Tian Ka Vegetarian, Melaka

In the little town of Melaka, therein lies a quaint Tian Ka Vegetarian restaurant ("TKV") that keeps me coming back for more! TKV is an authentic Chinese restaurant that caters to the Melaka heritage food - Baba Nyonya. I ordered 4 dishes and this only costs around RM40 for me. The dishes are authentically spicy and zesty, but I believe you can tell them to reduce the spiciness, but this defeats the purpose of coming here! Stick with bread and butter, will you?

1) Ikan Bakar (translated to Burnt Fish)

served with assam sauce, squeeze the lime and request to add petai to add the kick to this dish!

Sorry you're only able to see the sauce, but this gives it a more mysterious feel doesn't it? The fish is not literally burnt, but grilled and baked to perfection together with the lightly sweet and spicy concentrated assam sauce. The fish is slightly chewy and its slightly compact texture is a minor flaw. Nonetheless, a good Ikan Bakar that is grilled to your expectations!

Rating: 9/10

2) Tom Yam Soup
generously served with tofu and vegetables

Lots of spiciness, tanginess and zestiness all in a soup! Similar to the non-vegetarian tom yam soup in terms of its flavour, spiciness and concentration. It is different in that it does not have a fishy smell (from seafood) making it even more delectable!

Rating: 10/10

3) Claypot diced chicken 

served with vegetables 

The sauce is slightly salty and sweet but the mock chicken pieces are disappointing. In my opinion, the chicken has an overbearing mock/unnatural taste that failed to absorb the essence from the sauce. I suggest using monkey mushrooms as an alternative, but for a low price, what more can you ask for?

Rating: 6/10

4) Sweet potato leaves
with sambal sauce

The vegetables are fresh and well-cooked except for the sauce. The sauce is too sweet, and not spicy at all. There is also concentrated sweet chunks of sambal that makes it "jelak"/glutted on my first bite! Maybe reposition the description to potato leaves with sweet sambal sauce? 

Rating: 4/10

Address: No. 250E, Jalan Semabok, 75050 Melaka
Contact: 016-311 8370
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tian-Ka-Vegetarian-Rest/250927438402702