Malacca was the beginning of Malaysia’s history. But for me, it is the last destination before I go back home to Perth. When you have friends who live to eat, coming to a foodie town such as Malacca can be an amazing day trip. Putting my concerns of where to eat or which blogs to follow aside, I left itinerary in capable hands. So what did we eat in Malacca? Well, these were the places recommended in Malacca for a foodie! A little short of the clichés but these places are well worth paying a visit!
Sun May Hiong Satay House
After a 2 hour drive, we finally reached our destination with our stomachs rumbling! Our first stop, is satay! The yummy Sun May Hiong Satay House serving authentic satay with a Malaccan touch.
Why Satay you might ask? I was personally wondering why too. Until I had it :)!
Sun May Hiong Satay House
50A, Jalan Kota Laksamana 1/1, Taman Kota Laksamana,
75200 Melaka
Here there are two types of satay, one chicken and the other is pork. Basic side dishes like ketupat and a fresh salad of cucumber and red onion is available too.
Firstly, the satay here is delicious. Unlike places where the fatty part of meat is used, here the fat and meat are meticulously arranged to create a sensational bite. For most, it was just good old satay but it was more than that. It was PORK satay too. Good flavor in the meat along with an appetizing smokiness made it great. But what differentiates the satay here was not the meat. But the sauce.
A rather poor photo here. Anyways, the sauce is not your typical 100% peanut sauce. It was more of a Peranakan/Malaccan style that you get. The sauce was rich with a hint of fruitiness as well as generous bits of pineapples. Superbly more-ish with the satay and it was so yummy to the extent where I was literally drinking the sauce at one point! Definitely a spot to go to.
Jonker 88
After finishing up a relatively small meal of 10 satay sticks, my friends brought me to the much celebrated Jonker 88 which is famed for it laksa and chendols. Located on the vibrant Jonker Street, no address is needed I believe. If anything, visit their WEBSITE @ www.jonker88.com 
In Asia, queuing is a norm. Needless to say, any famed eateries such as this requires a lot of waiting!
The price list! Superb value for the AUD though in Malaysia it was still relatively well priced!
I hate waiting though my desperation often overwhelms my impatience. But why not be quick if I can right? Well, one tip is to TAKEAWAY and SKIP the queue. Bring it to the heritage park next door and maybe enjoy the chendol with some passing breeze. Bloody awesome.
Embracing the Malaysian food scene at its finest. I ordered the Chendol topped with Durian, the king of fruits. For starters, the chendol here is no lame over-rated crap. The use of the purest and most authentic Gula Malacca or Palm Sugar makes all sweet foods a treat. Most people assume that IT IS ALL THE SAME. Definitely a big NONO. Authentic palm sugar has a beautiful caramel flavor and a hint of sour after taste. Here at Jonker 88, they were so generous with Gula Malacca which made it the perfect drink in the sweltering heat. The durian flavor was quite subtle to my dismay. I was expecting a better kick! Towards the end, the drink became a little too sweet but still every bit delectable. But be careful though, fussy eaters might find the shaved ice a little rough!
Later in the night, we returned to Jonker 88 for their laksa. It was OK, the toppings of fish ball, bean curd roll and fish was a nice touch, but where a good laksa is concerned, quality of the soup is paramount. Here it was very ordinary. But for die hard fans, I shall not comment further :P! Definitely had better ones before!
One Bite Durian Puff
To complement our Chendol, we took away more durian stuff! Here was the durian puff Yobi picked up from a few doors down called One Bite Durian Puff. Another bloody good snack. Nonetheless, it could be heaps better. The durian flavors were again way too subtle. I guess despite its origins from Malaysia, the king of fruits is not exactly what anyone would call cheap!
Fluffy little morsels filled with a durian custard. An acquired taste naturally instilled in Malaysians. I loved it although it could have more flavor! Nevertheless, it is something I would happily hold in my hand while walking around town, consuming these one by one.
Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball
As if that the durian puffs were not fattening enough, we soon found ourselves queuing for what was arguably the most popular food in Malacca. The famous Chicken Rice Ball. While most of us were not convinced that the hype was worth it on our first try, we decided to give it another go. Here, we tried the first shop that served this original delicacy. Kedai Kopi Chung Wah or Chung Wah Coffee Shop Chicken Rice Balls! This is located at the roundabout on Jonker walk. Another shop which is impossible to miss!
Who is not surprised that we are queuing again? Asians and queuing are inseparable. We are definitely people who live to eat rather than eat to live!
Chicken rice ball.
The praises: Chicken was fairly tasty and well cooked. Not overcooked for sure. Rice balls were unique and the flavor was decent. But for a top notch establishment in town, I was expecting the food to be a little more refined. As my friends mentioned, it felt as if the chicken was chopped without consideration. Putting that aside, I found the dressing of the chicken a overpowered with sesame oil. I would have preferred a less overwhelming sauce. More importantly, I am more accustomed to beautiful rice that is both fluffy and fragrant. Putting it in the shape of a ball gives it a unique look, but in terms of consistency, it was mushy! Definitely a love it or hate it experience!
After pigging out, it was time we headed out of Jonker Street.
A timeless classic. A VW Camper van. Some say leave a classic be, yet I cannot wait to see a VW remake in the near future. Concepts as of late has been rather impressive.
The famous building often seen in postcards!
Klebang Coconut Shake
Originating from a roadside stall, this place has grown tremendously and is easily on of Malacca’s most famous chill out spots. As for fans, rejoice! They now have a proper sitting area at the back for dine-in with savory bites such as pre-packed noodles, nasi lemak and a large variety of kuihs! As for takeaways, the stall along the road side is still in service. Clearly, even though famous, they have never forgotten their roots. Also, I was previously told that they only open from 12.30pm onwards! Take note!!
While the Nasi Lemak was not bad, it was the coconut that made my day. Klebang’s coconut shake was generous in coconut flesh and tasted superb. It had a slight crunchy texture to it that made this drink pleasant. Compared to the one I had in Penang, this was leap and bounds better. Very original with good amounts of coconut as mentioned. In contrast, the one in Penang tasted fine, but the mix of soda more than coconut juice means very little coconut taste. Hence, my preference for the Klebang Coconut Shake! See my Penang post here.
Tengkera Putu Piring
Last place for the day, is Putu Piring located along Jalan Tengkera. Opening at 6pm onwards, be sure to get in early as late comers go home unsatisfied. Among us, I think we ordered close to 20 of these delicious kuih.
While I can choose to say very little and let the picture be a tease, I shall not. In fact, I am somewhat apologetic for dissing Yobi’s suggestion earlier on before the trip. I was like “meh, sounds so normal”. Proven otherwise on the first bite, these were heavenly. Again we see lightly fluffy textures where the infamous Gula Malacca (palm sugar) very smartly put in these thin disc-shaped delicacy. When steamed, the Gula Malacca melts into a syrup like consistency making it so damn addictive. It was sweet and at the same time slightly savory thanks to the natural attributes of a quality Gula Malacca which is salty and sour. While I thought I ordered 5, only 2 came and to avoid being called fat, I decided to keep quiet lol. GODDAMNIT.
Putu Piring Jalan Tengkera
252 Jalan Tengkera
75200 Melaka
Ok folks, that sums up my trip to Malacca. Great food for sure. More importantly, a very over due trip with some very good friends in Malaysia! I really appreciate their effort in chauffeuring me around and cannot help but feel somewhat indebted! You know who you are ;)! This is a very rush post which I will come back to fine tune later! Had to get this up as my laptop is always left behind in Malaysia when I travel back to Perth!
WenY
