Today, let us uncover this popular Lei Cha also known as Hakka Tea rice from Ke Ren Lai 客人來 客家小廚 in Johor Bahru.

During the early days, this kind of dish was said to be a combination of tea leaves, peanuts, sesame seeds, and mint. All were said to be pounded with a wooden stick and mix it under boiling water by the Hakka community during the Han Dynasty. Accordingly, Hakka Tea rice was said to be popular among the Hakka community in Taiwan.

With my ongoing #JomtaraletsSupportLocal campaign stories, today's food destination is at Ke Ren Lai 客人来 － 家传菜. This restaurant served Hakka Cuisines. Jom with me as we uncover the food wonders in this place.

THE FOOD

We ordered Hakka Lei Cha Rice, Soy Sauce Pork Belly Rice, Dry Hakka Minced Meat Noodles, Ginseng & Crysanthemum Tea, Sugarcane Drinks and Longan with Sea Coconut.

Overall, the food was remarkable. This café is known for its Hakka Lei Cha Rice and it didn’t disappoint us. The combination of all those nuts, grains, beans, and their vegetarian green soup was one of a kind in terms of taste. I found it very tasty on my palate. It is not salty and the veggie aftertaste was there. It was an extraordinary vegetarian meal.

Accordingly, the unique fragrance of lei cha is a combination of the refreshing scents of tea leaves and fresh herbs coupled with a rich aroma of nuts. 

This meal is said to be rich in nutrients and fibers. This dish was once popular in a common saying of “ 3 bowls of lei cha a day, can keep you energized for the day”.

I wasn’t disappointed with their Soy Sauce Pork Belly Rice. I found it good in my palate in terms of salt content. The texture of the meat mixed with their soft white rice was really a blast in my mouth. 

The combination of all that savory flavor was really blending well on their soft and tender meat. It was just a powerful meal and I enjoyed every bite of this set. It was simply irresistible. The taste was sensational.

The Dry Hakka Meat Noodle was very springy. The aromatic oil mixed in the noodle was giving a great taste to the set. The noodle was not overcooked and it blends well with their savory minced meat. I would say the chef did a great combination to this type of meal.

If you like taking spicy delicacies, they also added in this package their own version of shrimp dried chili paste which was really outstanding in terms of the spicy level. It was such a great experience to add to my meal. The taste is phenomenal especially when mixing it with their Soy Sauce Pork Belly Rice-- it is really hot.

Meanwhile, the drinks we ordered were a good finisher. The veggie taste of the Hakka Lei Cha Rice was a good combination to be finished with their longan with sea coconut drinks. It was really refreshing in my tastebuds.

The Ginseng and Crysanthemum Tea as well as the sugar cane drink were awesome too. The sweetness was controlled. It was such a great drink, especially on a hot afternoon.

Overall, I would say that my food experience to this meal was outstanding which give me the reason to rate them with 10 out of 10. I think it is highly recommendable.

DISCLAIMER:

Reviewed food was based on the date the food was ordered. Reviews given were based on honest feedback. The featured restaurant may also have better menus which may even better according to your preferences.

For dine-in and other transactions amid to the SOPs due to MCO status of Johor, please seek updates from their Restaurant Management for further assistance.