Top 5 Foodie Adventures in Melaka

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Happy Travel Tuesday! Today, I am going to share a food hunt post, in a state called Melaka, approximately 2 hours away from KL by car. Melaka or Malacca, is known as the historic state of Malaysia due to its rich history as one of the earliest Malay sultanates and its strategic location next to the The Straits. This state, being the third smallest state in the country, is not only rich in history and culture, but also in its food. The Nyonya-Baba cuisine, for example, is a fusion of Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Indian, British and Malay cooking, and is the most prominent cuisine in Melaka. We recently went on a weekend trip to Melaka and visited the following joints all in one day! Here are the Top 5 Foodie Adventures in Melaka (in no particular order).

#1: Restoran Nyonya Makko

No prize for guessing the cuisine of this restaurant! Baba-Nyonya or Peranakan cuisine, is the main star here, with the Devil’s Curry making a deep impression. This dish was spicy and thick, with plenty of chicken and very delicious. What made this curry different from the rest was perhaps the addition of vinegar in it, giving it a distinct sourish touch on top of being spicy. Try it!

Devil’s Curry (RM18)

Another feature of Baba-Nyonya cuisine is the generous usage of Belacan or shrimp paste in their dishes. One such dish we tried was the Four-Angled beans cooked with belacan – fresh, crunchy and tasty.

Belacan Four Angled Bean (RM14)

Assam Fish (RM57)

The Nyonya Makko Restaurant is a famous household name so this place is usually packed with people. It is recommended to go there earlier or make a reservation to get a table if you’re dining in a big group.

Restaurant Nyonya Makko

Restoran Nyonya Makko
123, Taman Melaka Raya,
Off Jalan Parameswara (Bandar Hilir),
75000 Melaka.
Tel/Fax: +606-284 0737 / +606-283 7490
Operating Hours: Lunch (11.30am – 2.45pm), Dinner (6pm – 9.30pm), Closed on Tuesdays

#2: Nadeje Patisserie

Mille Crepe Cakes, one of the latest dessert craze in town, are apparently first made in Malaysia at this place called Nadeje. Mille Crepe Cake actually refers to a variant of French cake made from many (Mille = Thousand) layers of Crêpe. The amount of work that goes into making this cake is unbelievable. Imagine the paper-thin crepes that need to be made layer by layer, and then carefully placing them one on top of the other, with different fillings in between. Not a job for the faint-hearted, I’d say. But if you don’t have the patience to make it, Nadeje proves to be a reliable source.

Nadeje The Origin of Mille Crepe

Many will tend to compare the Mille Crepe here with the one in Food Foundry. In my opinion, the mille crepe cake here had thicker layer of cream and thinner layer of crepe, which meant that there was not much distinction between the layers when you eat it. In other words, it had the effect of being too soft and creamy, with the cream overpowering the crepes. But if you prefer cream than crepe, then this would be perfect!

Vanilla Mille Crepe (RM8.50)

According to Jason, one should always start with the Vanilla Mille Crepe if one is a first-timer. So we all followed suit.

Strawberry Mille Crepe (RM8.50)

The Strawberry Mille Crepe was good too, with real strawberries on top! The slightly sour taste also balanced out the sweetness of the cream.

Want a bite?

Double Chocolate Mille Crepe

Getting a table here could prove to be quite difficult on weekends, because it’s always so packed. If you’re unable to get a table, you can always takeaway with their cooler  bag, for an additional RM5.

Nadeje Pattiserie Cafe

Nadeje Patisserie Cafe
G-23 & 25, Jln PM4,
Plaza Mahkota,
75000 Melaka.
Tel No: +606-283 8750
Opening Hours: 12pm – 1opm, Closed on Mondays
GPS Coordinates: 2.189539, 102.246419

#3: Lao Qian Ice Cafe @ San Shu Gong, Jonker Street

After a heavy lunch and dessert, what better way to digest than to walk it off at Jonker Street nearby? Immerse yourself with the rich culture still apparent in many of the shops and buildings along this street, and observe the colourful trishaws that would pass you by with booming music.

Trishaws along Jonker Street

And when you’re tired, look for a big red building at the corner of a shop lot, with the signboard “San Shu Gong“. Even though this shop specializes in selling souvenirs and tidbits, hidden within is actually a cafe called Lao Qian Ice Cafe, selling one of the best iced white coffees around. Yes, the keyword here is, Iced coffee. Instead of the usual ice-blended coffee or  coffee with ice cubes, Lao Qian actually pours piping hot and concentrated coffee onto a jug of crushed ice.

Icy White Coffee (RM5.80)

If you’re patient, you could let the ice gradually melt with the heat of the coffee, so that you can enjoy a whole jug of liquid icy coffee. But if you’re feeling warm and impatient like I was, you could start sipping the coffee away when it’s halfway down. It was thick, aromatic and cooling. Perfect during a hot afternoon.

Good to the last drop!

It’s surprising to know that such a good coffee place exists in such a commercialized souvenir shop. This is worth a try if you’re around Jonker Street, especially in the afternoon! And no, you don’t have to thank me.

Lao Qian Ice Cafe @ San Shu Gong

Lao Qian Ice Cafe
San Shu Gong @ Jonker Street
33, Jalan Hang Jebat,
75200 Melaka.
Tel No: +606-282 8381
Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm
GPS Coordinates: N2 11.705 E102 14.902

#4: Seri Muara Alai Nasir Ikan Bakar

What’s for dinner? Melaka being in a close proximity to river and the straits, is quite well-known for its seafood. One such place to have seafood is at Alai, at a place called Hj Nasir Ikan Bakar. Ikan Bakar literally means grilled fish in Malay, and I’m assuming this shop is founded by a person called Hj Nasir. When we reached there, what struck me was the location and the rustic ambience of this place. It’s situated just next to the river, with many boats docked at the banks.

Dine by the river

One is supposed to place the orders at the grilling counter, by pointing out the desired seafood on display before they BBQ them on the charcoal pit. The selection of raw seafood on display was vast, with many different types of fish, squids, prawns, clams and cockles to choose from.

Fresh seafood on display

The different types of fresh fish

BBQ seafood on charcoal

Apart from seafood, they also sell small packets of ‘Nasi Lemak’ or coconut milk rice, mixed with sambal on top. I found this to be pretty rich with coconut milk, even though the portion was a tad small. One of my favourite dish that night was the Spicy Grilled Stingray, which had crispy skin and flaky smooth flesh. It also helped that the gravy was spicy and slightly sweet, making it very appetizing.

Spicy BBQ Stingray

A crowd favourite was the Deep Fried Squid Rings, which were perfectly fried squid rings in flour batter. The batter was not overly thick, and the squid rings were fresh without being too tough to chew on.

Deep fried squid rings

BBQ grilled prawns

The good thing about dining here is that the seafood price list is clearly displayed on a board, instead of using the phrase “according to market price” that most restaurants do.

Price List of seafood (per kg)

Come early for dinner here so that you could admire the rustic surroundings and take pictures of the nearby river before the sun goes down. Our dinner of seafood only cost us less than RM20 per person, very reasonable.

Seri Muara Alai Nasir Ikan Bakar

Seri Muara Alai Hj Nasir Ikan Bakar
KM8, 75460,
Alai, Melaka.
Tel. No: +606-263 4612 / +6016-6331373 / +6012-2725310
Opening Hours: Dinner only
GPS Coordinates: 2°10’17″N   102°18’26″E (Approximate)

#5: Pak Putra Tandoori and Naan

Last but not least, a suggestion for supper! Pak Putra is voted by many local Malaccans to have the best tandoori chicken in the whole country. Their huge tandoor ovens are located at the entrance of their 2-shop lot restaurant, with one baking chicken and the other, naan.

The Tandoor oven

I couldn’t help but salivate at the sight of the bright red masala-marinated chickens cooking slowly and steadily inside the hot clay oven.

Tandoori chicken

And let’s not forget the fluffy and huge naan breads stuck on the walls of the tandoor, with slightly burnt patches and a killer aroma. Bliss!

Naan

The chicken tandoori was full of flavour, mildly spicy and oh-so-tender! I have never tasted chicken so tender and juicy before, (oily fried chickens don’t count) and I was just blown away by this. The mint sauce was provided as an accompaniment for the chicken, but honestly, it does not need any sauce for it’s already good on its own.

Juicy and tender Tandoori chicken

As for the Naan, it can be customized according one’s preference, such as the one we ordered which had a mixture of garlic, cheese, onion and potatoes (if I’m not mistaken).

Double cheese, garlic, potato and onion naan

Cut into the naan to reveal the oozing cheese flowing out from the fluffy and hot bread, together with the aroma of garlic and freshly baked bread. This is one good bread that is worth the carbs in your body, really.

Oozing cheese within the naan

Apart from Tandoori chicken and naan, Pak Putra serves a mean Palak Paneer (a dish of cheese and spinach) as well. In a way, I’m secretly glad that Pak Putra is so far away in Melaka, or I would end up a few inches wider in no time!

Restaurant Pak Putra

Restoran Pak Putra Tandoori & Naan
Jalan Laksamana 4,
Melaka.
Tel No: +6012-601 5876
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday (6pm – 2am)
GPS Coordinates: N02 11.696 E102 14.624