Sophian, a Singaporean, plans to contribute to Madeira’s vibrant culinary scene with “Makan Madeira,” an upcoming restaurant located on R. Imperatriz Dona Amélia. “Makan,” meaning “to eat,” is a term ubiquitous in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Friends and family often ask each other if they have eaten or “makan” as a term of endearment.
Sophian first relocated to Portugal during the pandemic and founded the ‘Southeast Asian Supper Club’ in Lisbon. He offered a range of dishes from street food to regional and royal specialities, particularly from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. The supper club’s mission was not only for diners to experience authentic Southeast Asian dishes but also to create awareness by sharing the stories behind each dish, how they were conceived, and the Portuguese culinary influences on Southeast Asian cuisine. This idea was inspired during his time in Australia, where he was amazed by how Southeast Asian dishes were presented authentically and appreciated by locals.
While in Lisbon, he organised pop-ups and participated in local markets with food stalls around Lisbon and the region. With his recent relocation to Madeira, he has partnered with Steve Selva to open “Makan Madeira,” possibly the first Singaporean restaurant in Portugal. Madeira was chosen due to its international community, including expats, the South African community who have long historic and culinary links to Southeast Asia through the Cape Malay community there, and locals who have lived, worked and travelled in Southeast Asia. People he met during his visits to Madeira encouraged him to set up a base on the island, believing it would be a great addition to the local culinary scene.
“The Portuguese have influenced our culinary traditions, yet many are unaware of this in Portugal. This is an exciting opportunity to present Singapore cuisine in this part of the world, to share our culinary story, and to illustrate how our food has evolved and interconnected through these influences,” says Sophian.
The restaurant will feature Singaporean classics and street favourites, as well as new dishes inspired by life on the island. There will be an introduction of pandan, Southeast Asia’s vanilla, into Madeirense favourites such as Poncha with pandan flavour, along with other Southeast Asian aromatics and dishes served with bolo do caco. The restaurant is expected to open in September, and in the meantime, pop-ups will be organized in Funchal for diners to preview a taste of Makan Madeira.
While the restaurant is undergoing renovation, pop-ups will be held in Funchal. The next pop-up will be soon, and I will post on the blog the details of this when I have it. Dishes will range from spring rolls to Epok-epok ayam (chicken curry empanadas), Nasi Lemak (rice infused with coconut milk and pandan, served with fried peanuts, fried anchovies, chicken, and egg), Bingka Ubi (cassava and coconut milk cake), Pisang Goreng (fried Madeirense banana with shredded coconut and sesame seeds), and pandan poncha. For queries, you may write to info@nakarmadeira.pt and follow their social media @MakanMadeira (Facebook and Instagram) for updates.
