malacca

if you ask me to recommend a must-visit place to a first-time visitor to malaysia, my recommendation will be Malacca, which is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. malacca has a colourful history spanning over 600 years, from its humble beginnings in the 14th century to the centuries of colonisation by the portuguese, dutch and the british. its unique religious and cultural legacies are all reflected in its food culture.

the interracial marriages of chinese immigrants and local malays gave us straits chinese and peranakan cuisine, which uses mainly chinese ingredients with local spices while retaining local malay cooking techniques. peranakan or nyonya food is distinctively tangy, aromatic and spicy. a foodie trip to malacca is not complete without trying some of these peranakan offerings such as nyonya laksa and nyonya kuih. check out Donald & Lily’s, a small baba and nyonya house that dishes up simple but tasty nyonya classics, and indulge your sweet tooth by savouring some of Baba Charlie’s finger-licking nyonya kuih.

the best hotel i have stayed in centuries. please make Hatten Hotel your accommodation choice next time round when you are in malacca. 

the hotel was like seriously AWESOME staying in was my favourite part of the trip, i wish i could have stayed on more days in the hotel. just relax don't go out.

the satay here is delicious. unlike places where the fatty part of meat is used, here the fat and meat are meticulously arranged to create a sensational bite. for most, it was just good old satay but it was more than that. good flavor in the meat along with an appetizing smokiness made it great. but what differentiates the satay here was not the meat. anyways, the sauce is not your typical 100% peanut sauce. it was more of a peranakan/malaccan style that you get.  the sauce was rich with a hint of fruitiness as well as generous bits of pineapples. superbly more-ish with the satay and it was so yummy to the extent where i was literally drinking the sauce at one point. definitely a spot to go to.

embracing the malaysian food scene at its finest. i ordered the Chendol topped with Durian, the king of fruits.  for starters, the chendol here is no lame over-rated crap. the use of the purest and most authentic Gula Malacca or Palm Sugar makes all sweet foods a treat. most people assume that IT IS ALL THE SAME. Definitely a big NONO. authentic palm sugar has a beautiful caramel flavor and a hint of sour after taste.  here at Jonker 88, they were so generous with Gula Malacca which made it the perfect drink in the sweltering heat.  the durian flavor was quite subtle to my dismay. i was expecting a better kick. towards the end, the drink became a little too sweet but still every bit delectable. but be careful though, fussy eaters might find the shaved ice a little rough.

so that's the end of my post. it's fairly easy to travel around in malacca from the city centre either by walking or taking a cab if the weather is too hot. 

have fun.