Filled with a warmth of welcome that makes customers forget they are in a unit transaction, Chef Melba's home in Ara Damansara serves as the setting for her supper clubs. Framed photographs of her children and grandchildren line the walls while every inch of her refrigerator is plastered with magnets, marking her travels near and far. It's a pleasure to be privy to such an intimate experience.

As she breaks out her fine china, we learn that even the servingware is suffused with history. "I've taken out my mother's dishes today!" she beams, holding up a pretty ceramic bowl with sculpted edges and a floral pattern.

See also: 2 Authentic Kristang Recipes At The Majestic Malacca

'Apple' and 'asparagus' are part and parcel of our learnt vocabulary, but can you correctly identify Southeast Asian ingredients such as 'keluak' and 'karing-karing'?

One of the highlights of our visit is being allowed to handle some of the chef's raw ingredients. Find out the dangerous secret behind buah keluak, a core ingredient in Kristang curries!

A product of intermarriage between Portuguese settlers and Malacca-based Malaysians, Kristang fare is becoming increasingly hard to access, what with migration and modernisation — all the more reason to make reservations for this rare experience!

Everything, from the spice blends to the stuffings, is prepared from scratch. "In my world, there is no such thing as going to the supermarket and buying pre-ground spices." Chef Melba remarks, "I don't take any shortcuts."

"A few of these dishes are my family's own inventions," says the chef, swelling with pride. "Which explains why you won't find them in any other Kristang home." Take, for instance, the incimintu karangezu or stuffed crabs—a crowd-pleaser if there ever was one. Some parents pass down heirlooms, but at the Victor household, children inherit recipes.

While most guests prefer the role of spectator, culinary curiosity spurs several on to participate in the evening's food prep. Try your hand at mincing garnishes or brave the sputtering wok while helping Chef Melba to stir one of her fiery sambals.

How To Book?

Contact Chef Melba directly at 012-402 0500 to pin down dates for a supper club experience. Reservations require a minimum number of 6 guests but participation is capped at 10-12 guests to ensure optimum enjoyment.