 am to 10 pm
The eatery is perfectly situated on the first floor of the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur. The well-known areas of Chinatown and Masjid India are next to each other, and you can access the Masjid India LRT station from any part of the city. The Central Market is just a short walk from the station.
How was my experience of dining at the Precious Old China Restaurant?
The first thing that captures your attention is the stunning vintage decor of the establishment, featuring furniture design and decor from the bygone era. The restaurant is lavishly adorned with solid wood furniture, well-illustrated paintings, and vintage decorations.
An old-fashioned bell on the table made it convenient to call the staff once you had decided on the menu. The manager is very supportive and helpful in choosing the right dishes to suit your taste.
I was eager to try some popular dishes, and naturally, my love for vegetarian dishes in belacan (shrimp paste) sauce was a must.
I began by tasting the delicious Pie Tee - a Nyonya top hat appetizer filled with various ingredients, condiments, and chilli sauce, creating perfect magic to whet your appetite.
The main courses highlighted Debel Chicken, a dish inspired by Portuguese culinary influences. I relished the curries that complemented the rice perfectly. The rice, with its blue hue, is embellished with an edible dye derived from a flowering plant indigenous to Malaysia.
Most dishes are prepared with fresh chillies, ginger, garlic, and kaffir lime leaves. Other essential ingredients in Nyonya cuisine include galangal, lemongrass, cinnamon, cumin, and palm sugar. The seafood and meat dishes are crafted with a variety of spices and condiments, which make Nyonya food truly distinctive.
Another dish on the menu was dry beef chilli cooked to perfection. This dish was a delightful combination of tender beef slices that had been marinated and cooked with a blend of aromatic herbs and spices. The dry red chillies added a fiery kick, enhancing the overall f
lavour profile and creating a perfect taste that paired wonderfully with steamed rice and other curries. The balance of spices and the rich, savoury notes of the beef made each bite a memorable experience. The flavours complemented each other so well that I found myself savouring every mouthful, and I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner, feeling satisfied and content.
I finished my delicious lunch with a dessert recommended by the chef, which was a delightful conclusion to the meal. This dessert featured two different flavours, artfully whipped with fresh cream to create a classic treat that was both rich and refreshing.
The combination of these flavours resulted in a long-lasting taste that lingered pleasantly on the palate. This exquisite dessert is a seasonal speciality, only served during the durian season, making it a rare and special indulgence that added an extra layer of enjoyment to my dining experience.
Precious Old China Restaurant keeps inviting me back, each time I visit Kuala Lumpur.
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