[Malacca] Rumah Kechik in Malacca, recently highlighted as part of a conservation and adaptive reuse project, is celebrated for integrating three 200-year-old shophouses into a modern hotel extension.
This “Small House” combines historic architecture with contemporary needs, housing a restaurant, function rooms, and a gym.
It embodies a design philosophy that respects its heritage while adapting to current uses, creating a dining and cultural experience in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Malacca.
By restoring and conserving these deteriorated shophouses, the ground floor has been repurposed to house a new hotel restaurant, while the upper floor serves as hotel facilities.
Upon entering the central shophouse, you will find that the ceiling on the ground floor has been removed to reveal a taller space with a black spiral staircase leading to the upper floor.
Designed by Kaizen Architecture, Rumah Kechik draws inspiration from the concept of a “house”, incorporating domestic spaces such as the living room, dining room, and kitchen.
The interior seamlessly blends the rich heritage of Peranakan culture with contemporary design elements, featuring Peranakan tiles, terracotta breeze blocks, pebble wash, and locally sourced and crafted timber.
The menu at Rumah Kechik offers a mix of local traditional Peranakan and international fusion flavours, with a Breakfast menu available until 11 am, a Lunch menu starting at 12 pm, and an all-day Drinks and Desserts menu.
Their Lunch menu is more comprehensive, featuring dishes like pasta (RM 26-28, SGD 7.50-8), Mi Siam (RM 24, SGD 6.90), Faux-nya Laksa (RM 26, SGD 7.50), ‘Ye not so old’ Fish and Chips (RM 26, SGD 7.50), and Kaaaaaaarage~ (RM 18, SGD 7.50).
The Faux-nya Laksa, more refined than its local kopitiam counterparts, includes egg noodles, grilled prawns, raw pea sprouts, tau pok, and a gooey 62-degree Celsius egg.
Instead of serving everything in a bowl, the laksa soup is served separately from the noodles and ingredients, allowing diners to choose the amount of soup they want to add.
The coconut milk used is fragrant, enhancing the dish’s appeal, though I wished the laksa had a stronger spicy punch.
I preferred the Shakshu-huh (RM26, SGD 7.50), served in a hot pan with tomato, roasted eggplant, fried chili oil eggs, charred artichokes, and flatbread for dipping.
The tomato is tangy and refreshing, complementing the spiciness from the fried chili oil eggs, making it a hearty combination.
A selection of Espresso-based drinks (RM 8-13, SGD 2.30-3.7), Matcha (RM 8-16, 2.30-4.60), and Hojicha (RM 8-14, 2.30-4) are also available.
My cup of Latte (RM 12, SGD 3.40) was medium-bodied with a chocolatey and nutty taste.
The Iced Strawberry Matcha (RM 16, SGD 4.60) was a refreshing treat on a hot day in Malacca, robust, earthy, and not overly sweet.
Rumah Kechik fuses traditional dishes with modern cooking techniques, transforming a deteriorated shophouse into a modern cafe and giving it new life.
Rumah Kechik | Small House
133, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Taman Kota Laksamana, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 1pm (Mon), 7:30am – 4pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Tues
Google Maps – Rumah Kechik
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Something Bakery (Kampung Bukit China, Malacca)
* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
