Eating in Malacca (Melaka)- Part 1 | ThumbsForFood

Many Singaporeans go to Malacca for a short weekend getaway. And, when you think of Malacca, you would immediately associate it with being an old cultural town, Jonker street and definitely for its food! 

So, in this two-part posts, we will bring to you our food finds in Malacca - the well-known and the hidden finds! At the same time, we hope that you would also share with us food finds that you have come across which we did not mention so that we could add it onto our list on our next trip! 

Chop Chung Wah Hainanese Chicken Rice

8 Lorong Hang Jebat, Melaka, Melaka 75500

Near Main Entrance of Jonker Street

Opens daily: 7.30am-3pm

One significant and popular food among visitors of Malacca would be the Chicken Rice Balls! Chop Chung Wah is one of the three chicken rice stalls in Jonker Street, which is one of the main attractions of Malacca. It is not difficult to spot Chop Chung Wah as it is situated directly right of the main entrance of Jonker street. Arguably, Chop Chung Wah is said to serve the best Chicken Rice Balls in Malacca. 

Be prepared to queue on weekends for a seat! As it is usually crowded, the owners usually only allow patrons to order their orders once. Hence, no additional rice balls is allowed to be ordered after you have placed your order. 

Interior of Shop

We felt that the Chicken Rice balls were made quite compact and sturdy. However, we thought that the rice balls were not as fragrant as we would like it to be. The chicken meat, on the other hand, was really good. It was tender, well-cooked and the chicken skin was smooth and delectable! The chilli offered was also spicy and complemented well with the dish. 

Chicken Rice balls and Chicken

Chicken Rice Balls

The tender chicken

Overall, we do recommend visitors to try this dish as it is one of the signature here! You wouldn't be able to see that you have been to Malacca if you haven't tried chicken rice balls.

Jonker 88

Jalan Hang Jebat and Jalan Laksamana
Situatuted in Jonker Street

Another popular spot for visitors of Jonker Street is Jonker 88 which serves up authentic Assam Laksa and Nonya Desserts. It is not difficult to spot Jonker 88 because it is usually bustling with people, especially on weekends!

Entrance of shop

One of their specialties and must-try in our opinion, is their Assam Laksa. Assam Laksa is actually noodles in a sweet-and-sour fish soup broth. It is only completed with the addition of belachan and prawn paste. The one in Jonker 88 is really appetizing due to it's sour flavor. The spicy level is mild so, for those who cannot take spicy food, do not be afraid to try this dish!

Assam Laksa

Their fried fish cake is also one of their signature dishes. I felt that what made this dish slightly different is the sauces that they serve to complement the fish cake. The slightly sweet sauce topped with ground peanuts really whets the appetite.

Fried Fish Cake

One must-eat dessert in Malacca is definitely the chendol. What makes the chendol here exceptionally tasty as the ones we find in Singapore is their generous Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar) syrup. How do you savour the chendol? Simply mixed the whole bowl of chendol and taste the goodness of the combination of red bean, green jelly and gula melaka. 

You will see chendol appearing in this post as we visit other restaurants. We find that the one at Jonker 88 is probably one of the best tasting chendols as the Gula Melaka's fragrance was really awesome.

Chendol

Bikini Toppings 

Lorong Hang Jebat, 75200 Malacca, Malaysia
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs: 10am-6pm, Fri & Sat: 10am-7pm and Sun: 9am-6pm

Cafe Exterior

Signage at the cafe entrance

Bikini Toppings is a relatively new addition in Jonker street with its opening in mid-2013. We got to know this place as recommended by the owner at our accommodation. We were told to try its Coconut Shake. As we found it quite appropriate to have something refreshing on a hot, sunny day, we decided to give it a try.

As we step into the shop, we observed that the shop was simply decorated, with photographs on one side of the wall and chalk scribbling on the red-bricked counter and red-painted parts of the walls. The interior had a minimalist-theme where the different languages on the wall seems to be welcoming patrons, regardless of nationality, into the cafe.

We decided to try out their Coconut shake as recommended and true to it, it was refreshing. We added a scoop of vanilla ice-cream as introduced by the owner. We felt that the ice-cream somehow robbed the natural coconut flavor from the shake. However, we really liked that the shake had little coconut bits in it, giving the shake some texture. 

Coconut Shake

We decided to also try out their Fresh Coconut Juice as well as Coconut Jelly. The Coconut Juice was refreshing. It also helped us combat the sweltering heat. My personal favorite is the Coconut Jelly which was made out of natural Coconut Juice and slices of real coconut flesh. Even though I am not a fan of Coconut, I thoroughly enjoyed the desserts served here! 

Coconut Juice (Left) & Coconut Jelly (Right)

I saw from Bikini Topping's Facebook page that they have included some mains into their menu. Do check it out and share with us your experience there!

Restoran Nyonya Makko

123 Taman Melaka Raya, Melaka, Malaysia
Opening hours: 11.30am-2.45pm; 6pm-9.30pm

Another top on the list for must try in Malacca is their Nyonya Cuisine! Having tried Ole Sayang, which is just across the road of Restoran Nyonya Makko, we decided to try Makko this time round.

Exterior of Restaurant

Interior of Restaurant

We ordered quite a number of dishes as everything on the menu looks really good! Perenakan cuisine is quite expensive in Singapore. As such, we also took this opportunity to really feast our hearts out! Prices are quite reasonable ranging from RM10 for a vegetable dish to RM 40 for a seafood/meat dish.

Dishes from Makko

Here's some dishes that we liked. The Nyonya Vegetable Chap Chye dish was really good in my opinion! The gravy was good with white rice and the vegetable was soft and went well with the fungus. A refreshing vegetable option as compared to the usual Sambal Kang Kong/ Potato Leaves.

Nyonya Vegetable Chap Chye

Yes, a must order wherever which Nyonya Restaurant you choose to go is the Assam Fish (Tamarind Fish)! The tangy sour sauce really whets up the appetite and with the sauce, it is possible to down a few bowls of rice! We felt that the fish was quite fresh and the portion is quite generous.

Assam Fish

The Beef Rendang here at Makko is flavorful and the beef chunks are tender. What we like is the slightly spicy sauce, with a balance of coconut taste and flavorful spices. It seems the hours of simmering of the beef in the gravy, made the beef take on some of the essence of it.

The chendol was RM3. We felt that the Gula Melaka lack a bit of oomph! But, if you're having an intense craving for some, do give it a go! 

Do leave a comment and let us know if you have a favorite place to go for Nyonya food! We would love to hear from you! 

Nadeje Cake Shop
They have a few branches in Malacca. You can view the other branches here. 

Nadeje Mahkota Parade
Tel No : 06-2843469. 
Operation Hours: 
Daily : 11:00am - 10:00pm 
G-23B, EG 4 & EG 5, Ground Floor, Mahkota Parade, 75000 Melaka. 

We chanced upon Nadeje as we were searching for good desserts in Malacca. As the Mille Crepe craze is on in Singapore, we were quite excited to find that Malacca also has a store that specialize in Mille Crepes cakes. As such, we decided to try it out!

Nadeje's Logo

Nadeje is established since 2006 and they pride themselves for using the finest ingredients to make their handmade Mille Crepe and other desserts. As they are most famous for their Mille Crepe, we decided to order 3 flavors to try! They have about 18 flavors to choose from and it can be quite overwhelming! 

Being fans of Green Tea, we decided to pick it. I had thought that all the layers of cream will be green tea flavored. But, as you can see from the picture below, there are also some layers that are infused with plain cream. The green tea taste was subtle which I had hoped that it would be stronger and more fragrant.

Green Tea

The cheese flavored mille crepe had a light tinge of cheese flavor. I felt that the texture felt more like a light cheese cake compared to a cheese mille crepe. The layers of the cake somehow merged with each other and thus, the layered texture seems to disappear a little. I would say that this choice is light on the tastebuds and will suit those who are looking for something lighter.

Cheese

Tiramisu

Overall, we felt that the cakes are not bad. They are not too sweet and seems to be really made from natural ingredients. It can be better improved if its cream and crepe layers are made more evenly such that the cream will not overpower the crepe. Having said that, Nadeje is a good place to have some tea and cakes if you're looking for something else other than their local food!

Do look out for our Eating in Malacca (Part 2) where we will introduce you a good Tzi Char place, a place for good Char Siew and two places where you can find good Nyonya Dumplings and more chendols!

Update: Eating in Malacca (Part 2) has been posted. Visit Part 2 here. 

Cheers,
Y

The Dispensary (Tiong Bahru) | ThumbsForFood

The Dispensary is one of the newest cafes in the Tiong Bahru area. It is quite known that this new cafe is refurbished from an old chinese medical hall. Hence, it is not difficult to spot the cafe from its decorations and interior. What we liked about the cafe is that a lot of effort is placed in retaining the old medical hall's decor. The shop front is spacious with a lot of natural light illuminating the cafe, giving the place a fresh yet reminiscent feel. 

Interior of The Dispensary

Displays 

Decoration

We explored the whole cafe and realised that they had an alfresco area situated at their rooftop balcony. It was spacious and inviting. However, the heat was a little too overwhelming that day so we decided to sit indoors. Otherwise, this space would definitely be a favorite for those who enjoy basking in natural light with a cuppa and cake.

Alfresco Rooftop

We decided to try their one of their cupcakes, Chocolate Storm and their homemade Kueh Lapis. Chocolate storm is a chocolate cupcake topped with chocolate cream cheese and a macaron. As the name suggests, everything is chocolate. Yet, when you taste the cream, you could definitely taste the hint of cheese. I would say it wasn't really fantastic amidst the other cupcake competitors. You could try their other flavors and let me know how you feel!

Chocolate Storm and Kueh Lapis

I will strongly recommend The Dispensary cake to patrons of this cafe! What we normally see in cafes are red velvet cakes so, when I saw that this cake was a Black Velvet cake, I was really curious. What I really like is the light cream cheese frosting around the cake. It went really well with the black velvet. I didn't mind that it wasn't too chocolatey as I enjoyed the texture and combination. Yes, it was so good that we had two slices! The little round chocolate balls complemented the cake really well too.

The Dispensary

A must try!

 The Blueberry Cheese on the other hand paled in comparison. The cake was good but was not as attractive. The almonds on the cake gave the cake a crisp texture. I would definitely appreciate if there were more blueberries in the cheese layer. Nonetheless, the cheese was smooth and not too sweet. For those who are looking for something light, this could possibly be a choice.

The Blueberry Cheese

 We ordered Mocha, Latte and Vanilla Latte. As we chose the dine-in option, we were quite surprised that the coffee was served in disposable cups. Well, could it be that these cups were more easily dispensable? We felt that the coffee was mediocre and putting them in disposable cups were quite a pity as they had pretty latte art. If we hadn't lifted up the lid, we would not discover the pretty designs.

Coffee

The Dispensary sells other cakes as well as you can see from the picture below. I would think that a main attraction of their cakes is their cream cheese layers. I would think that it would go well with any type of cakes. I look forward to trying out their Carrot Cake the next time around!

Various cakes on display

Overall, we find that The Dispensary serves good cakes and provide a comfortable dining ambience for patrons. It serves to preserve the old while adding elements of the new. The Dispensary also accepts orders from customers and you can request for any flavors and they will try their best to make one for you! I will definitely be back to try their other cakes!

69 Tiong Bahru Road
Singapore 168723
Tel: 6536 0225
Fax: 6536 0355
Email: bake@thedispensary.com.sg

Business Hours:
Tues to Thurs 10am to 10pm
Fri & Sat 10am to 10:30pm
Sun 9am to 7pm
Closed on Monday

Love, Y

Craft Bakery & Cafe (Holland Village) I ThumbsForFood

Hello everyone! The start of the week is here again. Hopefully, you are feeling well-rested from the weekend! 

Well, as a student studying in the West side of the island for almost half of my life, I have always been trying to find good food and cafes around this region of Singapore. When I heard of Craft Bakery and Cafe, I knew I had to check it out and I am soooo thankful for my friends who were able to accompany on my cafe hunting journey in the West. 

Currently, they have a lunch promotion that serves up a main course, soup and coffee/drink for $19 nett. The promotion is valid on weekdays from 12-4pm. I went there on a Tuesday and of course, I got myself a lunch set! 

Bacon Mac & Cheese $12.50. This was really yummy on my first few bites. The amount of cheese they throw into this dish is sooooo generous. Mac & cheese should be really cheesy! The herbs used compliments the dish also. Well, the mac & cheese here is definitely better than a lot of others that I tried in other cafes! The best is still the one at Five & Dime though. But, I would recommend this dish to be shared among a few people as it can get really gelard if you finish it on your own! 

Spicy Sausage in Arrabiata Sauce $16. This is definitely a safe choice but nothing fantastic about it as well! I would have this if I am craving for something appetizing.

Bacon & Mushroom Aglio Olio. Well, I wanted to go for the Prawn Aglio Olio but they did not have prawns that day and so I opted for mushrooms. I think it is a pretty simple dish as well but I have to say they did it quite well as I wiped up my whole plate of pasta despite not being very hungry. You can request for them to add chili which will make it even more yummy! 

Flat White

Espresso

Mushroom soup. The soup came with the lunch set. It wasn't really yummy but I would still order the set because it is just more worth it! It is not terrible as well, you see.

Hazalnut Molten Cake $9.50. Well, Craft is opened by the people behind 3 Inch Sin which is famous for their chocolate lava cakes so we just had to try this cake for ourselves. I am not a good judge of this because I am a huge fan of everything chocolate and lava. Yes, love warm desserts with ice-cream soooooo much!

Overall, I am quite happy with my visit to Craft Bakery & Cafe. They serve up good coffee as well, so it makes a good place to chill and drink coffee/eat desserts with your friends or family. I will definitely want to try their Craft Sandwich (bacon with green apple slaw on waffles) the next time round! 

Craft Bakery & Café (Holland Village) 
24A Lorong Mambong Singapore 277183 
Tel: +65 6467 7710
Opening Hours: 12:00pm-11:00pm (Sun-Thurs), 12:00pm-12:00am (Fri-Sat)

Cheers,
Z

Bangkok: Somboon Seafood | ThumbsForFood

I am finally getting to posting about my bangkok trip in September. Well, good things are worth waiting for right! Okay, I was really excited to try Somboon seafood but it was not my plan to have such a feast on my first night there originally. By the time we reached and settled into our hotel, it was already 8 plus 9. We were soooooooo hungry and we wanted something really yummy and so.... Yes, we hopped onto a cab and went to this outlet of Somboon seafood. 

Okay, just a brief introduction of Somboon seafood. They are famous for their fried curry crab and generally, all seafood dishes! 

There are 5 outlets so check which one is nearer to your hotel/where you are before deciding on which outlet to go! We asked our hotel reception before heading out so we avoided the trouble of deciding which one to go to. Don't just tell the cab driver to go Somboon seafood because our cab driver wanted to bring us to some other outlets initially!

We were surprised to see a queue when we reach. I mean, it was relatively late and the restaurant was so huge! There were like 3 levels (I think) and the whole place is full. Really popular but luckily we did not wait for a long time (maybe 20 mins?).

There were only 2 of us on the first night but we ordered enough food for 4. Yes, but it was sooooo good!

Fried Curry Crab. This is different from the normal curry crabs that we see in Singapore. I felt that it was not spicy. But it was soooooo delicious that I had to have these crabs again before I left Bangkok. Basically, the sauce is a mix of eggs and curry powder, with a mild taste of leek. It went really well with rice! They have the real crab version and the crab without shell version (for lazy people). When you are not in the mood for intense crab-cracking, its a good idea to get those that are without the shell :D

Prawns with glass noodles. This dish looked really good from the menu. But I was really disappointed. There were only 2 whole prawns which did not taste especially fresh and juicy. The glass noodles were quite normal as well.

Tom Yum Goong. I almost forgot to order this! But, how can we miss out tom yum soup when we are in Bangkok right? I love everything (almost everything) that is spicy and flavourful! It was good, with a decent amount of seafood in it.

Stir-fried kangkong. Keep our diet balanced with some greens!

Grilled Squid. Okay, looks can be deceiving. I was so looking forward to having this Grilled Squid but it turned out to be the worst dish we had that night. We couldn't even finish a quarter of the plate. The sauce was good but the squid was too rubbery and served cold. Well, maybe it could just be our bad luck that day with this dish so try it out if you have a chance, & tell us whether the standard is the same!

Look at the amount of people! This was when we finished eating around 1030.

Overall, I had a pleasant dinner at Somboon Seafood. The price for both of us came up to around S$48 (Singapore dollars) which was not really cheap in Bangkok sense. But, we were definitely satisfied because we know that we would not be able to find such a good deal in Singapore!

There are five outlets of Somboon Seafood restaurant:
1. Bantadthong Branch & Chinese (Cantonese style)
2. Surawong Branch
3. Ratchada Pisek Branch
4. Bangna (Sukhumvit 103)
5. SamYan 

For more information, you can go onto their website: Somboon Seafood 

We will be sharing our guide to the good food in Bangkok soon!

Have a good week,
Z