Melaka Day 2!
We had made reservations for our Chinese New Year Eve dinner — known to Hokkiens as Sa Cap Meh or Thirtieth Night — at Kocik Heritage Nyonya Restaurant along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, near Jonker Walk. Knowing it would be one of the busiest nights of the year, we booked well in advance.
A long time ago, Kocik Kitchen used to be our go to spot for Nyonya cuisine in the Jonker Street area. When it closed, we had to look elsewhere.
During my work posting in Melaka, we often stayed at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and enjoyed meals at Manis J, a Nyonya restaurant nearby. Sadly, the pandemic forced Manis J to close last year.
We kept in touch with its proprietress, Jennifer (the “J” in Manis J, we assume), and learned that her family had taken over the old Kocik Kitchen and rebranded it as Kocik Heritage.
Sa Cap Meh Dinner
As evening approached, we hailed a Grab to Kocik Heritage for our reunion dinner. We arrived early, so we took a short stroll before returning a little after 6:00pm.
Stepping inside felt like stepping back in time. Very little had changed — the old world charm, the architecture, the layout — all still intact. For those of us who grew up around Peranakan culture, it felt wonderfully familiar.
(And yes, Kocik means “youngest auntie” in the local dialect.)
Our dinner set included:
- Assam Fish
- Ayam Pongteh
- Sambal Prawn
- Steamed Ladies’ Finger with Sambal Belacan
- Ngoh Hiang (Fried Meat Rolls)
- Mixed Fried Vegetables
- Dessert of the Day
With drinks and cendol, the bill came to RM164.00 (≈ USD38/EUR35) — very reasonable, especially considering that many restaurants in Kuala Lumpur charge that amount per person for Chinese New Year Eve dinners.
Wrapping Up
That concludes our vlog on Kocik Heritage. If you’re ever in the area, do pay them a visit to experience authentic Nyonya cuisine served in authentic Nyonya surroundings.
A lovely Sa Cap Meh indeed!
(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)
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