Kelaté – Authentic Kelantan Cuisine Hidden Away In The Toa Payoh Heartlands

Before today, I’ve never heard of Kelantan cuisine and couldn’t fathom the difference between laksa and laksam (sue me). But ever since I saw news articles about Kelaté, I made up my mind to make a trip down to Toa Payoh because the the pictures were so enticing. I was excited to see what the young hawker stall has to offer. 

For the uninitiated like myself, Kelantan food is influenced by Thai cuisine. Both  cuisines use similar ingredients such as coconut milk and seafood, and have similar taste profiles. The stall is opened by Malaysian actress Sasqia Dahuri, who wanted to share her favourite comfort foods from her hometown. She’s using recipes passed down from her mother. 

Kelaté’s usual opening hours used to be in the morning but in consideration of the fasting period during Ramadan, they have adjusted their hours to begin at 3pm and close up shop at 9.30pm. Don’t be misled by the many shuttered stalls in the dark hawker centre; after navigating your way through, you’ll be able to spot the bright lights of Kelaté. 

Coming out on top in terms of aesthetics and taste was the Mee Celup ($4.90 for S, $6.90 for M, $7.90 for L). Emitting a wonderful fragrance, the hearty soup dish was filled right to the brim with noodles, beef, crushed peanuts, chilli flakes and fried garlic. 

Customers can choose between kway teow and yellow noodles and since I was a total newbie at this, I got a little help from the staff and went with her recommendation of kway teow noods. No regrets; the soft, slippery noodles allowed the flavours of the soup to shine through while giving me enough of a carb fix. 

The chicken and beef broth was clear, yet rich with sweet, tangy and slightly spicy notes. It might seem like there was a lot going on, especially when the rest of the ingredients came into play, but they managed to form a delicious harmony. 

The meat in the dish was described as sliced beef but for me, it was more like chunks than slices. While the chunks were a tad tough, they had soaked up the flavours from the broth and were full of beefiness without being too overpowering. 

I was very intrigued by the Laksam ($4.90 for S, $6.90 for M, $7.90 for L) as it was my first time seeing this curious pale grey broth. But man, was the aroma heavenly! The fish-based, coconut milk-perfumed gravy was indulgent and addictive at the same time. For a spicy kick, I tossed in the chilli they gave on the side as well. 

The rice noodle rolls added an aesthetically pleasing look to the dish. After it was unfurled, I found that it was cut a bit too thick for my liking. I definitely prefer the kway teow in the Mee Celup. 

Served as a snack on the side was the Colek Malah ($4 for 3 pieces, $7 for 6 pieces) — fried vegetable fritters. This was Kelate’s answer to fried prawn fritters and came with a side of sambal chilli. It was nice and crisp on the outside without being too oily, with the insides falling on the doughy side. 

While the food didn’t fall short, the service was at almost a standstill the day I went down. I reckon it was chalked up to the new opening hours which sent operations into a tizzy, resulting in a lack of manpower and a lot of miscommunication. Grab orders were trickling in even when the stall was barely ready which left the flustered staff-of-one dealing with orders and testy Grab riders. 

I only got my meal after an hour from the stated opening time (and in takeaway packages so I had to assemble them myself for my photos). Hopefully, operations will run more smoothly from now onwards.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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