Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Say what you want about the whole “hidden gem” debacle, I’m here to argue that Ah Mah’s Legacy is literally running under the radar — tucked away in Basement 3 of the tiny Thomson V Two, most people probably wouldn’t stumble upon this kueh shop by accident, as you’d have to put in conscious effort to find it.
Ah Mah’s Legacy was founded by Shiny Phua, a young entrepreneur who sells handmade Teochew kueh using her late grandmother’s recipes. The business has quickly gained sunstantial popularity in the media over the years for its delicious traditional ang ku kueh and muah chee in both classic and modern flavours.
I paid a visit to the store on a Sunday afternoon and was greeted by a small, cosy space.
What I tried at Ah Mah’s Legacy
I had initially really been looking forward to trying the Pure Pistachio Gu Kueh (S$6), but since it was sold out, I resorted to getting the similarly green-coloured Salted Mung Bean Gu Kueh. At S$4 a piece, this was certainly one of the priciest ang ku kuehs I’ve ever encountered.
I’m not usually a big fan of mung bean, but I was very surprised by this version— the filling had a unique savoury flavour, and I could taste some kind of spice that I couldn’t really identify, but it reminded me a bit of curry.
This was completely different from the usual salted mung bean ang ku kuehs I’ve had in the past, and I found myself going back for more. Suffice to say, I was pretty impressed.
As a die-hard black sesame lover, I was elated that the Crunchy Goma Almond Gu Kueh (S$4.50 per piece) was still in stock. Unlike other brands that simply fill their ang ku kuehs with black sesame paste, Ah Mah’s Legacy incorporated crushed almonds into the mix too, giving the whole kueh some extra crunch.
This was undoubtedly the best black sesame ang ku kueh I’d ever had. The fillings were delightfully crunchy and the nuttiness of the black sesame shone through. There was an adequate amount of sweetness to further enhance its flavours, too.
Next up, the Taro Milk Gu Kueh came in at S$4 a piece.
The fillings were smooth and silky with a nice, natural taro flavour. The mild sweetness of the milky taro paste was delightful, though I felt that S$4 was a bit too steep, given that it tasted comparable to other more affordable ang ku kueh shops.
Finally, the Coconut Gula Melaka Gu Kueh (S$4.20 per piece) was another masterfully crafted kueh, generously packed with sweet shredded coconut. The gula melaka flavour came through pretty nicely and the kueh as a whole wasn’t overly sweet.
Unlike most other shops that just sell peanut-coated muah chee, Ah Mah’s Legacy is a little more experimental, with the Salty Pistachio Shallot Oil Muah Chee (S$9.50) being a unique flavour to try.
Straight away, I was a little turned off by the hefty price— S$9.50 for a palm-sized portion of muah chee hardly seemed reasonable.
In terms of quality, though, this muah chee definitely stood out from all the others I’ve had. Each cube was generously coated in crushed pistachio and shallots, with an underlying savouriness from the shallot oil. Despite that, I still found it to be pretty exorbitantly priced.
For something a bit less pricey, the Goma Almond Shallot Oil Muah Chee (S$6.50) is an alternative. Like the former, the flavours of this muah chee were exceptional. I loved how the sweet, salty and savoury elements all came together, with the shallot oil providing an extra dimension of oomph.
Final thoughts
The quality of the food at Ah Mah’s Legacy certainly can’t be contested— each item that I tried had clearly been made lovingly with the best ingredients. However, the food is easily 3 times more expensive than most other shops.
Still, Ah Mah’s Legacy is definitely worth trying at least once, especially the Salted Mung Bean and Crunchy Goma Almond Gu Kuehs. After all, it is very commendable seeing young people keeping their grandparents’ recipes alive. I’m sure Ah Mah’s Legacy will definitely continue to thrive on!
Expected damage: per pax
