New Malaysian Street Food Joint Serves Char Siew Mee, Curry Hor Fun & Butter Kopi In Cafe Setting

Singaporeans love Malaysian hawker food, judging from the throngs on the Causeway everytime there’s a public holiday. Before EatAlley, the exciting new food court featuring Kuala Lumpur’s long-time hawker brands, opens in June, here’s a new Malaysian-themed hawker joint to check out: two-week-old Da Ma Restoran. Located on the ground floor of Summerview Hotel at Bencoolen Street, the casual diner offers Malaysian street food like KL-style honey-glazed char siew, nasi lemak, and curry hor fun with roasted crispy pork, in a simple cafe-like setting.
The 38-seater is opened by homegrown company 13 Group, which is also behind The Forage Café and hipster bak kwa brand 1913 Gu Lang Yu.
Biz has been brisk
According to 13 Group’s PR rep, the idea for the concept was born from their CEO Javier Lau’s love for authentic Malaysian food. And he believes the venture will feed the appetite for affordable hawker food in the town area.
“A lot of Singaporeans say food in Malaysia tastes better and we want to show that this is not necessarily true. So we decided to bring the authentic taste of Malaysia to our shores and at the same time, ensure it is affordable so we can cater to the masses,” she tells 8days.sg.
“For just $6 to $8, you can enjoy a meal in air-con comfort.”
According to her, business has been brisk, especially at lunchtime. There are plans to expand the concept in other areas of Singapore.

The space
Taking over the space where The Forage Café used to be, Da Ma Restoran has been decorated with signs and posters to “transport you back to the Malaysian restaurants of the ’80s” with retro blue porcelain bowls and kopitiam-style cups to match.
There is even a metal pushcart, reminiscent of the ones hawkers used to push around to peddle their food. When it’s not too crowded, the staff will push the trolley around the restaurant, serving small bites and snacks like old-school butter cake, Swiss roll, and iced gem biscuits, a la dim sum joints.
The eatery operates like a no-frills restaurant. You place your orders on a chit before handing it over to the staff who will later serve them to you at your table.

The food
Da Ma Restoran offers a comprehensive menu featuring popular dishes from the various regions of Malaysia. The menu is categorised into eight “sub-brands”: Traditional Hai Nan Coffee, Roasts by Ah Zhong, Wei Kor Stir Fry, Bing Shu Noodle Stall, KL ABC Mamak Restoran, Lao You Handmade Dim Sum, Ah Bo Snacks and Penang Lucky Spring Pastry.
Though the eatery claims to house “eight different hawker stalls under one roof”, these aren’t actually hawker brands from Malaysia, but something the folks behind Da Ma Restoran developed themselves.
The offerings are curated and prepared by Malaysian chefs and hawkers with “more than 20 years of experience in their specialties”. Signatures include Hainan coffee, old-school butter cake and honey-glazed char siew, which is roasted on-site.

Rice and noodle dishes are priced from $7.80, while a la carte meat platters start from $10. Snacks and drinks are from $2.50 and $2 respectively.
While 8days.sg hasn’t popped by yet, here’s what you can expect from each of the eight “brands”: