Eat, Sleep, Repeat.
Dates of visit: 25 - 27 December 2014
This was a totally random and impromptu visit to Malacca over the Christmas holidays. I had the luxury of getting my Annual Leave approved last minute and off we went! We only booked the bus and hostel within the week we were supposed to go.
Being Christmas holidays, we wanted to get out of the country, but didn't want to spend too much (have you seen how crazy expensive the airfares and hotels are!??). Decided on Malacca, just a 3-4 hour bus ride from Singapore, has really good food and decent places to stay and keep us entertained.
We ate so excessively on this trip that I couldn't button my skirt when I got back to work! So, this is what we ate!
(Note: I'm just gonna start clearing my backlog of posts that I'm supposed to write, but got too lazy..)
Street Food
Along Jonker street during the weekends, the Pasar Malam (Night Market) comes to life. The street usually closes around late afternoon and vendors set up stalls selling all sorts of things. From toys, to clothes, to street snacks!
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Kueh Kuehs
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| Kueh Kueh |
We chanced upon this stall selling all sorts of Nonya Kuehs. Of course I had to buy my all time favourite Lapis Sagu! My family affectionally calls it 'Colourful Kueh', due to it's many colours! It's my childhood favourite, with Bangawan Solo selling the best Lapis Sagu and Pandan Cake ever!
Quail's Eggs
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| Quail's Eggs |
As we walked along the street, we bought this skewer of quail eggs (cholesterol alert!!). Vendors crack the eggs into small pastry iron caste things and it's just fried like that. Once cooked, vendors season the eggs with pepper, salt and BBQ sauce! Super yummy, but I think our heart and arteries could only manage a skewer each.
Lok Lok
Nonya Food - Nancy's Kitchen
Malacca is known for their rich Peranakan culture, architecture and of course, the Peranakan food. Nonya women pride themselves in cooking the best dishes for their families, and such savoury and flavourful dishes needs to be shared with the world!
So we scouted TripAdvisor and food blogs for the best Nonya restaurant that serves pork. We had two options but Nancy's Kitchen was the only one still opened at the hour that we went. Do expect looooong queues as everyone who flock to Malacca wants to have a taste of traditional Peranakan cuisine. Happy me just waited patiently in line for our turn.Since the restaurant was packed, the wait staff asked us if we mind sharing tables. Of course not! I was famished and wanted food!
Seriously, who doesn't like crunchy Kueh Pie Tee!
I'm not a fan of laksa or spicy foods, but G is an avid Laksa lover. It's very different from Singapore's laksa as it's more sour, but not as sour as Asam Laksa.
How can I even NOT order Babi Buah Keluak! It's traditionally cooked with Chicken (Ayam) but I was craving for Pork (Babi). The Keluak nut has a hard exterior shell. The insides are dug out, pounded with spices, stuffed back in and boiled with the meat and spices till the gravy thickens. At Nancy's Kitchen, they will ask you how many nuts you would like to order (at an additional cost of course). I wanted to order like two or three, but dearest G quickly replied, "ONE!". *inserts exasperated emoticon* The gravy is so flavourful, I wanted to drink it all up!
My Grandmother is half Peranakan and very often she'll cook Chap Cai for the whole family to eat. Honestly, even though Nancy's Kitchen's food and Buah Keluah is fantastic and so delicious, my Grandma's Chap Cai is still the best.
Bah Kee - Restoran Kok Keong
(板底街芋饭肉羹汤 - Bottom street yam rice pork meat soup)
Address: 11 Jalan Kampung Pantai, 75200 Malacca, Malaysia
Opening hours: 730am-2pm and 6pm until the bak kee runs out (usually by 9pm). Closed Wednesdays.
We were walking past this coffee shop the day before and the smell of the herbal soup just whiffed through the air and made my stomach rumble. This is located just next to our hostel so on the second day we went for some Bah Kee! Bah Kee is similar to Bah Kut Teh, just that there's offals, tofu and other pork innards in the soup.
Even at 9am, the coffee shop is almost full. You have the option of choosing what you want in your soup, or you can just ask the very nice Uncle to just do a random mix for you. I opted not to have pork lard or skin and to have more intestines (my favourite).
My bowl consisted of intestines, shio bah, offals, tofu, and slices of meat. You can also have the option of having plain steamed rice or yam rice. Of course we got the yam rice. The rice itself is so flavourful and you can just eat it on its own! If you're there, please order a cup of coffee too! It's just divine.
Famosa Chicken Rice Balls
Location:
This is one of Malacca's iconic dishes, but, not the best. Famosa's chicken rice balls' popularity have traveled far and wide across the region. Although it may be unique, it's not the best chicken rice I've had.
Lok Lok
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| Lok Lok |
Lok lok-Malaysian style is the best! Lok lok in Singapore are usually cooked in a broth or gravy, which I don't really like. Food items like fishball or vegetables are fine cooked in broth or gravy, but Pork Intestines tastes nicer when grilled or deep fried. This lok lok van/stall may not look like the most hygienic place to have a meal, but if you cook your food thoroughly, you shouldn't have any issues. We came back twice! This can be located near the end(or start, depending on which direction you're coming from) of Jonker Street!
Cendol
Traditional Nonya dessert made from coconut milk, green starched jellies/noodles flavoured with pandan, gula melaka (brown sugar syrup) and topped with crushed ice. Depending from stall to stall, grass jelly, sweet corn and red beans might also be added into the bowl for a sweet dessert!
Coconut
Cendol
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| Cendol |
Coconut
Nonya Food - Nancy's Kitchen
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| Nancy's Kitchen |
Address: 7 Jalan Hang Lekir, Off Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
Tel: +60 6-283 6099
Malacca is known for their rich Peranakan culture, architecture and of course, the Peranakan food. Nonya women pride themselves in cooking the best dishes for their families, and such savoury and flavourful dishes needs to be shared with the world!
 |
| Happy Me! |
So we scouted TripAdvisor and food blogs for the best Nonya restaurant that serves pork. We had two options but Nancy's Kitchen was the only one still opened at the hour that we went. Do expect looooong queues as everyone who flock to Malacca wants to have a taste of traditional Peranakan cuisine. Happy me just waited patiently in line for our turn.Since the restaurant was packed, the wait staff asked us if we mind sharing tables. Of course not! I was famished and wanted food!
Seriously, who doesn't like crunchy Kueh Pie Tee!
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| Kueh Pie Tee |
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| Nonya Laksa |
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| babi buah keluak |
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| chap cai |
Bah Kee - Restoran Kok Keong
(板底街芋饭肉羹汤 - Bottom street yam rice pork meat soup)
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| Restaurant Kok Keong |
Opening hours: 730am-2pm and 6pm until the bak kee runs out (usually by 9pm). Closed Wednesdays.
We were walking past this coffee shop the day before and the smell of the herbal soup just whiffed through the air and made my stomach rumble. This is located just next to our hostel so on the second day we went for some Bah Kee! Bah Kee is similar to Bah Kut Teh, just that there's offals, tofu and other pork innards in the soup.
Even at 9am, the coffee shop is almost full. You have the option of choosing what you want in your soup, or you can just ask the very nice Uncle to just do a random mix for you. I opted not to have pork lard or skin and to have more intestines (my favourite).
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| Bah Kee |
Famosa Chicken Rice Balls
Location:
- Jonker Street - Tel : 06-2860121, Business Hours : 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Mon-Sun)
- Mahkota Parade (1st Floor) - Tel : 06-2883354, Business Hours : 10:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. (Mon-Sun)
- Tesco Hypermart (Food Court) - Business Hours : 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. (Mon-Sun)
- Jalan Bendahara - Tel : 06-2860122, Business Hours : 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. (Mon-Sun)
- Cheras (K.L.) - Business Hours : 9:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. (Mon-Sun)
The rice is flavourful enough, but the texture is sticky and dry. You can order a portion just to try, but save your stomach for better food (like Peranakan food) out there!
Looks delicious! Check out our coverage on Nancy's Kitchen Malacca here!
ReplyDeleteHappy Travels Everyone!
Tom,
2bearbear.com
nice info
ReplyDeleteBlog Saya