I have eaten Nonya cuisine a numerous times while visiting Malacca and did not enjoy the food much. It could be due to the restaurant that I had visited previously. Hence, during a recent visit to Malacca, we were recommended to try Aunty’s Lee Nonya cuisine, which had stayed true to the authentic way of preparing the dishes.

Aunty’s Lee is located on the outskirt part of Malacca tourist attraction (i.e. Jonker Street, Palawan shopping area). Nothing fancy about the frontage of the restaurant. In fact, if we were to drive past it we would not have stopped and entered the restaurant.

This restaurant was establish back in 1997 by the Lee couple, though it is a small shop lot it was packed with locals during my visit. I did not see tourist other than the group of us patronizing the restaurant. In any country which one visit, it always best to visit restaurants where the local frequents as they would know best where serve the best food, at the best value and more importantly taste good to satisfy the locals!

As taste is very subjective, there were dishes that were an absolute hit, while some were a miss for me.

Kangkong – Nothing special, this is a pretty standard dish you can order in any restaurant.

Ayam Buah Keluak – I think this is name of the dish. The chicken meat is very tender and flavourful. The gravy pairs really well with plain rice. Love this dish.

Nyonya Chap Chai – Never a fan of Nyonya chap chai. Hence, I did not taste it. However, according to the rest who tried it, it was yums for them.

Squid Fritters – Who doesn’t like unhealthy fried food? I cannot resist and I absolutely love that the squid is not tough to chew and the fritters is crunchy enough when being served.

Asam Prawn – This is a nostalgic dish. It reminded me when I younger, my mom would always cook asam prawn for me. No other side dish required. Asam prawn with sambal + eat with your hands – I am drooling!

Beef Rendang – Oooh… this is delightful dish! Though it has a slight hint of beefy smell, the meat is so tender, with the right amount of spices used to cook the rendang is absolute beautiful. Mixed this rendang sauce together with the Ayam Buah Keluak gravy – perfection!

Asam Pedas Steam Fish – Slightly fishy smell, I wish there were more asam to it. It kind of lack the oomph and I also wish it was spicier.

Otak Otak – I must say this is one of the better Otak that I have tried in restaurant. I went back for 2nd serving!

Cendol – Taste alright, not a huge fan of cendol.

Overall it was a good dining experience and the price is also affordable. Given that the restaurant is rather small, it would be best to make a reservation before going down.

XOXO

Disclaimer: This is based on my personal preference. Do give it a try and let me know what you think.