Holiday Foodsteps: Sungkai

Two rows of shop houses - that pretty much makes up the main part of this little town. After a day spent relaxing in the bubbly hot springs, we were hungry for the pork trotter that we had heard so much about. We decided to take a chance on the first shop that we spotted along the main street, a street that along with some restaurants, housed some old-fashioned sundry shops.


Tender and oh-so-flavourful, the pork trotter was everything we had hoped it would be and more. It tasted slightly herbal, like a milder and more subtle version of bak kut teh. We were apprehensive about ordering a whole trotter at first but by the end of the meal, my parents had made sure even the bits of cartilage (what they deemed were the best parts) were cleaned off.

Steamed fresh water prawns. Famous for being sweet, these did not disappoint. Steamed in Chinese wine and ginger, one could really taste the freshness of the prawns.

We found out that Sungkai is also pretty well known for its salt-baked chicken. However, luck was not on our side as we discovered that the shop serving the best chicken of that sort did not prepare any for the day. The next best thing? The salt-steamed chicken in Choy Kee. It had a wonderful aroma and the steaming really brought out the best of flavours. To think - just salt and some herbs, that's all it takes.

Other note-worthy dishes were the house-specialty tofu - a simple dish that surprised us, and the fried paku pakis shoots with belacan.

Sungkai is one of those little towns that appears to be a bit lost in time - quaint buildings, little magazine shops that smell of old paper, friendly shopkeepers and a laid-back vibe that seems to have seeped into everything. Like most towns of this sort, it also boasts good old-fashioned cooking - simple and hearty.