MELAKA, Feb 26 — A former colleague of mine always encouraged me to resist convention, at least at mealtimes.

She’d ask me, “Why do we have to have dessert at the end of a meal? Why not at the start?”

I am reminded of this challenge as our bowl of Nyonya cendol arrives at our table. 

Most would consider this sweet Peranakan treat a dessert but what’s to stop us from enjoying it as an appetiser?

A heavy mound of red beans and pandan strands crown a mound of shaved ice and coconut cream. 

The most important element — for us, at any rate — has to be the fragrant and syrupy gula Melaka, dark and heady, threading its way through the bowl.

We share a bowl of this — there is more to come! fret not! — at UES Siew Tin Nyonya Kitchen in Melaka. 

Nestled in Taman Kota Laksamana Jaya, one of the historical city’s bustling food hubs, the restaurant is a haven for those who grew up with Peranakan cooking and those who simply relish a taste of nostalgia.

That sense of time and place begins even as you enter. The wooden doors at the entrance — possibly salvaged from an old Peranakan house — set the tone. 

We observe a bakul siah, the sort of locally woven tiffin once used to carry meals or kuih, standing guard on one side.

The menu here is expansive, with stalwarts such as pai tee and ayam buah keluak to lesser seen dishes like the hearty Nyonya mutton rendang.

So many choices can be overwhelming — not to be tempting — but one need not order the entire menu! A few carefully selected dishes can provide a manageable experience.

True, Peranakan food is often about feasting and a full table, but today we are guided by our rather indulgent breakfast just a few hours earlier. Rest assured, a more restrained lunch is enough to explore a good kitchen’s range.

(Or, as my ex-colleague might implore: “Why must we have a big banquet? Why not just a tiny taste?”)

We started with the Butterfly Pea Flower Rice (nasi bunga telang), its blue tint gently whetting our appetites. 

The bowl comes with the minimalist topping of a yellow raisin and a cashew, their golden hues complementing the azure tones of the fluffy grains.

The rice is a must, to act as accompaniment to their recommended Gula Melaka Chicken Wings. Lacquered with a sticky glaze of palm sugar, this is a light bite, yes, but absolutely delectable nonetheless.

The shredded coconut scattered over the wings introduces texture and a welcome aroma that balances the rounded sweetness of the gula Melaka.

For our second bowl of dessert (this one comes at the end of our mild repast, a polite nod to protocol), we opt for the Sagu Gula Melaka.

It’s simple enough — just sago pearls, coconut milk and palm sugar — yet when assembled by skilled hands, become something decidedly elegant. 

The pearls offer a delightful chew, the gula Melaka syrup less cloying than one might expect.

As we pay our bill and depart, we linger briefly to take in the antiques arranged around the dining room. It is a reminder that a satisfying meal is all about making the right choices, arranging the order of dishes to our liking.

From Nyonya cendol to chicken wings, our little lunch is proof you can never have too much gula Melaka!

UES Siew Tin Nyonya Kitchen

No. 2, Jalan KLJ 1-B, 

Taman Kota Laksamana Jaya, Melaka.

Open daily 11am-10pm

Phone: 06-289 9995

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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