[Melaka] 486 Baba Low

• Rating: 2 out of 5
• Price range: RM2-RM10
• Ambience: Hawker
• Address: Jalan Siantan Sek 2, Tengkera
• Business hour: 7:30AM - 3:00PM, closed on Friday
• Non-halal

Hidden in a residential area lies a humble hawker stall that serves authentic nyonya food. Furnished with plastic chairs, wooden tables and tree shades, this place has no proper building. It is more of a shed that looks more like a workshop than a restaurant. 

The recommended order here are nyonya laksa, mee siam and cendol, the typical dishes you have to eat when in Melaka. The nyonya laksa is rich in coconut milk and prepared with homemade chili paste. It has a strong kaffir leaf fragrance. They are also give a generous amount of ingredients in the nyonya laksa. Although this nyonya laksa is decent enough for non-Malaccan, I would say this is not the best nyonya laksa in Melaka.

For appetizers, the popiah and pai tee are among the best sellers. Honestly, the popiah skin is too thick but they did not stinge on the ingredients. The popiah is suitable for vegetarians. The pai tee is somewhat like a popiah. Although many would claim that this dish comes from Singapore, but we believe it is originated from Melaka. The pastry crust is very crunchy and tastes freshly made. The ingredients are similar to the popiah ingredients but it comes with shredded eggs as well. Best served with the condiments of homemade chilli sauce. 

For desserts, you can't go wrong with the cendol. This is a popular order at Baba Low, sometimes they may run out of coconut milk. In that case, skip this. When we ordered, they did not have any coconut milk left, but substitute with milk. The taste is unforgivingly bad. Fusion isn't a good concept for cendol. 

Overall, this place is a great place for you to savour all the famous Malaccan nyonya delicacies at a very cheap price. A meal cost less than RM10 per person. On the other hand, it isn't the best place for the dishes. There are better nyonya laksa, better popiah (Melaka Raya), better cendol (Jonker 88). If you don't want to spend your time visiting the different places for the best dishes, this place is good enough for you. Take note that the al fresco dining style may be too hot or not comfortable to dine in during rainy season.