“Our two-day culinary journey in Malacca was incredibly rejuvenating!”
Hello from Malacca! We spent the weekend exploring this city.
Our second short getaway this year, a 3-hour bus journey from SG to Malacca.
As a self-proclaimed traveler, not just a tourist, meticulous research and a detailed itinerary were always in place. We successfully executed every program outlined in the excel sheet, focusing on the paramount aspect for me—food! The highlight was indulging in Malacca’s local delicacies and specialties like Chendol, Satay Celup, and Chicken Rice Ball. A delightful experience filled with good, old, yummy food! :)
Among all the delicacies, Satay Celup stood out as my favorite—a unique Malacca dish. It involves dipping various raw and semi-cooked seafood, meat, and vegetables on skewers into a pot of boiling satay gravy at the center of the table, similar to a steamboat.
When the service attendant brought out the pot of satay broth, I wondered if it was freshly made. To our relief, she mixed ground peanuts and brown sugar right before our eyes, dispelling any doubts about it being recycled. Phew!
We patiently waited for the satay gravy to boil before cooking our skewered food, priced at 60cents (RM) per stick with a variety of choices.
Luckily, we only waited 20 minutes for a table for our first dinner, as I heard hours-long queues were not uncommon on most days!
Later, we visited Jonker Street’s night market, open only on Fridays and weekends, to savor the renowned Chendol with thick Gula Melaka syrup. A brief shopping spree at the new Megamall, Pahlawan, preceded a mesmerizing 25-minute non-stop firework celebration—a beautiful spectacle reminiscent of our first trip to Disneyland in LA.
The following morning, before embarking on sightseeing, we stumbled upon an old-fashioned coffee shop in a small lane near Hotel Equatorial. Despite its seemingly rundown appearance, it offered the most authentic taste of “kahwin” toasts (kaya & butter spread), soft-boiled eggs, and coffees priced at RM7.20 (~S$3). As a conscious eater, I opted for 2 eggs with 1 yolk less, balancing both diet and health. (My sharing on reducing LDL cholesterol intake)
Persisting in our quest for the famous chicken rice ball at Chong Hwa Coffee Shop was another achievement to be proud of. After our daytime visit to Jonker Street, where we bought souvenirs and relished another bowl of Chendol from a renowned shop (priced at RM1.70 (~S$0.70)), we reached the popular coffee shop at noon, perfectly timed for a satisfying lunch.
Despite facing crowds and long lines of hungry diners, we almost gave in, considering hopping to a nearby chicken rice ball shop. However, the outlook of those restaurants seemed overly touristy and commercialized. Opting to stay put proved to be the right choice. After a mere 25-minute wait, we secured seats and relished the tastiest chicken rice balls in town. The bill for this delightful lunch came to RM17.50 (~S$12).
We strolled to the street (name unknown to me) just next to Jonker Street to visit the renowned Chinese temple for religious offerings. Along the way, the street was filled with shops selling freshly baked pineapple tarts, each claiming to be the most authentic. The tarts, baked in various shapes and sizes, were priced from RM6 – RM11 (~S$2.50 – S$4.50) per box of 10 – 15 pieces. Without hesitation, I purchased two boxes of these delightful, crispy, and buttery-fragrant open-top pineapple tarts. I liked them.
Being a foodie, my focus naturally leans towards food rather than elaborating on sightseeing places. The usual suspects like the “Red Houses,” A’ Famosa, St. Paul Church, and street markets are there, but the special visit worth mentioning is Jonker Street—where I eventually tie it back to food. :D
We ventured to try the fried carrot cake with black sauce, recommended in a Taiwanese food program. However, personal preferences in food became apparent—it turned out to be excessively spicy (even with a request for less chili) and overly salty. Honestly, I believe we’ve had better carrot cakes in Singapore or elsewhere. Priced at RM3.80 (~S$1.60) with an added egg. There was another recommended dish called “算盘子” (Fried Yam “beads”) that I decided to skip. Sometimes, there’s just too much good food to try!
Malacca, being the home of the Peranakan race, where Baba and Nyonya originated, boasts Peranakan cuisine as a must-try. Regrettably, with only a limited time, I could only sample their sweet snack, red bean Kueh, during our visit to Jonker Street’s night market.
For those interested, a trishaw ride (costing RM40 or S$18 for 1 hour) is an option to explore Malacca’s tourist places. However, we chose to navigate the town on foot, not finding the trishaw ride particularly enticing.
While we didn’t venture too far, passing popular sightseeing spots like Hang Li Po Well and Sam Po Cave during a taxi ride to the Sentral Bus Terminal, our weekend breakaway proved to be enjoyable, albeit exhausting from all the walking.
Shopping didn’t dent our wallets much; I snagged a pair of cute cloth slippers (3rd row, most right side) from the night market in Jonker Street for RM10 (S$4.20). They’re incredibly comfortable to wear at home. :)
P/S: Keen to check out the caloric count of the good food mentioned earlier? Check out my list.