Teo Soon Long Chan Teochew Seafood Restaurant (74p)

No. 55, Jalan Hang Katsuri (off Jonker st)
Tel: 06-2822353 (Melaka)

WADA rating: 47 + 27= 74 pts

QPI: 8+ ($20-$30 per pax for fresh seafood produce)

WFI: C (free corkage but BYOB and BYOG, limited space so if possible bring Riedel no-stem Tyrols)

A hidden gem in the heart of Melaka's chinatown! So fortunate to have Paul to bring us to this very obscurely located and charming "old world" restaurant. This has become one of my must visits if ever I come by Melaka. Do make reservations in advance because this restaurant is HOT! We arrived at 8 plus and it was packed full with guests streaming in all the way till we were finishing dinner at 9 plus. So to avoid disappointment, DO CALL!

Another point to note is that there is no menu. The protocol here is to take your pick from the day's array of fresh produce. Second point to note is to sit back, relax and wait for the elderly Towkay Tan's two sons (who have since taken charge over the kitchen) to serve up some "perspective".

What's Good

Fried Soft shell crab
Oaty, …extremely crispy and with the sweet sauce is perfect! So fragrant in the mouth. The best ever soft shell crab ..its fried but not oily. The batter reminds me of fried five spice crackers (Ngo Heong), its like highly crispy with oatis- like crunchiness.
Dish on left is the Lap Cheong and the golden popcorn chicken looking dish is the soft shell crab.

Homemade lap cheong with vegetables
The story (as told by Paul) is that the owner – Mr Tan went to china and saw the unhygienic conditions for which lap cheong is being made and decided to make his own. Admirable effort as the lap cheong tastes extremely fresh… as though it wasn’t preserved.

Yam Paste with ginko nuts and pumpkin
One of the best orh ni I have had so far, it’s a creamy paste of pure milky yammy goodness. What is special is the yam paste or should I say yam soup…cooked and pummeled to perfection. I don’t think they add any sugar syrup as the sweetness is quite natural without being cloying. Lovely with the ginko nuts and especially the half mushy pumpkin mash! What a way to end…I would love to try pairing this with a sauternes…just for the fun of it. FYI, they have a pre-packaged frozen version sold in NTUC!!! But they sell it under a different brand name....I think so as to not tarnish their brand name...and I would say nothing beats the original freshly made here.

Homemade Doufu
So simple…but yet this brings back memories for me. First of all , the plate is very retro…my paternal granny used to cook for me using such plates….*sobs*. ..this toufu serenades with grandmotherly love and a dedication to keeping food tasty yet simple. The fried minced meat with the spring onions and fried onions just gently lifts the aromas of the toufu to your senses. Its not clinically soft like those u get from the supermarket. Its soft because your granny slogged over the stoves slowly steaming this originally tough beancurd into tender loving softness.

Oyster Noodles
Yummy …this easily makes their no1. must-try dish list. Black gooey spiced infused sauce with threads of noodles floating around bits of oysters. There is good wok hei as well as that simple goodness that this place exihibits in so many of its dishes. Lovely pairing with the pinots.

Other dishes Tasted

Baked Salt Crab – The charcoal has been locked in this baked crab and every bite emits the black peppery smoky flavours. Not a crowd pleaser , this is an acquired taste. Very natural and simple in approach again.

Steamed Teochew Promfret – Super fresh and simple flavours that don’t overwhelm the quality of the promfret

Comments

Well-aged and charming describes aptly both the ambience of the place as well as the elderly owner. Age though seems not to have lessened the energy emanating from the elderly towkay and his restaurant, which is the embodiment of old-fashioned teochew cuisine at its finest.

The old man featured in the photo is the elderly towkay.

Pairings Done

2004 Michel Magnien Gevrey-Chambertin, VV
WADA rated 81+pts

Earth, mushrooms and bright cherries, red fruits. Orange peels and salted preserved vegetable water. Good example of a Gevrey but not spectacular. Good medium length.

2006 Kim Crawford Pinot noir
WADA rated 77pts

Cherry cola and ‘kiam chye’ water….reminded us of the salted vegetable duck soup we had at bibik neo. Straightforward and fun wine. At the start, very much new world but when we re-tasted later, the nose evolved into some mushrooms and earth so typical of bourgogne. However, this still very much had some imbalance….the tannins have a “scratching” effect on the throat. This is like a seemingly fun gal at a party that you should never get too closely-acquainted with because you know you will regret in the morning!

Pairing Suggestions

This place deserves some good pinots ... preferably aged with more earthy mushroomy undertones. I am also thinking aged bordeaux right bank blend - Merlot Cab would work too.