Big Baba at Happy Mansion, Seksyen 17, PJ - Nyonya food (pork free)

During my recent visit, I had the opportunity to dine at Big Baba. My purpose for being in the vicinity was due to some unforeseen car issues, as the nearest workshop happened to be located in Seksyen 17. Taking advantage of the circumstance, I decided to indulge in a meal at Big Baba while waiting for my car to be repaired, a process that would consume approximately 5 hours. Initially, I had some reservations about dining at this Nyonya restaurant, assuming that their menu was designed to cater to larger groups of diners (2 pax and more). However, I soon discovered that my assumption was wrong. I do not know about dinner time but for lunch, on weekdays, Big Baba does offers lunch sets tailored for solo diners.

To some of you, Big Baba may be a familiar name. This is because they have been around for quite a while. Their first outlet in Taman Desa is almost a decade old and is known in the area for the tasty Nyonya food they offer. Their second outlet was the one I visited this time. It is 7 months old and is located on the Ground floor of Block A, Happy Mansion. Depending on what you like, you may fancy one from the other as they differ interior-wise with the older branch exuding a classic Peranakan charm and the newer one adopting a more modern approach. Nevertheless, both offer a good dining experience.

Curry Kapitan Set, RM 16.90

This dish was good, I enjoyed the Kapitan Chicken. It resembled a thicker version of Chicken Rendang, which I’ve always been a fan off. There were four pieces of chicken, tender and chewy the meat way, perfect to eat with rice. The only downside to the Kapitan Chicken was that there was little gravy, insufficient to generously coat a single portion of rice. I do hope they will provide a more generous amount. Besides Kapitan Chicken and rice, the dish also included a side of salad and an egg.

Asam Pedas Set, RM 18.90

The Asam Pedas flavor was good. It was served in a claypot and had a thickened gravy texture with a pleasant sour and spicy taste. There was also a large piece of Tenggiri fish, large enough to last the whole dish. I generally feel that Asam Pedas is best enjoyed when eaten with Ikan Pari but Tenggiri will do lah. Besides the Asam Pedas fish, this set also included rice, salad and an egg.

Both dishes were tasty but between the Kapitan and Asam Pedas, I liked the Kapitan better.

Sago Gula Melaka, RM 6.50

Oooo this was delicious. Soft gooey sago served on a bed of thick coconut milk. Gula Melaka syrup was provided separately. Thanks to that, I was able to control the level of sweetness I desired. Yum!

Overall, I had a good experience here. Would I head back here? I’d return to Big Baba but not this outlet. Why? I particularly appreciated the traditional and nostalgic ambiance of their Taman Desa location, as well as the inclusion of local favorites such as Mee Siam and Curry Mee. Unfortunately, these specific menu items are not offered at their Seksyen 17 outlet.