Spent 2D1N at Malacca over the weekend. Every weekend or any public holiday, Malacca town is forever seriously jam-packed because of the out station’s and Singaporeans’ cars flocking to the same restaurants and tourist attraction spots using the same road like every other road users, causing traffic jam and long queues at every possible places. Japanese filled pancakes. Or as we like to call them: Dorayaki. Perfect for breakfast on the go, perfect for dessert, or perfect for a snack !!! Stayed at this Hotel Equatorial for a night and the room i got was a little rundown but had a great view anyway (see pics below). The hotel is situated pretty central to Malacca town and within minutes, walking distance from the famous Jonker Street market. One of my all-time favourite buffet breakfast served at any hotel that i stayed - American breakfast. :-) Here i am, the historical town of Malacca !!! One of Malacca's signature food at Jonker Street is Hoe Kee Chicken Rice Balls, which is nothing but Hainan Chicken Rice served using rice shaped like a ping pong sized ball. And a trip to Malacca wouldn’t be complete without dropping by at this place to have the Chicken Rice Balls unless you are a frequent visitor. This delicacy and restaurant has been featured by countless food magazines, food shows, blogs, newspapers and every other print media. Every weekend, the shop is packed to the brim with people from all over Malaysia, Singapore, foreign countries. There are so many people waiting outside the shop that it never fail to amaze me. The queue sometimes can go up to three to four shop lots and I even heard some of them had to wait for more than two hours just to eat chicken rice. Hoe Kee Chicken rice ball is basically just chicken rice cooked slightly longer and then molded into a ping pong ball size. It has the same taste just like the normal chicken rice except its texture is kinda more slimy. Some people say that five rice balls are equivalent to a bowl of rice. Hence, although they are about the same quantity, i would need to eat three times more of rice balls compared to two plates of rice and that’s about 15 or more rice balls before i start to feel like I have eaten two plates of rice !!! Jonker Street is actually very fun to shop and eat at although there is no air-con comfort and you have to brave the sweltering humidity and heat, compared to the big shopping mall complex. You can find a huge variety of things to buy here, from exquisite Peranakan beaded shoes, Aik Cheong coffee and mee sua noodles; to slippers & clogs (see my picture above), fridge magnets and T-shirts. The popular San Shu Gong (三叔公) Confectionary Shop is located at 33 Jonker Street in Malacca which is just next to the famous Hoe Kee chicken rice restaurant. San Shu Gong famous for local delicacies such as “Kuih Koci” which is a popular dumpling to the Baba and the Nyonyas in Malacca, pineapple tarts, kuaci, Kai Chai biscuits and etc. At the night market at Jonker Street, one can also feast his / her palate with local delicacies such as curry noodles, assam fish and dessert like cendol. He / she can choose from a wide range of restaurants that sell local delicacies along the street. There are also stalls that sell mouth-watering snacks such as pineapple tarts, dodol (sticky sweet delicacies) and crunchy barbeque sun-dried squid. No matter day or night, Jonker Street is not merely a narrow street with shops. It is also a discovery into the cultures of Malacca !!! Walking along the streets in Malacca, you will find restaurants that are considered another attraction of this historical city, apart from museums and monument. Mentioning Malacca signature dishes, Nyonya food will certainly be at the top of the list. Malacca's rich Peranakan culture has given birth to a variety of delicious food that is spicy and sweet, referred to as 'Nyonya' food. The Nyonya style of cooking is the result of a fusion between Chinese and Malay ingredients and recipes, the result of Chinese traders in the past settling in Malacca and adopting the Malay way of living. The food served at this Nonya restaurant is exactly what i have just described (see pics below). Originating from a combination of both Chinese and Malay influences in cooking, Nyonya food uses generous amount of spices, coconut milk and shrimp paste (or locally known as sambal belacan) to enhance the taste the taste of food. A&W Malaysia has a storied past, with many Malaysians & Singaporeans having deep affiliation with this fast-food brand. It's a real big pity that A&W exited from Singapore market many years ago. The experience of gripping a cool, frosted mug of A&W Root Beer and sharing hotdogs & waffles at any of A&W restaurant has produced countless memories for many locals. Whenever i am in any of Malaysian cities, i will definitely pop by at an A&W restaurant to eat. I really miss their outlets in Singapore, i used to patronize the Singapore AMK outlet after school hours with friends in the past. Indeed, i would describe these A&W dining experiences as "authentic" experiences !!! Some breathtaking sunset shots on the way back to Singapore along the highway.
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