When Lim Wei Ling moved back to her southern home state of Malacca after seven stressful years in Kuala Lumpur’s banking sector, she wanted to spend her time in a place that cultivated a sense of comfort and contentment. Together with her sister, Wei Fung, she opened a café called Locahouz on a serene street near one of Malaysia’s oldest Chinese temples.
Locahouz is decorated with deeply personal flourishes that hark back to the sisters’ shared history. Their late grandfather’s 80-year-old bicycle, which he took them riding on for dim sum, rests by the wall. Their mother’s sewing machine sits nearby, accompanied by the Lim clan’s rotary phone, tableware and other cherished heirlooms.
Locahouz illustrates the inimitable charm of a new breed of restaurants and cafés in Malacca, which boasts a rich history dating to the 1400s, when it became a strategic port that remained a crucial province throughout centuries of Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial rule.
“I love Malacca, and I love running this café,” Wei Ling says, serving a steaming-hot cup of black coffee, prepared in the homemade fashion that her mother taught her. “Whenever my cousins return to visit Malacca, they spend their time here too.”
At Locahouz, the sisters serve traditional local favourites like loh mai kai (steamed sticky rice with chicken and mushrooms) and international fare such as ciabatta sandwiches in a setting lined with striking compositions by Malaysian painters.
This spotlight on Locahouz is an excerpt of a feature on six of Malacca's soulful new cafes; read the full feature in the August 2015 issue of Going Places, Malaysia Airlines' in-flight magazine.
Locahouz, 53, Jalan Tokong, Melaka
The Eat Drink KL mobile app is now available, connecting restaurants & customers to promote a positive spirit of community.
Every restaurant on this app rewards users with a 6 percent discount, instantly & conveniently, everyday, all day long.
In return, users share photos of their experiences at these eateries, creating a new community of restaurant lovers.
For every transaction, at least RM0.20 will be channelled to a charity of the month.
Stay up to date: The Eat Drink KL newsletter is sent by email to subscribers every Monday; it's the Klang Valley's foremost weekly round-up of new restaurant openings, F&B promotions & other tasty tidbits.
Subscribe to Eat Drink KL Weekly for free via this following link:
Note to subscribers on Gmail: The newsletter will be in the Promotions folder of your inbox.
Check out the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favourites, with 100 recommended restaurants for May-August 2015. This eBook is available to read or download at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.cld.bz/2015
Buckle your seatbelts: Eat Drink KL is partnering with Uber to take restaurant lovers on new adventures across KL & Selangor!
If you haven't used Uber yet, it's time to begin! For new users, just follow the steps below to redeem free rides:
1. Download the Uber app from the App Store, Play Store or Windows Store - and register your Uber account.
2. Apply the code EATDRINKKL as your first promotional code & you'll receive 2 Free Rides worth RM30 each.
3. Request a ride through the app and ride for free to any destination (with two ride values of up to RM30 each).
