Magnificent Mamak Mess

Just when you taught you've tasted it all. Mamak mee rojak? Eaten one, eaten it all, you say. I thought so, too. Until I pulled over at the foothill of Bukit China in Melaka, the largest ancient Chinese cemetery outside of China.

Under the watchful eyes of the centuries-long-dead I sampled it. And I broke down in humble adoration. I'm sure the spirits agreed with me. Quiet winds rustled through the trees and twigs cracked while I savored the magnificence in disbelief.

The Mother of Mamak Rojaks. Can it ever taste so good?


For the ignorant, Mamak Rojak, is a tossed salad of cucumbers, bean sprouts, radish, crispy bits, prawn fritters, beancurd and hard-boiled egg, topped with a powerfully spicy and sweet peanut gravy. This guy at Bkt China spoons his potion from a bubbling cauldron, and lets the molten loveliness flow and permeate into every cranny of your salad. The ingredients are crispy fresh and the gravy is what makes you sing.

Dark brown, it is thick but not gum-sticking thick. Warm, the aroma wafts through your nose before you take a bite, like a bit of a foretaste of glory. And spicy - this stuff is hot, not the bland, unremarkable stuff you get in KL or Penang. The sweetness isn't cringingly diabetic, emerging only as an aftertaste. It was so good, the plastic lining was forgivable, though detracting a bit from its authenticity.

If ever you're passing through Melaka and can only have ONE THING - let the Babas look for the Nyonya, leave the Portugese to history, rollover the Chicken Rice Balls. Head straight for the chinese cemetery and be prepared for a taste of heaven.

Getting there: Get onto Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho somehow. If you have to circle the hill (around Jalan Bukit Gedong), enjoy the peaceful scenery and look out for the stalls on your left after you've passed the legendary Sam Poh Tong(17) and Puteri Hang Li Po(16). 'X' marks the spot on the treasure map, and a red circle localises it on the satellite photo, just in case you're flying in tonight on your private chopper.