满庭芳茶餐室 Kedai Makan Man Ting Fong

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Highly Recommended)

Address: Lot 8098, Jalan Kelapa Sawit 6, Kampung Sri Paya, 81000 Kulai, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vdTM3nJLiVgLCqDw6
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

菜粄 Hakka Cai Ban:
Mangguang Flavour = RM1.50 Each
Jiu Cai (Chives) = RM1.50 Each
Suan Cai (Salted Veggies) = RM1.50 Each

Fried YTF = RM2.50 Each
Tofu + Brinjal

擂茶 Leicha (No Rice) = RM8.00

No Service Charges

There are No Menu Available at this Eatery/Restaurant.



Compared to 火山擂茶 26 Volcano Lei Cha Coffee House that I reviewed previously, this was a Very Big Place. Not Air-conditioned but Cooling and Airy when I reached there in the Morning. The Whole Place has the Vibe of a Tze Char Restaurant but is actually focused on Hakka Leicha and Foods.




The Reason why its so Big is because its really made up of 2 Sections. The Main Section is where you order Leicha and Fried YTF Stuffs, while the back is a Hakka Cai Ban making area where you can see a few of the Ladies there adorably making the Cai Bans. 

Run by a Very Friendly and Welcoming Lady Boss, I can see quite a few customers dining in even on a Weekday Morning. Seems quite popular among the Locals.

How to Order:

1) Because the Cai Ban is at a Separate Section, go up to the Ladies who are making Cai Ban and let them know what you want. No Minimum Order, they allow to order 1 Flavour of each.

Managed by a 2nd Lady Boss, she was also Very Friendly and Welcoming and was patiently explaining each Flavour they have.

2) As for the Leicha, go up to the Main Glass Panel section and you can choose and order from there.

3) Once you've made your orders, just go back to your seat and they will be served up to you directly. Everything was served up in 3 Mins for me that day. Pay after the Meal. Do note that Cash/Wireless Payments only, No Debit/Credit Cards.



客家菜粄 Hakka Cai Ban

Hakka Cai Ban is a Classic Hakka Dish that is not easily found in Singapore. Not my first time eating this as I had it before in JB. Visually it looks like a Sng Kueh but its not because the Dough is Different. The Cai Ban Dough at this place has a Very Stretchy Sticky Texture almost like a Japanese Mochi. Thick and Oily.

Mangguang Flavour = RM1.50 Each

As you bite into this, you will immediately get a Strong Hit of White Pepperiness.
This is also one of the things that differentiates a Cai Ban from a Sng Kueh. 

The Amount of Mangguang given feels Acceptable. Texture is Soft, Tender and it gives a Juicy Sweetish Shot but this Pepperiness also never goes away. I personally find the amount of White Pepper abit Overbearing for this one.


Jiu Cai (Chives) = RM1.50 Each

I'm personally not a Fan of Chives myself. Having said that, I liked the Saltish Garlicky Taste of Suan Cai that this has instead of just 100% Jiu Cai Taste. I thought its quite clever to make use of this Saltishness to hit away the "Jiu Cai-ness". But that said, the Amount of Suan Cai-Ness in this one felt abit of 重口味 and Jelak for me.

Suan Cai (Salted Veggies) = RM1.50 Each

Basically the same Suan Cai Flavour that can also be found in their Jiu Cai, but this time there are Some Tofu Pieces added. I thought this was another Clever Way to Dampen and Soften the Blow of the Suan Cai to lessen the Jelakness I felt. Among the 3 Cai Bans, I feel I like this one the most. Cai ban really is about the Mochi Skin for this Restoran.

Fried YTF = RM2.50 Each
Tofu + Brinjal

Fried YTF (Tofu)

I like the Freshly Fried Crisp Skin on this. Tofu Meat within doesn't taste Raw with a Tad Firmish Bite.
I liked the Minced Pork which injected a Saltish Meaty Savouriness that is also Not Overly Porky. Not Bad Tasting although I thought its a Tad Oily.

Fried YTF (Brinjal)

OMG as soon as I bite into this, the whole thing just collapsed and Melted in my Mouth. This contrasted so sharply from the Firm Tofu. The immediate taste I got was a Solid Meaty Flavour and suddenly the Whole Brinjal was gone so fast! Hahaha this was So Good, I wish I ordered another few more Pieces of this!


擂茶 Leicha (No Rice) = RM8.00

Quality of the Leicha Broth

When compared to Volcano Leicha, I felt this was Much Less Saltier although also has a Less Savoury Taste. Once again, I'm truly surprised that Authentic Hakka Leicha in an Actual Hakka Village is actually Not Herbaceous at all.

I would describe the Broth here as Milky? Yet its also not Milky. Light to Drink and Not at all Gritty. Really Smooth to drink. You know you're drinking some Herbly Green Soup but because its Not Herbaceous, it never overwhelmed me.

Instead the Feeling I felt after drinking was Refreshing! This Broth felt like a "Fresh Herbal Rinse" which is such a Strange but Apt Way that I've ever described a Lei Cha Broth.

As for the Main Rice Bowl, it consists of the Regular Mix of Veggies that you'd expect from a Standard Lei Cha. The First Thing I detected though was a Noticeable Presence of Haebee. Noticeably Wetter in Texture the Rice Bowl had a Softer Bitefeel and I liked the Appetizing Mix of Savoury Saltiness with this Presence of Haebee. I personally feel that this is made at a Higher Level than Volcano.

Mixing the Leicha Broth however mutes both the Saltish Savoury Element + the Haebee in this Bowl almost immediately. Because the Broth itself is Not Herbaceous, it makes the Mix now taste like a Veggie Stew.

Protip: Because of how this Leicha is made, I would recommend 3 Different Ways to eat this.

1) Drink the Broth by itself alone. This will enable you to Savour the Light and Refreshing Taste of the Herbs within and appreciate how Light and Non-Herbaceous it is.

2) Eat the Main Ingredients Bowl by itself WITHOUT adding the Broth. This will allow you to enjoy the Savouriness and Haebee Presence within.

3) Only Once you've savoured enough of the Above 2 Methods, proceed to add in the Broth to enjoy a Veggie Stew version of this Dish.

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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM1.50 (S$0.50) for Each Hakka Caiban, I thought it was an Affordable Price. I appreciate that they were Handmade. In fact you can literally see the Ladies making them right before your Eyes.

I also enjoyed the Super Soft Mochi Like Texture which I feel is the Signature of this Cai Ban. That said, I feel the Cai Bans Fillings here tend to be more on the 重口味. Quite Jelaky for me. Among the 3, I personally prefer the Suan Cai more because its the Least Jelaky of the 3 actually.

At the Price of RM2.50 (S$0.90) each for the Fried YTF, I thought they were Very Decent Tasting. Highly Recommend the Brinjal one because it was literally Melt in Mouth Good.

It was so Melty that the Thing practically disappeared even before I could fully appreciate the Flavour!

At the Price of RM8.00 (S$2.60) for this Leicha (Without Rice), is definitely affordable. This may be the Best Leicha Broth I've ever tasted because it is the First Leicha Broth that is Not Only Non-Herbaceous, but is also the First to provide me with a "Refreshing Herbal Rinse" if it makes any sense.

That Haebee Flavour I tasted in the Ingredients Bowl was also another standout because I've never tasted Haebee before in other Leichas. This made the Dish very Savoury and Delicious.

Everything was done Very Nicely in this Dish and the Fact that you can eat this 3 Different Ways impressed me very much, I would consider this a Leicha Masterpiece. No wonder this Place is Famous for its Leicha.

Now that I've eaten 2 Authentic Hakka Leichas from an Actual Hakka Village, (the other one being 火山擂茶 26 Volcano Lei Cha Coffee House) I can confirm that Authentic Leicha Broth isn't meant to be Overly Herbaceous. I appreciate the Layered Depth of it despite how Non-Herbaceous it is.

Just simply spamming Herbs is not True Leicha so to speak. This trip to Kulai Kelapa Sawit truly opened my eyes to what True Authentic Hakka Leicha is.

As for this Restaurant, I have absolutely no issues with the Pricing, Quality and Customer Service. The Lady Bosses here were so Friendly and Welcoming that made me feel Completely Happy eating here.

If you are looking to try an Authentic Traditional Hakka Leicha, I can definitely recommend this place to give it a try. Even the Locals seems to like this place very much from the Amount of Customers that I see even on a Weekday Morning. Highly Recommended!