Zoy's Top 5: Malacca Food
Last Monday, I gave you my favorite dishes in Kuala Lumpur (KL). Now, I’m giving you my 5 favorite dishes (or meals) in Malacca. Starting with the Top 5:
5. Mille Crepe at Nadeje
A reinvention of the French classic, Mille Crepes is made up of layers of thin crepes, creamed in between, and topped with various ingredients. Nadeje specializes on this dessert and has alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties. I got their original mille crepe, which is nicely sweet and creamy. The layers of crepe give an amazing, even therapeutic, mouth feel.
Nadeje (Original Mille Crepe: RM13/slice)
Mahkota Parade Branch Address: G-23B, EG 4, & EG 5 G/F Mahkota Parade, Melaka, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-10PM | Facebook: Nadeje Cake Shop | Website
4. Hainanese Chicken Rice Balls at Kedai Kopi Chung Wah
At Kedai Kopi Chung Wah, they serve your Hainanese Chicken Rice with a twist. Instead of the typical bed of flavorful rice, the rice is formed into bouncy balls.
Kedai Kopi Chung Wah
Chung Wah’s chicken is tender and has a simple taste. We also got the chicken innards (liver mostly), which is boiled and add some creaminess to the meal. It’s the simplicity of the dishes that make the entire meal special.
Address: 18 Jalan Hang Jebat, Melaka, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Monday-Friday, 9AM-3PM; Saturday & Sunday, 9AM-4PM
3. Asam Pedas at Restoran Kota Laksamana 1
Asam Pedas is a sour (asam) and spicy (pedas) fish stew popular in Indonesia and Malaysia. Restoran Kota Laksamana 1 is best known for this dish. The broth is perfectly sour and spicy. We got the snapper with it, which is very tender. The cabbage and okra gives a nice crunch. Overall, the dish was amazing and nice with white rice.
Restoran Kota Laksamana 1
Address: Jalan Laksamana 5, Taman Kota Laksamana, Melaka, Malaysia| Operating Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 6PM-4AM
2. Peranakan Food at Nancy’s Kitchen
Peranakans are of a mixed ethnicity. They have a Chinese/Indian and Malay descent. So just imagine the fusion of the cuisines. And one of the best restaurants for Peranakan food is Nancy’s Kitchen.
We got several dishes:
Ayam Buah Keluak (Chicken with Black Nut): This is a Peranakan classic with a unique Indonesian fruit—the black nut. The fruit has a paste that requires scooping. I’m not sure how to describe the taste of the paste, but it certainly has a interesting (starchy?) mouth-feel.
Ayam Buah Keluak (left) and Ikan Gerang Assam (right)
Ikan Gerang Assam (Fish in Tamarind Sauce): This reminds me of asam pedas which I tried earlier, as it has a nice sour and spicy broth. It also has okra that adds some crunch. Although the restaurant’s menu warns that it is not to be mistaken for the local asam pedas.
Nasi Goreng Petai Cili Garam (Fried Rice Chili with Bitter Bean): This is a typical fried rice with another unique ingredient—bitter beans or stink beans. The stink beans have a nice funk to it. Don’t worry; it doesn’t smell as strong as durian.
Ngioh Hiang: Minced pork flavored with Chinese five-spice powder and wrapped in bean curd skin. It’s similar to the Filipino-Chinese pork kikiam.
Rendang Daging (Beef Rendang): Beef stewed in coconut milk and dry spices. Truly a Malay classic!
Address: 13, 13-1, 13-2 Jalan KL 3/8, Taman Kota Laksamana, Melaka, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11AM-5PM; Friday, Saturday, & Public Holiday: 11AM-9PM | Facebook: Nancy’s Kitchen | Website
1. Chicken Tandoori and Naan at Pak Putra Restaurant
I love Indian food! I even did an Indian food crawl in Singapore, which I will feature next month. I’m glad that there is a restaurant that specializes in Chicken Tandoori and Naan in Malacca. So on my last night, we went to Pak Putra Restaurant.
For the uninitiated, chicken tandoori is dish where the chicken is marinated in yoghurt and spice then cooked in a tandoor, a clay over shaped like a cylinder. It’s perfectly partnered with naan, which is flatbread also cooked in a tandoor.
Naan being prepared (left) and chicken tandoori (right)
I got chicken tandoori (of course!) and different kinds of naan (butter, cheese, garlic, and Kashmiri, which has almonds and raisins). The chicken is juicy, tender, and flavorful, while the naan is doughy. We also got a palak paneer, which is pureed spinach that’s a good dip for both the chicken and naan. Everything we had was amazing!
Address: 56 & 58, Jalan 4, Taman Kota Laksamana, Melaka, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 5:30PM-1AM
Do you agree with my Top 5 Malacca food? What will be your Top 5? Comment them below!
PS Don’t forget to check my entire article on my Malacca Food Trip. Check it here.
PPS And also my article about my Kuala Lumpur (KL) Food Trip: The Amazing Local Food of Kuala Lumpur | The Search for the Best Nasi Lemak | The Street Food of Jalan Alor Night Market | Starting the Day Right with Breakfast