“Who goes to Melaka to eat chicken satay?”
I headed down to Melaka last weekend with Jennifer and Michael. Jennifer is from Melaka and kindly offered to bring me around the place so I picked her and Mike up from Ampang and drove down really early on Saturday.
Melaka is not very far from KL actually, it takes about 2 hours if you maintain a decent cruising speed. You might be able to reach there in an hour if you have very little regard for life and limb though. 😉
We headed straight for the old market to grab a cold glass of coconut juice as soon as we got there (the heat is oppressive in Melaka)…
…and indulge in some durians (from a roadside stall). It just tastes better that way. 🙂
It was around lunchtime by the time we were done so we headed to Jenn’s favorite place for Melaka style char siew rice. I like this place – the patrons come in and either sit on makeshift tables and chairs, or place their plates down on an empty stall nearby and start eating. It’s a very unpretentious and homely environment.
We checked into the hotel after that – we actually went to several hotels before finding one which is not fully booked. Our first choice was Baba House, an authentic Baba/Nyonya (Peranakan) hotel which is set in a converted shop house that harks back to the days where they roamed the streets.
Melaka is the Peranakan capital of Malaysia, due to some convoluted history of intermarriage between Chinese traders (from China) and local Malays. Unfortunately, Melaka seems to attract a lot of Singaporeans over the weekends so it was full.
Actually, on hindsight (only saw this later that evening), if you’re just heading there for an overnight stay and you want to try something different, check out the Maritime Museum. There’s an activity packed tour (river cruise, night hiking etc) and you get to spend a night on board the ship for just RM 95. I’m so going for this option on my next trip.
Anyway, after checking in and dumping our bags, we headed out to try the pork satay in Melaka.
This place is called Ming Sate Hut and it serves satay and satay only. They have pork satay, intestine satay and liver satay (as well as the usual fare, but like Jenn said, who goes to Melaka to eat chicken satay?). The strange thing (strange to me ok :p) is that you order what you want and they serve it up. You eat the amount you want (you don’t have to finish everything) and they just count the sticks when you’re done.
The leftovers are probably reheated and served again. 😉
I also went for a crash course in Peranakan culture at Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum. The tour was fascinating, mostly coz I’ve forgotten most things I learned about Malaysian history in high school. Heh! Apparently Straits Chinese eat with their hands, so they have small soup bowls with individual soup spoons for the obligatory soup dish at meals (coz you can’t very well drink soup with your hands).
We headed to Christ Church after that. It’s affectionately dubbed the Red Church due to its fire engine red façade and is probably the most photographed structure in Melaka after A Farmosa.
Christ Church, Melaka is actually a still functional place of worship (of the Anglican denomination) and comes with a beautiful square (not the shape, the place people gather) complete with an antique clock circa 1886. The Red Square was teeming with tourists when I was there, which contributes to the gaiety-charged atmosphere. It looked like almost every other person was lugging a dSLR around!
Next stop: St. Paul’s Church!
The pilgrimage to the top…
St. Paul’s Church is not a cathedral per se, but rather grim looking ruins used as a burial ground for the Dutch. There are a lot of tombstones, so if you’re into stuff like that, you’ll feel right at home!
The path we went through is actually a walk that brings you to the Big 3 in Melaka – Christ Church, St. Paul and Fort A Farmosa. Our journey ends right at A Farmosa, which is not as impressive as I had imagined…
Fort A Farmosa looks exactly like what a fort built in 1511 should look like – crumbly and worn. It’s nice to stand beside this ½ millennia structure though…and you can’t say you’ve been to Melaka until you’ve been to A Farmosa.
Come to think of it, you’ve probably seen A Farmosa in Melaka…but you’ve never experienced it until you’ve done the Ah Beng squat in front of A Farmosa! 😉
You can opt to take a scenic stroll to the many excavation sites after that…there’s a huge excavation going on around the city to unearth the old fortress walls around Melaka. Take a peek.
Other not-to-be-missed stuff:
Jonker Street. Jonker Walk is only open on the weekends and it’s like a huge pasar malam (bazaar) on the streets. It’s festive, it’s crowded, and it’s a lot of fun!
Portuguese settlement
Menara Taming Sari
This gyro tower ride is much better than the overrated Eye On Malaysia. Enjoy the 360 degree view of Melaka from 80 meters up for just RM 10.
The Tan Kim Hock dodol shop – just so you can get some souvenirs home. 😉
there’s this huge ..errrr .. gated “hole” (sorry can’t think of a better word right now) at the end of St. Paul’s Church where people throw coins and make a wish. I threw two coins, and made 2 wishes and .. surprise surprise.. both of it came true!
I missed Melaka..haven’t been there for some times…
Good.
Dude, I like the Durian picture, the perfect photo of a patron saint for Food blogger, St.Huibin. May be it’s the heavenly reward for wearing the Yvonne shirt instead of the nasty licking pussy shirt. May the grace of God be with you, my friend, the ring around your head will start to glow as you collect more karma points.
Dude, I like the Durian picture, the perfect photo of a patron saint for Food blogger, St.Huibin. May be it’s the heavenly reward for wearing the Yvonne shirt instead of the nasty licking pussy shirt. May the grace of God be with you, my friend, the ring around your head will start to glow as you collect more karma points.
a fore I get off on a tangent, I just wanted to wish you well, HB, over the week end of july 4th. Then again, There is no tangent, to get off on, except to say thanks. My sister is near a place called Fort Macon, NC. It is great for swimming, fishing, and just gernerlally laying out on the beach. I asked her if she and her husband were comming up here for the weekend. ( holiday). The answer was ” are you kidding me? Not a chance. Good luck, tommy. I will be entertaining their middle son, wofe and two teenage kids and all, whilst she is lounging at the beach, whith her husband, Carl. Shit, wish I could swap. (not Carl, who is like a brother to me, just the places). Any way, google fort macon- atlantic beach. Then forget all the rich persons places, My sister has a small used trailer, but it is heaven to them. One street over from the beach, and they love it. I shoud not bitch and moan, HB. I do ok. It aint the biltmore house ( google Asheville, NC, just an old house, with an old guy living in it.) And when they show up, saturday, I wondered what you would do. We are just going to cook some hamburgers, and eat some Ice cream. Every body like a differnt flavor ( and by the way, HB, durian is most definetly an acqired taste, thanks very much, and I might be a long time acqiring that) I was just gonna buy plain vanilla, a gallon, and they can pick their fave toppings . Happy fourth, Hb, and God bless Tom
But then again, I like rubarb, and can eat it raw,or raw turnips, or blackberrys, or green tomatoes. Same goes for corn. or raw beef, but not raw pork, or particularly chiken, or duck or tuna. I reakon it is the way we were grown up, HB. (I can eat liver, or potted meat, but not pazzole, go figure) any ways, happy 4th. Tom
HB, enjoyed so much of your travels entries. This one is also great of satay again. I made at home satay celup since none anywhere in San Francisco and chicken rice balls with recipe online. The guys love it very much. It like travling to Malaysia but better for now. Now about lok lok? When you are to try that?
i miss my hometown T-T
but locals dont really buy things from tan kim hock as it’s pricier compared to sam sok gong…u can find it in tesco, and mahkota parade…their green tea muachi is a must-try okie!
intestine satey, arghhh i miss it!
Try the fresh fruit juice stall manned by an elderly man at the side lane after Tan Kim Hock (ur last pic).
Tell him you are thirsty, heaty, having a headache or what ever ailments you have and he will blend a combination of fruits for you. Cheap and refreshing.
You didn’t try the chendol???
Ahh pork satay. How I miss you so. And satay celup.
chefmel: I saw it! I didn’t make any wishes though and now I wish I had. 🙁
It came true for you eh?
cwee: It’s an awesome place…just a bit too hot. 🙂
Tom Robinson: You too my friend. Happy Independance Day! 🙂
e: Heh! Thanks buddy! 🙂
Erica: Nice! You managed to make satay celup and chicken rice balls at home. 🙂
I eat lok-lok pretty often since it’s easy – there’s a lot of mobile trucks over here selling that. 🙂
annant: I think we went there too! Their flagship store is at Jonker Street right? They have a lot of interesting stuff there. I just had a request for the TKH dodol so we went there. 🙂
KY: Yeah, it’s pretty good. The thing I miss the most from Sarawak is chicken skin satay. No one sells that here.
TL: Interesting! I’ll go try it next time and see what concoction he comes up with.
We didn’t have time to check out the cendol. Next time! 🙂
Nicholas Leong: Awesome stuff eh? 🙂
Ish.. how come I didn’t receive any dodols from you?!! About the pork satay, I think it’s awesome to find pork satay in malaysia but how could they re-serve the unfinished satays by other patrons?!! What if the others licked the satay?!! eeewwww
Man I miss the Babi Satay…with some pineapple sauce nom nom.
ramps. a little bulb, native to only this area, and when eaten, raw, can cause you to be sent home from school. Most around here scrable thm into eggs. I hated them, but some persons around here love them. Kind of like blue cheese, truffels , or caviar. You love it or hate it, no middle ground. But hey, I like bleu chesse. Tom
🙁 I’m craving for satay.. but can’t eat satay now coz sick… *sob sob*
Ming Sate Hut was eeriely empty the day we went …hence we changed our mind and went to another named Xiang Ji …
same serving style, dump about 30 or 40 in front of you, and eat all you can manage.
the rest go back to the grill later.
please tell me if I did wrong, HB. I got them them two adjoing rooms ( four beds) overlooking the atriam and swiming pool. (no small feat,on july 4th weekend) The hotel has elevtors, so they wont have to climb stairs. It is paid for , by me. a great place. Shit, I would be happy. only 1.6 miles from my home, but I STILL feel bad. here they would have endured scracthy sheets, mice( maybe) poor
bath facilities and I sure ain’t got no indoor/out door pool or rec room, much less a high class resruraunt. tom
please tell me if I did wrong, HB. I got them them two adjoing rooms ( four beds) overlooking the atriam and swiming pool. (no small feat,on july 4th weekend) The hotel has elevtors, so they wont have to climb stairs. It is paid for , by me. a great place. Shit, I would be happy. only 1.6 miles from my home, but I STILL feel bad. here they would have endured scracthy sheets, mice( maybe) poor
bath facilities and I sure ain’t got no indoor/out door pool or rec room, much less a high class resruraunt. tom
eiling: I still got! I pass to you. 🙂
I’m heading to Genting tomorrow though, so next weekend?
Anyway, the fire from the grill would probably sanitize the satay so it’s alright. 😉
ShaolinTiger: Yeah, the sauce they use has pineapple in it eh?
Very interesting. 🙂
Tom Robinson: Why would eating ramps raw get you sent home from school?
For the record, I think you did GREAT mate. 🙂
Shirley Snow: I believe in eating watever you want, anytime. 😉
I still eat all sorts of shit when I’m sick of recovering from, say, tattoos or piercings. Never believed in food interactions. 🙂
J2Kfm: There was a HUGE group of Singaporean tourists in Ming Sate Hut the day we were there. Did you go on a weekend? 🙂
Hey HB.
Your Melaka trip reminded me of my impromptu trip there last year. Never regretted it though.
Now if I could just go there another time… XD
Doria: Sounds like fun! Yeah, let’s go for another one. I’ll love to go again and stay on board the ship. I’m going to Sri Lanka first though. =D
Nike Jordan
jordan
So you like Malacca satay celup? Me too … I used to think Capitol satay celup was nice but not until I chanced upon a new shop called Satay Celup Nyonya at Taman Melaka Raya, road heading towards Dataran Pahlawan. Unlike the others, this sauce has a tangy twist with a little bit of sweetness. I think this satay celup is now DE BEST!! Sedap sekali!! Hygienic and clean and each stick is only RM0.50 but it’s not halal tho!! Go try and judge it for yourself … Bon Appetit ;o)
Angel: Yeah, love the stuff. Thanks for the recommendation, will go and check it out next time I’m in Melaka. Tangy eh? Sounds promising! 🙂
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