THE RECOGNISED “BALAKA NYONYA” AUTHENTIC PERANAKAN CUISINE RUNNING ON THE MIDDLE SOUTHERN @ MELAKA
“Peranakan Cuisine” or commonly well-known as the Nyonya Cuisine especially on the historical city of Malacca is all the while among the local’s authentic delicacy eatery which being practised since centuries ago carrying with the respective home recipes on the ground. Here on the middle southern nation, we found and being successfully recognised among the best recommended new established Peranakan Nyonya Cuisine Eating House “Balaka Nyonya” right in the world heritage city of Malacca running by the Tan brothers having great positive response from the market recently.
The Malacca local originated Mr. Owen Tan Jun Yu (born 1998), with his brothers Mr. Delon Tan Lok Yu (born 2000) & Mr. Sean Tan Xiang Yu (born 2003) all were the initial founders and also the recent immediate brother-owners of this best recognised Peranakan Nyonya Cuisine Eating House “Balaka Nyonya” along the Melaka Raya presenting all their in-house authentic nyonya recipes to the locals & visitors in manner under an environmental dining condition on the middle southern ground at Malacca.
The founders cum owners Tan brothers who at their age of 28, 26 and 23 years old respectively, were initially touched the field since their teenage helping their Auntie Nina who running a peranakan cuisine restaurant for decades at Pulau Pinang where the Tan brothers being inspired. And the youngest brother Sean Tan who later-on fully stepped into the industry at his 19th of age practically experienced on the kitchen floor after his secondary education found his interest thoroughly with his passions along the journey.
With experiences & home recipes on-hand, added wishing to further their exposure in the field and foreseeing the market opportunity in the f&b industry locally especially the peranakan nyonya cuisine field enabled the Tan brothers decided then successfully established their very first owned Peranakan Nyonya Cuisine Eating House officially named the “Balaka Nyonya Restaurant” along the Melaka Raya in the forth quarter of year 2025. And being recognised among the best in town by the Malaysian F&B E-Media for the year of 2026 on the middle southern nation at Malacca.
In this Balaka Nyonya Restaurant, the owners’ very first top recommended in menus will be their signature “Nyonya Steam Fish” which most wanted by the visitors here. Local fresh siakap, jenahak/snapper or garupa/grouper fish on weight of about 600-700grams commonly selected, home-steamed for about 15 minutes then served with their homemade sour sweet nyonya paste sauce and finally toppings of peanuts, onions shredded & celery leaves will brings the excellent fish’s freshness itself with appetising nyonya tasty sauce paste swallowed kind of eatery that you must have a try when reached Malacca.
Secondly will be their authentic peranakan “Ayam Pongteh”, also always among the nyonya delicacy eatery which wanted by the locals from the beginning. Local fresh chicken whole leg prepared in cutted pieces, home-cooked for about 20-25 minutes with their in-house seasonings mixture into onion, garlic, herbs, gula melaka, potato & mushroom, and finally served in tasty salted sweet with chicken’s juicy bites into mouth that you will never regret after tasted here.
Another will be their famous “Lemak Seafood Nyonya”, which also among their signature menu favourite by most of their customers recently. Seafood combination of fresh sea squids, siakap fish slices & sea ming prawns cooked with their homemade rich lemak salted sweet nyonya paste sauce into coconut milk (santan) & evaporated milk will brings the wonderful smooth with delicious creamy lemak seafood eatery that you will neither found the same elsewhere in town here.
Nonetheless, the owners also introduced their all time favourite recommended “Ulam Bendi” which like by all the visitors among the vege selections taken in peranakan recipes. Local fresh lady fingers boil-cooked, and served toppings with their homemade refreshing salted sweet fair spicy sambal paste will always the best matching here that you really cannot missed when stepped into this best recognised authentic Peranakan Nyonya Cuisine Eating House “Balaka Nyonya Restaurant” in the historical city of Malacca.
BALAKA NYONYA RESTAURANT
Address: No. 179,
Jalan Merdeka,
Taman Melaka Raya,
75000 Melaka.
Business Hours: 11:30am to 3:00pm
5:30pm to 9:30pm (Daily)
(Closed on Wednesday)