Food Quality: 7/10
Value for Money: 8.5/10
Service: 8/10
It was my dad who first discovered this cosy Perankan Nyonya cafe at Telok Blangah void deck. He said his colleagues who loved Malay and Nyonya food introduced it to him and is very authentic, and apparently, there is always a very long queue for Makko Teck Neo pineapple tarts during Chinese New Year!
Makko Teck Neo is a cosy cafe that attempts to re-enact the old Singapore coffee-shop feel, but with aircon. It uses the old school marble-like-table-top and brown bamboo-like chairs. There is indoor and outdoor sitting and usually isn’t too crowded.
Overall for the food, I am not sure if it is because it is Nyonya style, but everything is kind of sweet. So if you like more savoury dishes, probably not your kind of food style. To be fair, I think they are known for pineapple tarts, traditional kuehs and rice dumplings which I see a lot of people buying so you might want to try those on top of the dishes, and let me know if they are any good!
The shop is ran by a couple and their son. The son looks EXACTLY like the DAD – check out the 2 shots below. First is a newspaper article featuring husband and wife, and second is the son and mother. Literally chip off the old block. Anyway, their service is cordial, and they were obliging enough to let us take a shot! Food is usually served quickly too.
Food wise, 1) Dry Mee Siam – Nyonya spicy rice vermicelli, with a little spicy coconut gravy (7/10)
This dish is special as Dry Mee Siam is very rate in Singapore, but I personally find it too sweet. It’s nice for me for 3 mouthfuls then it becomes a little overbearing. If you are into more sour-asam based Mee Siam, this will not be your cup of tea, but suggest to try once for its interesting dry texture on Mee Siam.
Nasi Lemak – Fragrant coconut rice with omelette (fried with onions and peas), ikan bilis, fried chicken wing and sweet sambal chilli (7.5/10)
The egg omelette makes this dish special compared to regular Nasi Lemak. It’s fried with onion and peas which make the egg sweet (I did say sweet is consistent in all the dishes). The chilli is also sweet. I find the rice fragrant and well-cooked without being overly oily. My favourite dish in this cafe!
Pork Chop – Sweet Onion sauce with potatoes, served with rice and vegetables.
My second favourite dish. I though the breaded pork chop was tender despite being fried, and this was one dish where the sweetness tastes like it really fits the dish.
Overall, if you like Malay and/or Nyonya food, good for first try. And little tip from my dad which I now think is very true, at Malay/Nyonya food places, always order the tea rather than coffee. Tea tends to be good and fragrant, which is true for this store.
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Address:
Block 35 Telok Blangah Rise #01-303
Singapore, Singapore 090035
Opening Hours: Tue – Sun: 7:30 am – 8:00 pm