NON-HALAL
And just a short distance from the famous Jonker Walk, the couple running a well-loved restaurant begins their day.
Since the 1950s, Tengkera Duck Noodle has been delighting customers with its signature dish. It all began when trader Koh Ah Hong first set up shop here after moving from Singapore.
Ah Hong passed his recipe down through the generations: first to his children, and then to his granddaughter, Koh Lui Hsia. Today, she continues his legacy, ensuring each bowl is made with the same care and flavour her grandfather once perfected.
“The soup base is simmered for hours with duck bones, and a variety of herbs and spices. What makes it special is our family’s secret sauce, a recipe passed down from my grandfather’s time,” Lui Hsia, 37, told FMT Lifestyle.
“The recipe was the result of many years of experimentation and refinement by my grandfather. Each generation has upheld the traditional method, making only small adjustments to suit modern tastes, but the soul of the flavour has always remained the same.”
Lui Hsia rises at about 4am every day to prepare their noodles’ distinctively delicious broth.
She and her husband Voon, 40, man the stall, which is particularly busy at meal times. On weekends, a queue often forms, with dozens of customers eager for a taste of their nourishing noodles.
Their signature dish is a simple but satisfying treat: springy egg noodles smothered in a savoury, slightly herbal, and faintly sweet broth, accompanied with tender chunks of braised duck and beansprouts, topped with sprinklings of spring onion.
Various ingredients such as bean curd, hard-boiled eggs, pork intestines, duck feet or gizzards can be added to the noodles to enhance its flavour: the duck meat chunks, however, are undoubtedly the star of the show.
Pair the dish with a cup of traditional coffee and you’re set for a hearty breakfast or a light lunch.
If you’re not in the mood for noodles, the couple also serves duck rice and pork rice.
“Many of our regular customers come for breakfast before work, some are elderly people after their morning exercise, and others stop by after sending their children to school.
“We want to serve them a hot bowl of noodles to give them energy to start the day,” said Lui Hsia.
How have their duck noodles remained so fresh and in demand throughout the years?
Lui Hsia believes this is thanks to her insistence in remaining true to traditional methods, and avoiding too much artificial seasoning. She also makes it a point to serve every customer with care.
Lui Hsia has been running the family business for about 14 years now, and so harbours a special love for the restaurant.
She said she hopes to pass the business to her children someday but understands that they may wish to follow their own path.
“The most touching thing is seeing several generations of a family coming to eat our noodles. Some long-time customers have been eating here since they were children, and now they bring their own kids, and even grandchildren,” Lui Hsia concluded.
“We have also had visitors from Malaysia, Taiwan, China, and even Australia who have come here, saying our noodles remind them of ‘the taste of home’. We are truly grateful for the support of these customers.”
Tengkera Duck Noodle (NON-HALAL)
33, Jalan Kota Laksamana 1/2
Taman Kota Laksamana
75200 Melaka
Business hours: 7am-2pm (Closed on Tuesday)