Makantrip.com

I thought that simple things like char siew rice will be universal and same throughout the country… but here in Melaka, they eat it differently. Firstly, when they say ‘char sau fan’ (bbq pork rice in Malaysia) it means roast pork or siew yok in Cantonese. Anyway, its a combination of everything anyway, so what is everything?

First of all, you gotta make your way to Jalan Bunga Raya in Melaka town, look out for Medan Makan Bunga Raya. When I was there that day, there are 3 stalls selling the same thing. The crowd puller are the 2 main stalls in front.

The stall on the left (once you enter) opens earlier while the stalls on your right only open at 12pm. I was there at 11 plus, so I ordered from the left stall. We got a mix, which is roast pork, bbq pork and eggs. Its basically fried eggs, chopped to big slices with the meat. Some gravy is added and the boss will ask if you want curry on it. We opted to have the curry on a separate bowl plus some sambal to go with it. The curry is similar to those I had at the Hainan Curry Rice in Klang or the Malim Jaya Curry Rice style. But I prefer to take it with the sambal, very different and interesting! The are also other choices like vegetables, etc. you can add, all unique to the stall. For the one we had is RM3.50 per plate, catching up with KL soon but still cheaper :).

As we were eating, the stall on the right finally opens at about 12, the boss wheeled in the dishes on a three wheeled bicycle and started placing the roast pork, bbq pork, roast duck, sausages, vegetables, etc. on the stall. As this is happening, people started coming out of no where to order! The moment the boss start chopping, he doesn’t stop! Kiasu me order some siew yok (roast pork) for takeaway. Its really different, the meat is tender, the distribution of fat and meat is good plus the skin of the roast pork is very tasty, almost like a good rub of bbq pork sauce on top *thumbs up*, yummy.

The thing that amused me the most is that, at like sushi bar, we go and sit at the counter and watch the chef make the sushi and serve to you. Well here, its the same style, just that its roast pork and bbq pork rice, many locals just grab a stool and sit at the stall to dine :).

I would really recommend to give it a try, both stalls have their own customer base on different preference but I like the right stall better :).

GPS: N2 11.883 E102 15.067

View Larger Map

Pork satay, that is what I wanted when I was asked what I would like to have in Melaka. We went for Jonker Satay at Restoran Satay Xiang Ji. Its located opposite SKJC Pay Teck on a row of shops.

The setup is simple, a satay grill area on the left and the cash counter on the right. You are free to sit on any of the table. No order is necessary as they only served pork satay and they will bring a bunch to your table, just pay for what you eat. But if you like pork intestine satay, then you have to ask the boss for it ;).

The satay are served with a kind of sourish sweet sauce, according to my sidekick Miharu, its actually made of a kind of sour starfruit (belimbing asam) known as “suan yang tao” in Mandarin. The sauce is very different from the usual peanut sauce you find in most satay in KL.

The pork satay are tender and yummy at 55 cents per stick so goes with the pork intestine satay as well. Not a bad place, would really like to compare the other pork satay in Melaka the next round, more comment then ;).

GPS: N2 11.967 E102 14.794

View Larger Map

I was msn-ing with Jeff one day after he bought his new Proton T-bolt and suddenly we started talking about food and he recommended me to try out this good roast duck in Uptown, PJ. So one fine night, I was scouting for dinner in Uptown and decided to give it a try.

Its located near the Uptown police station facing the open parking lot, look out for this bright yellow signboard shop ‘Damansara Hokkien Mee’. There are plenty of tables outside on the street and the kitchen is located just at the entrance. In the same place is where Chef Onn Guangzhou Roast Duck stall is located too. This roast duck is not served with rice, you have to order things to go with it from big fry stall.

The roast duck starts at RM11.00 for 1/4 duck and up to RM42.00 for the whole duck. The minimum you can order is 1/4 duck, nothing less but the duck is quite good served with chili and a sweet sauce. Duck is not too fat and tender but a bit salty to my taste.

The hokkien mee starts at RM6.00 for 1 pax portion, this applies for every other noodles or rice they offered including vegetables too. Things are really expensive, it was only like yesterday when a portion for 1 used to be RM3.50-4.00!

Overall, pretty good place and it’s open for dinner only up to 2.30am in the morning :).

GPS: N3 08.034 E101 37.440

View Larger Map

We were going to SS2 for dinner and meeting up with some friends and I suddenly had a craving for dim sum, so I did a search and found A Little Dim Sum Place. Decided to check it out. Its basically on the same row with KTZ in SS2.

Its quite a nice place, very good for gathering or just chatting. The dim sum here are ok, normal quality but just pricey, so watch what you order, being kiasu what also order, bill come die :P. Dim sum is ok but desserts sucks big time, stick to chinese tea, you will be ok ;). The black sesame dessert is not impressive and mango tong yuen is really horrible.

Most of the dim sum is about RM4-6 each depending what you order. But the only interesting thing here is the “pun tong gau” which is about RM6.90 I think. Its basically a big dumpling in soup with shark fins on top of it. I had it at JW Marriot in KL once for RM25 if I remembered correctly. Of course the version here is a cut downed one but I find it quite ok, worth trying.

GPS: N3 07.099 E101 37.363

View Larger Map

After a long morning meeting, its time for lunch again, since I am on the road with Joe, we decided to eat nearby the client’s office. Joe then suggested to go to the famous Fishhead Noodles, Woo Pin which I have read on quite a few blogs and heard about it many times.

I was told by Joe that they have another branch in Cheras, I am not sure which is the original place, but anyway, the one in Taman Desa is located inside Ho A-One Steamboat restaurant which does steamboat at night and Woo Pin serve fishhead noodles there day time. The first thing you will notice is there’s no parking, cars are not hunting for proper parking but hunting for places to double park or yellow line to park!

When you reach the shop, you see every single table is filled! So, you basically don’t wait for a table but wait to tumpang (share) a table with someone! This is how popular this fishhead noodles is! Me and Joe had to walk round and round to finally got a chance to share a table, thanks to the kind lady whom offered to us!

Anyhow, Woo Pin opens at 7.30am and close at 2.30pm daily except for Monday which is their off day. You can either have fish head or fish paste noodles, all for RM6.50 for regular and RM8.00 for large. Drinks are costly, RM2.00 for barli foo chuk, etc. and chinese tea is 50 cents. Then the guy comes to take your order and leave you with a paper slip, you pay when the food arrived. While waiting for lady boss with come with a tray of chilies and you help yourself to take how much you need.

Maybe the expectation was too much, I was expecting a heavenly fish head noodles, but it really didn’t end up that way. I find the soup to be nice, but I would prefer it with some cooking wine. Fish head wise, the best is still at MCF in Kota Kemuning. But overall I would rate the fish head noodles as good but like I said, maybe I got my expectation too high, I would not fight with all the crowds for it again, hehe :P.

Ok ok… so to be fair, it was only my problem and yes, the fish head noodles is kind of good especially with their chili but depends if you are the kind who would rush with the crowd for makan, people like me very lazy to do this kind of things, rather not eat one but credit goes to Woo Pin for still serving it fast and efficient :).

GPS: N3 05.902 E101 41.187

View Larger Map