**[Update] After closing its original store in 2021 due to the pandemic, Capitol Satay has reopened at a new location at 30, Jalan KPKS 3, Kompleks Perniagaan Kota Syahbandar, Kota Syahbandar, 75200 Melaka. 

Founded in the 1960s, Capitol Satay is one of those places that you have to tick off the list while visiting Melaka. It’s extremely popular with out-of-townies, so there’s always a queue in front of the store – but we were lucky during our visit as we got seats after just 15 minutes.

What do they serve?

Despite the satay moniker, I think it’s more accurate to call it lok lok, ie hotpot. First, choose from a variety of meat, seafood and vegetables on skewers. Then, bring them to your table and dunk the skewers into an aromatic peanut-based sauce, kept bubbling at the middle of your table, until your food is cooked. Enjoy with bread and cucumber for dipping.

There is a dizzying selection at the chiller – sausages, meatballs, seafood tofu, beancurd sheets, oyster mushrooms, Taiwanese sausage, crabmeat sticks, pork, squid, chicken, lamb, etc.

As we ate, restaurant staff came over occasionally, to add more sauce or to stir the pot so that stuff didn’t stick to the bottom. The peanut sauce was fragrant, with a sweet and nutty flavour. I especially liked the bacon-wrapped enoki mushroom.

After awhile, though, everything started to taste the same, but N seemed to like it well enough. Our meal for two came up to about RM30++ which was reasonable since we only took about 20 skewers. If you’re dining in a large group, or if you’re a big eater, the portions might not be filling.

CAPITOL SATAY