Eating in Malacca- Melaka (Part 2) | ThumbsForFood

I hope that readers enjoyed Part 1 of Eating in Malacca and are looking forward to more food recommendations in Part 2! Without further ado, here's Part 2.

Restoran Tong Sheng

No. 378, Jln Melaka Raya 6, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000 Melaka, Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia
606-2862993.
Closed on alternate Mondays. Opens daily 5.30pm-11.30pm

Restoran Tong Sheng is an introduction from a friend who recently went to Malacca. She posted a picture of the signature Cheese Prawn dish on instagram and immediately, it caught my attention. So, we decided to source it out no matter what to try out the food at Tong Sheng. It is a little further away from Jonker street, closer to Melaka Central. We did not have any transport so we depended on asking people around and walking to find our way. 

When we finally reached Tong Sheng, we were met with a crowd at the restaurant. The restaurant had many big tables of families gathered there for dinner. It seemed like a favorite among locals. 

Crowded 

Restaurant Counter with wall of accolades

We were famished by the time we got there and couldn't wait to start ordering the food. However, due to huge dinner crowd, we waited for about 20-30 minutes before our food was served. We did not regret patiently waiting for the food to come! 

The signature Cheese Prawn Beehoon did not disappoint. I guess some of you will be wondering CHEESE and PRAWN, how will it exactly taste? Well, the cheese is melted into the gravy which is not thick but slightly watery. Despite that, the cheese flavor was retained and you could already smell it from a distance. We ordered a portion for 3-5 persons (about RM40) and we were glad we did. The prawn were also well-cooked and fresh. For those who have never tried this dish before, I strongly recommend that you do!

Cheese Prawn Beehoon

And for those cheese lovers who cannot get enough of cheese, they even have Cheese steamboat! I'm guessing they use a similar broth as the one in the Cheese Prawn Beehoon. But, if you've tasted it, do let us know how it is. 

The other tzi char dishes were also good in general. Vegetable is a must for our every meal and I would say Tong Sheng does a good job at frying their vegetables. They are fresh, tasty, yet not too oily.

If I am not mistaken, the dish below is actually Wasabi prawns. The sauce is a mayo-wasabi mix topped with peeled prawns. I like the slightly crunchy texture of the prawn and the fact that the shell is peeled is definitely a plus point! 

Wasabi Prawns

Steamed Tofu with Salted Egg is a recommended dish as well. I really liked this dish as it was tasty. They had bits of salted egg yolk in it which gave the dish a different texture from the soft and silky tofu. I would definitely order this dish if they serve it in Singapore Tzi Char places.

Steamed Tofu with Salted Egg

Fresh Milk Crab is a recommendation and it is also a dish popular amongst the regulars of Tong Sheng. We weren't pre-empted about the taste being slightly sourish. We felt that it was quite an acquired flavor. Personally, I would have preferred the usual Salted Egg Yolk crab. The crab meat was juicy and I felt that the crab was quite fresh as well. Nevertheless, if you up to the challenge and would like to try something different, this would be a dish that you might want to try!

Fresh Milk Crab

Usually, you would see that crab would be served with fried buns (mantou) to enjoy the gravy of the crab. In Tong Sheng, they used toasted bread sticks in place of fried buns. We found that it was quite a good alternative and not as oily as fried mantous.

Toasted Bread Sticks that complement Crab

Restoran Hup Huat

No. 101-1 Jalan SP 1

Taman Semabok Perdana

75050 Melaka

Tel No: 012 260 8928

Opening hours: 9am- 5.30pm

Exterior of Restaurant

Restoran Hup Huat is quite a distance from Central Melaka. It was a recommendation by the owner of Guli's Residence, where we stayed. We will fill you in with more details on Guli Residence.

One of the signature dish of Hup Huat is Rice Porridge. You can choose from several varieties include Century Egg Porridge and Hong Hong Ting Zhai Porridge which is plain porridge with peanut, pork, squid etc. Ting Zhai means small boat and is a popular dish amongst Hong Kong people. We decided to try the Ting Zai Porridge. A claypot of porridge suitable for 2 people is actually quite a large portion and the 5 of us could barely finish. It is most likely also because there are other dishes that we ate. 

Ting Zhai Porridge

A must-order is the Fried Wanton! The fried wanton is unlike the one we usually find in Singapore with meat/fish and prawn mix filling. The ones at Hup Huat consists of a prawn in each Wanton. The wanton was fried golden crispy with the succulent prawn in it. Even though it was fried, it did not feel very oily.

Fried Wantons

Another must order and my personal favorite is their Char Siew (Roasted Pork). The best part of this dish is is that it includes fatty portions of pork. The fatty portions are actually the best part because it melts in the mouth when you eat it. Forget about the calories and fats, just indulge in this dish! I could say that the char siew here is probably one of the best I''ve ever tasted!

Char Siew

They also serve vegetable dishes to complement the meat and to balance up the meal. We ordered Tau Gay (beansprouts).

Tau Gay (Beansprouts)

For those who are not into porridge, you can try their Wanton Noodles as well. We felt that the noodles were average but good enough to fill the stomach.

Wanton Noodles

Overall, we felt that Hup Huat is worth a drive for the Char Siew. Do request for the fatty Char Siew to have a good fix of the melt-in-your-mouth meat!


Malaqa Nyonya House

No.1, Jalan Tun Sri Lanang, 75100 
Melaka Malaysia

Next up, a place for authentic Nyonya Bo Bo Char Char - Bu Bur Cha Cha (Coconut milk with sweet potatoes, yam and tapioca pearls), Chendol and Dumplings. This place is actually at the pick-up point if you are taking Grassland bus back to Singapore.

When we were there, there was a very nice aroma of coconut and kueh being made.

Interior of Malaqa Nyonya House

The chendol here is quite delicious with the fragrant Gula Melaka. We feel that the serving is adequate and the Gula Melaka was appropriate in portion.

Chendol

We really enjoyed the Bo Bo Char Char served here. You can choose between hot or cold depending on your preference. We chose the hot one. The sweet potato and yam were cooked soft together with the slightly chewy tapioca pearls. The coconut fragrance was light which made the dessert a pleasure to the tastebuds.

Bobo Char Char

Our delicious desserts

They served Nyonya dumplings as well. The authentic Nyonya ones have a slight psychedelic blue dye on the rice. Don't be shocked by the blue. It is actually of natural origins, extracted from Butterfly flowers. The Nyonya dumpling had a belachan filling. They also added spices such as coriander and cekur root, which makes the dumpling aromatic.

Nyonya Dumpling

Malaqa Nyonya House has another branch at Subang Jaya. The branch here is a short drive from Jonker Street. We feel that if you are in the area, no harm dropping by for some desserts! 

East and West Rendezvous

60 Lorong Hang Jebat, Melaka, Malaysia

Exterior of East and West Rendezvous

If you are looking for somewhere nearer to Jonker Street for some dumplings and to buy some kueh home, East and West Rendezvous may be your choice. We tried this place out as my friend told me that the Nyonya Dumpling here is tasty.

Dumpling

They also serve up chendol here. For those who prefer lighter Gula Melaka flavor, this place might possibly be a place to check out. Their chendol comes with red ruby as well. Mix the chendol well, like the picture below and enjoy!

Chendol 

I also bought some pineapple tarts to try as they looked really delicious. My friends felt that they were alright and nothing fantastic. However, my colleagues loved the pastry as they felt that it was buttery and baked well. Do give it a try and let me know your verdict!

Pineapple Tarts

We hope that you enjoy our food recommendations in Malacca! Of course, we might not have the most extensive list of places and there might be more places that we have yet discovered. So, do drop us an email or comment to fill us in on your favorite haunts! :) Do look out for more of our food reviews and support us by following us at thumbsforfood on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Follow our individual blogs on Dayre- @huizheeen and @yinsywinsy.

Haven't read Malcaa Part 1? Click here.

Love,
Y

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

ThumbsForFood| Food tips in Johor Bahru: Where do we get our food?

Hello to all our readers! We have decided to share some of our travel journeys and tips with you guys [: To start off, I shall bring you in to food in Johor Bahru (JB). I love going JB because the food there is always so affordable (compared to those in Singapore). I can spend the whole day eating and yet not feel the pain in my pockets. For people who are worried about the safety in JB, I would not say its 100% safe there but you can always choose to stay within City Square. Well, City Square is the shopping centre that is linked to the customs so I can safely say that it is pretty safe to stay there as you would not have to board any taxis or walk on the streets. There are pretty good choices within City Square! 

I will be sharing with you what I ate in a day's trip in JB. I spent a lot of time on this post so have fun reading it :D 

Food Choice #1: Nando's Chicken

Well, it is located at the basement of City Square and I always have it for lunch when I go in to JB. I know I know, we have Nando's here in Singapore too. But, its soooooo much more affordable there. Nando's is famous for their periperi chicken. Finger-smacking awesome! 

Pita Bread with Hummus. I love pita bread! The smell, the texture and it goes soooo well with the hummus paste. Try it, but not everyone likes hummus! 

 Peri-peri wings. Well, I thought it was going to be different from the chicken but it turned out to be the same. The only difference being that these are wings.

Peri-peri chicken platter( for 2-3) Well, this is their famous chicken. We always get the Mild Hot flavour as it is pretty much the same except for the sauce that they put on the chicken. For those of you who prefer extra spicy chicken, you can always find the Extra Hot sauce on the table! I love the thighs. It is so delicious with the flame-grilled after taste!

On the average, we will spend RM 30 per pax on Nando's for lunch. Pretty awesome price right? [: 

Food Choice #2: Hui Lau Shan

Yes! I was really happy beyond words when I first saw this in JB. They recently opened their first outlet in JB. I will visit this place almost everyday when I was in Hongkong. I love their mango desserts! Look look look! You will see a queue so don't worry about not being able to spot the shop. 

I love their drinks as well. If you are only getting the drinks, there is a counter specially for that! 

I don't have the exact names of the dessert we had there but they don't have many selections so try them for yourself! We had the coconut with hashima dessert as well and it was quite nice! 

Food Choice #3: Blackball Dessert

KSL is the other popular shopping centre that a lot of Singaporeans go to. Its a short cab ride away (around RM8) or there is a bus you can take from customs to KSL! There are many nail and hair salons at KSL. Other than that, I would say City Square is better as there are many food options now that renovations are done!

Yes, blackball dessert. Its like half-price in JB and additional toppings are only at RM1.50 each. Really a good deal there!

Food Choice #4: Seafood at Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre

Okay, this is quite near KSL and you can walk there. But for first-timers, taking the cab would be a better choice! Yes, the signs tell you that this place has lots of seafood! 

It is pretty much like a hawker centre in Singapore. Maybe not as new and clean but yes, you get the idea! 

Hiang Kee Seafood. Well, this is the first seafood stall which you will see when you walk into the hawker. During weekends, it will be really packed so it is pretty hard to miss this. There are many seafood stalls in the hawker and I have tried around 3 stalls so far. This is one of the best I would say! 

Gong Gong. I love these gorgeous shells. Nothing really special there!

Sweet Potato Leaves in Sambal. I didn't think this was good when I tried because the stalks are not well-handled and it just taste weird when you bite on them.

Butter Crayfish. This is the bomb! Really worth it to have crayfish or crabs there because the price is soooooo good! The crispy bits are so awesome that we finished everything on the plate. Something like cereal, but something different from cereal too. 

Just look at the fleshy meat of the crayfish!

Fried Oyster Egg. This was from the nearby oyster stall. Pretty good. I like it for its strong garlic taste! 

Food Choice #5: Luk-luk

This is one of my must-haves in Malaysia. I like the seasoning that they put on. Something that is common in Taiwan as well but not so common in Singapore. There is one right outside KSL but I went to the one behind the hawker centre. It is at the row of shops that sell abalone noodles.

The yummy sauce that goes along with the sticks!

This is like a after-meal dessert. Look at the crispy beancurd skin, its so good! 

Yes, I am at the end of my JB sharing. Hope it will be helpful to people who are looking to visiting Johor Bahru for some good food! Will be posting more on what to eat in JB, so come back for more soon! 

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Have a good week ahead!

Please view other updated JB food places: 

Kam Long Curry Fish Head 

Ya Wang Herbal Roasted Duck

Cheers,

Z