Best Asam Pedas in Melaka

With a gargantuan signboard and teeming crowd, you’re more than pleased that this renowned restaurant is the spot to hit to charm your taste buds with an impeccable bowl of assam pedas. Staying true to the name, the tangy and spicy broth is served in a claypot, filled to the brim with okras and fish of your choice – either stingray, mackerel or kembong. The mound of white rice that tows along just begs to be bathed with the gravy that packs a punch, while the fish just flakes off the bone with the mildest of effort. Since it’s pretty affordable, no one is going to judge you if you clamour for the claypot to be refilled. 

Asam Pedas Selera Kampung has been a perennial favourite for a good breakfast and lunch fix. It’s quite hard to ignore the wide variety of meats, seafood and vegetables but the real deal has to be assam pedas. They set themselves apart from their competitors with a range of fish choices that delivers distinctive flavours to suit all sort of fish lovers out there. Aside from the variety, the appealing gravy offers a punch of heat too, in a good way. For budget onlookers, a serving of plain rice would do the job with this irresistible gravy. 

Don’t be deterred by the seedy setting of the restaurant as utterly delicious assam pedas is known to take centre stage. Service is said to be a little slow yet unwind yourself in the open dining space admiring the asterism above. And once the drool-inducing bowl arrives to the table, your taste buds is in for a savoury ride. The broth holds a fun interplay of sour and spicy notes, and the fish is fork-tender. And don’t be stingy, stuff your tummy with sides of fried squid, sambal and white rice, as you need not haggle for a better price. Say no more. 

Looking to perk up your tummy after a long day at work? Make your way to this unassuming food court. We can never deny that one person’s preference of food is never the same of another but over here, everyone walks in with the same wavelength – assam pedas! The crimson red gravy is generously loaded with okra, long beans, pineapple chunks and delicate piece of pomfret. The symphony of sweet and sour is spot-on, while the employment of pineapple offers a trace of sweetness. If you’re not in the mood for fish, opt slices of squid to be thrown into your broth. 

Another well-known restaurant that triumphs with servings of assam pedas that is second to none. During peak hours, the crowd does not seem to end, and adhering to the demand, the curries and gravies that are constantly refilled. For optimal gratification, do aim for the fish head, which floods between the bright gravy and assorted vegetables. If you like your assam pedas to be paired with other sides too, their deep-fried squid and fried fish are known to lift up the flavours. However, the dish that depletes the quickest has to be the assam pedas that certainly lives up to the fame. 

As per the name that translates as “pit stop for snacks”, this spacious restaurant has been magnetising over the locals and tourists alike with a sheer spread of colourful kuihs. Aside from the regular runners, one would notice bowls of lip-smacking assam pedas gracing up tables. To grab yourself one, lead your way to Pak Man Assam Pedas stall. The arresting combination of fresh fish with spicy and sour gravy will leave you wanting more, and the pocket-friendly price tag says a big yes! Cleanse your palate with a bowl of ice kacang if your tongue is brimming with a spicy aftertaste.