Stumbling Upon Bunga Raya Popiah
After grabbing lunch at Edward’s Urban Fish & Chips in Permas City, we were ready to head to Plentong when we spotted a food truck with a massive line in the middle of the atrium. Curious, I went closer and found out they were selling popiah. Bunga Raya Popiah. A name I’d never heard before.
Apparently, Bunga Raya Popiah is from Malacca. They used to be a food stand but are moving to a shop at 124, Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Kampung Jawa, Melaka. If you’re heading to Malacca, check out their new place!
Chasing the Food Truck Buzz
An auntie in the queue told me their popiah is unique because it has crispy pork lard in it. This food truck doesn’t have a fixed location, so people follow their Facebook page to track them down. Since we were lucky to catch them that day, we decided to join the queue.
One Simple Menu Item
They only have one item on the menu—you just have to specify if you want chilli or not.
Eating Popiah in a New Way
Their popiah is quite interesting—they don’t slice it up like usual. Instead, they wrap it in paper so you can hold it like a burrito or kebab. And let me tell you, it’s way bigger than your average popiah, and at RM7, you can see why.
The popiah skin reminded me of kueh dadar—soft and thin like a pancake. Inside, they had thick strips of dark-coloured jicama (not the usual thinly-shredded, light-coloured ones), cooked till soft. There were also bits of omelette, beansprouts, and the star of the show, crispy pork lard.
My first bite didn’t wow me. The filling was a tad too sweet, and the skin was on the softer side, making it a bit soggy and one-dimensional. But as I kept eating, I started to enjoy it more, especially those crunchy bits of pork lard. One popiah was like a full meal—it was pretty filling.
Final Thoughts
Comparing it to the regular local popiah, I still prefer the crunch and less sweetness of the local version. But I wouldn’t mind having Bunga Raya Popiah again if I stumble upon the food truck—it’s not something you come across every day. Definitely worth a try!