4
2011
The Tranquerah, Red Carpet Avenue
After attending the Red Carpet launch that evening, we went to check out Alan’s latest baby, The Tranquerah which is located at the Red Carpet Avenue itself.
The Tranquerah
One look at it and I’m already loving it. It has that cosy and relax ambiance. I super love the wooden window and door panes all over the place, even on the ceiling! Artistic!
Tranquerah is a part of the City of Malacca originating from the Portuguese word meaning palisades, entrenchments or outworks made from stakes driven into the ground, a fortress to protect the town. It seems that in the early part of the 17th Century, Tranquerah Street ended at the gate of what was then the Porta da Tranquerah as shown in Emmanuel Godinho de Eridia’s 1613 sketchplan of Malacca.
Today, the street is called Jalan Tengkera.
The Tranquerah, Red Carpet Avenue provides a unique dining experience where East-meets-West serving authentic Malacca Nyonya cuisine in a Contemporary-meets-Heritage setting.
Love the decor. Instead of using crafted rosewood furnitures that’s so cliché, The Tranquerah focuses on a more cheery concept of displaying things of yester-years or decades that will certainly bring back good memories.
Tell me where can you find chairs made of biscuit tins these days? I saw this and I got transported immediately to the time when I was only a little girl…
Aunty Florence Tan is the recipe contributor to The Tranquerah and that got me super excited! Aunty Florence wei! Don’t play play this should be good..
Pai Tee is a delightful appetizer from the Nyonya or Peranakan community. Also known as “Top Hats” its crispy shell shaped as such that holds the savory ingredients.
Making Pie Tee is no small feat as it requires ample amount of patience and time. Take it from a Nyonya (me). My family skips the Pai Tee shell making and always opt to order them from our trusted supplier instead as they are just too tedious a job! My mom however will prepare the fillings herself.
The Pai Tee served at The Tranquerah is delicious. These munchies are addictive and if only my khakis did not take them away from me I would have gasak them all!
Pong Teh is another famous Peranakan Nyonya dish. It is chicken or pork stew cooked with fermented soybean paste, potatoes and shiitake mushrooms. It is a must have on any occassion. If you are ever being invited by a Nyonya for a meal at her place, you’ll bet that you’ll surely find the famous Pong Teh amongst other dishes served.
Nyonyas are famous for being good in the kitchen. Cook I mean.. Cook! We Nyonyas are famous for being such good cooks but I can shamelessly admit that I am not one of them. I’m good in the kitchen but not at cooking! :P
BUT eventhough I’m NOT a good cook, I can proudly declare that I make wicked Pong Teh! Though it’s one of the simplest Nyonya dish ever out there but only a Nyonya can make it taste so good! Hmm… :P
And guess what? The Ayam Pong Teh here is GOOD! Kids love the sweet and savoury taste of this dish due to the Gula Melaka used in preparing this dish.
The secret here has GOT TO BE the gula melaka or better known as Gula Tuak among the Nyonyas. The Tranquerah uses authentic Gula Melaka and not substitute it with normal kitchen sugar as it will make a huge difference in the dish! Pong Teh is also BEST taken with sambal belacan.
Sambal belacan
Sambal udang petai
I’m a big fan of this ‘stinky bean’ and I can have it raw as ulam. All I need is petai, sambal belacan and a scoop of rice and I’m good to go. But when time is good, I don’t mind having petai with prawn sambal :D The big and juicy succulent prawns here are to die for. I’ll definitely come back for more of this.
Kangkung goreng belacan
At home we call this kangkung bawang belacan. Why? Because all it takes are some bawang (shallots), belacan (dried shrimp paste) and chili. Pound them together to make a paste. Heat up oil in a wok and fry the paste until fragrant before adding the kangkung. That easy! I’m good in preparing this too and having them here at The Tranquerah is superb! They taste just as good and goes well with steamed rice.
Nyonya Fried Chicken
I don’t even know there’s such a thing as Nyonya Fried Chicken :P Well, there’s Ayam Pongteh, Ayam Buah Keluak, Ayam Masak O, Ayam Sioh, Ayam Tempra and Kari Ayam but Nyonya Fried Chicken? This I have to try :D
It is chicken marinated overnight with exotic spices and fresh herbs, fried until golden. Flavorful and slightly crispy on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside.
Nyonya Curry Chicken
This is one delicious curry. All of us were raving about the curry. It is unlike my Mom’s curry but it is good in its own way. The difference in Nyonya curry is that it uses belacan. I don’t know if my mom uses belacan or not in her curry but my mom makes killer curry! And so does Tranquerah. I’m on the fence here. Help me pls.. I don’t want to take sides! @_@
Ikan Cincaru Sumbat (Stuffed fish)
By now I’m exactly like the fish – stuffed! But there is still place to try this mouth-watering looking fish! Lots of sambal is stuffed into the cincaru to marinate and maintain the juiciness of the fish while infusing flavours of the sambal into the fish.
Cincalok Omelette
Last but not least, I just have GOT to try their Cincalok Omelette. If you think Nyonya Curry is different, you should try their cincalok omelette.
Cincalok are made from fermented shrimps or “gerago” or “geragau”. This cincalok omelette is another easy dish to whip out. Just saute big onions and chili before breaking the eggs and give it a stir before adding the Cincalok and cooking it over low to medium heat. Adjust seasonings to taste. Salt is usually omitted as it’s already tasty enough. Squeeze calamansi juice before serving. Best taken with rice as this dish is slightly salty. .
Yes-lah! I love it very much!
Aunty Florence was there to make sure we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. It is nice to have her around as she speaks the same ‘language’ as I do :D
Chef Dato’ Ismail Ahmad, Alan Yun, Chef Zam and Aunty Florence Tan
It was a star-studded affair with the presence of celebrity chefs – Chef Dato’ Ismail Ahmad, Chef Zam and Aunty Florence Tan with non-other than the owner of The Tranquerah himself, the ever so charming, Alan Yun.
Emily Lim
The extremely gorgeous Emily Lim looking every inch a Nyonya in her stunning kebaya.
What’s best is that The Tranquerah is located just several steps away from my office! I can just take the lift down and walk across the road and there I am, in that little place I can call ‘home’.
I was transported back in time capsule when I went into their washroom. So old school, I love it!!!
-THE END :D –
Aww…my kampung. Tranquerah! :D
I am familiar with most of the food being served here. :D
Tekkaus, Me TOO! My mom prepares all these whenever I'm back home! Ahhhhhh….. missing my hometown already!!
The concept of the restaurant is so nice and unique!~
The food looks tempting, too!
antic place lor..
Aha!!! THIS, I must go and try! But I'm very critical of nyonya food….don't play-play one! Want to claim to be nyonya, must be really good…and better than what we cook in our family.
STP, and while u r there, gimme a calll. I join u, I work nearby :D
Take me there one day! hahaha.. Love nyonya food… anytime!
I just love their Nyonya curry … wanted to ta pau the rest home cos I was just drinking the super spicy gravy… muahaha…
I have a cookbook on Nyonya cuisine. I must learn to cook Nyonya dishes for my husband..LOL.
Mummy Gwen,
Surely you know how to cook PongTeh? and that Bawang Belacan.. and Cincaluk Omelette.. :D
I have a cookbook on Nyonya cuisine. I must learn to cook Nyonya dishes for my husband. :)
wah, that biscuit tin chair really can sit one ah?? errr, i dare not lah, later once i sit the chair broken and i fall flat on my butt!! hahahaha.. BTW that toilet not old school enough lah, should have squat bowl instead of seat bowl~~
squat bowl! haha.. if really want ol' school then NO bowls, just dig a hole! :P
The chair really can sit one.. my hubs sat on it da entire evening ok? haha…
I love eating Top Hats!
Thanks for sharing. Nice ambient.
Very nice environment, antique + modern .
Food look good, should go and try out one day.
So r u a good chef?
pongteh chicken and cincalok omelette yum yum my fav dish at home too! :)