Lingua Gustatio: TOP 5 BEST LUNCHES in Malacca!

Despite living in a heavenly food hub - Penang, I find myself allured to another UNESCO World Heritage Site Malacca. The state is rich with historical buildings and colonial structures and most importantly, its local delicacies are the gem of all. Here are the TOP 5 luncheons I surveyed in this heritage city. 身在小吃琳琅满目的槟城，我今天逃离岛屿，来到了另一个UNESCO古迹城市：马六甲。同时也搜集了5大午餐地点来分享给大家。

1. AH LANG BAK KUT TEH @ BATU BERENDAM 阿兰肉骨茶

Upon our arrival, we headed to this Bak Kut Teh shop which was introduced by our local friend. The restaurant is usually jam-packed and requires long queue especially during holidays but fortunately, the food was served pretty fast on our visit. 才刚刚一抵达马六甲，我们的好朋友就带我们吃当地人推荐的肉骨茶。由于是星期四，人潮还不算很多，食物都很快地呈上。

Yam rice is one of the essentials along with Bak Kut Teh. Oh well, I was having chicken pox so I refrained myself from taking that (yes, yam is one taboo/ pantang item when you get the chick pox =.= ), thus another bowl of white rice is opted. 芋头饭是肉骨茶的好搭档。很可惜，刚刚出水痘还不能吃芋头（据说吃了会痒痒）所以我就点了白饭啦。

Stewed Pork Trotters 焖猪脚

The trotters were well marinated with dark soy sauce and stewed until they turned completely soft and delicate with all the brimming collagen cinched interiorly. 用黑酱油焖出来的猪脚，多汁又柔软，吃了可以补上胶原蛋白哦。

Here comes the gist - Bak Kut Teh filled with mushrooms, celery, meatballs and tender pork. Well,  we were stunned by the generous portion of the soup full with all the ingredients. It was the heartiest meal ever! So, my recommendation is to order perhaps 3 persons' portion for 4 pax. (Yeah, we ordered the huge portion for 4 and we were struggling to gulp as much as we could. too greedy liao) 主角来啦！里头有蘑菇，金针菇，芹菜，肉丸和猪肉块。这一锅真的是让我们又哭又笑。笑的当然是很美味啦，哭的是实在是太大锅了因为我们叫了四人份。（其实，四个人应该叫三人份就足够啦）

The highlight was the homemade meatballs which were squishy and springy.  

肉丸是老板自制的，肉质真实，而且又非常弹牙。

Taste: 8/ 10
Price: 7.5/ 10 (RM75 for 4 pax)
Service: 7/ 10
Ambience: 6/ 10
Location: No. 70, Jalan Mutiara Melaka 2, Batu Berendam, Malacca
Contact: 012-6077010
Revisit? Yup

2. KEDAI MAKAN HENG LONG (TAIWAN BEEF NOODLE & PORK CHOP NOODLE) 兴隆台湾面馆

Fancy some Taiwan food? No, you don't have to fly there as the authentic cuisine will be presented in front of you here. This shop has been operating since thirty years ago and all the recipe are genuinely from Taiwan as the owner is born and bred in Taiwan. 在马六甲也可以吃到台湾小特色因为这间台湾面馆是由一名台湾老伯创办的，已经有几十年的历史了。

  Spicy Beef Noodle (Small RM5.50, Large Rm6) 牛肉面

The best selling item is this Taiwanese beef noodle. As we know, top 3 Taiwanese cuisine includes beef noodle certainly. Undoubtedly, this is the best selling item of all. You could opt for dried noodle or noodle soup as below. It was very aromatic due to the unique spices and also the noodle texture is indeed soft and fine. 

最畅销的就是这台湾牛肉面。你可以选择干的或者是汤面的。那特别爽口的面条搭上了浓浓的酱汁，实在是回味无穷。

 Beef Noodle Soup (Small RM5.50, Large Rm6) 牛肉面汤

I had a sip of the soup and it was genuinely rich but creamily spicy! 

The beef soaked in the fiery hot soup was markedly tender and juicy.

这款呢就是搭上了热腾腾的汤。汤汁有浓厚的牛肉味，相信是熬煮了许久的吧。

 Pork Chop Noodle (Small RM5, Large RM5.50) 猪排面

The pork pieces are all seasoned perfectly and I love the sharp crispness even on a gentle bite.  

香脆猪排是第二招牌。很喜欢它的咸香五香味，配上了面条变得更有滋味。。

 Pork Chop (RM3.20) 排骨

Can't get enough of pork chop? Just request for another side dish then. 如果嫌不够的话，可以另外再点一盘解馋。

Taste: 8/ 10

Price: 7.5/ 10 

Service: 8/ 10

Ambience: 7/ 10

Location: No. 11-J, Jalan Bachang, 75350 Malacca

Contact: 606-2842529

Revisit? Yup

3. NANCY'S KITCHEN (NYONYA CUISINE)

Whenever we visit Malacca, this restaurant is definitely a must-go. Baba Nyonyas are the basically the descendents of multiracial marriage between Chinese immigrants and Malay locals in the 15th century. Therefore, the Chinese customs are assimilated into the local populations and thus, the heavenly nyonya cuisine emerged since then!

每回我们来到马六甲，当然不可以错过当地的娘惹菜。相信大家都知道娘惹菜的创造是因为在十五世纪，由于华人和马来人的结合吸取了双方的厨艺而引发出来的。

Top Hat/ Pai Tee (RM5.80 for 5 pcs) 高帽

The hat-like pastry shell is stuffed with various ingredients like shredded turnips, carrots and parsley. We love the deep fried floury shell which still remains the light crisp texture and also the sweet and spicy taste in it. 这可爱的小帽子是娘惹小菜之一。香脆的外皮塞满了沙葛，胡萝卜，香菜和其他香料。酸甜微辣，味道丰富。

 Popia (RM3.80 x 1 pc) 薄饼

This popiah is another tempting appetizer and it slightly differs from the typical one. Other than the mengkuang, onions, vegetables, it includes another particular ingredient: fried lard which enhances the aroma. 这薄饼是有点与众不同因为除了沙葛，洋葱和蔬菜，还添加了猪油渣。所以整个味道都大大提升了。

 Nyonya Laksa RM8 娘惹叻沙

This is a type of laksa lemak which is way creamier and rich in taste due to high contents of santan (coconut milk). There are assorted ingredients which contain tender chicken pieces, fish cakes, prawns, chopped garlic and shredded cucumber. 这款叻沙是比较油腻的是因为由椰奶熬成的。里头还有很多材料，鸡肉，鱼饼，虾子，葱蒜和黄瓜丝。

 Nyonya mixed vegetables (Nyona Chap Chai) (Small RM8, Medium RM10, Large RM12) 娘惹什菜

Despite looking plain and achromatic, the vege is actually pretty delectable and much alike with our homecooked food. It was sweetly fragrant with the wine sauce I assume which I adore very much.

虽然看起来是平淡无奇的一道菜，但其实是非常有家乡味的。没有错的话，酱汁应该是由绍兴酒煮成的。

Ayam/ Babi Pongteh (Small RM15, Medium RM18, Large RM25) 娘惹豆瓣酱燜猪肉

Every scion of Baba Nyonya family should master this as this is the signature dish of  Nyonya communities. It is braised meat with fermented soy bean with all the condiments like chopped shallots and garlic. The fully flavoured pork was simmered for some time and it could utterly melt in your mouth. I bet you would consume another bowl of rice.

每个娘惹家户都会煮的就是这菜式啦。首先呢，那猪肉得放豆瓣酱去焖煮，再加上葱蒜，所有味道完全的吸进去肉里面。相信你一定会添加多一碗饭。

 Chicken/ Pork Rib with Black Nut (Ayam/ Bak Buah Keluak) (Small RM15, Medium RM18, Large RM25) Buah Keluak (RM2 for 1 pc) 黑果鸡肉

The black nut/ buah keluak is a type of kernel native in Malaysia and Indonesia and is the essential dish among the Nyonyas. You have to dig the paste inside the nut and blend in with the rice. It tastes rather salty and charred but it is hard to be described until you try it yourself. 

这黑果肉是本地的一种果实。怎么吃呢？就 是把里头的果肉挖出来配饭吃。它的味道是咸咸的，又有些碳烧味，自己得尝尝看才能了解这味道啦。

Cendol (RM3.50) 煎蕊

Lastly, the dessert cendol with gula melaka was served! 马来西亚甜点送上来啦。

The thick heavy candylike syrup is different with the typical cendol as it is made of Gula Melaka. It is a sugar assortment comprised of coconut palm and carries a unique fragrance to this icy dessert.

唯一不同的是，这糖浆是放了马六甲糖（椰糖）。吃起来特别的香浓又甜腻，非常的好吃。

Taste: 8.5/ 10

Price: 7/ 10 

Service: 6/ 10

Ambience: 7/ 10

Location: Jalan Hang Lekir, Off Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (Beside Jonker Street)

Contact: +606-2836099

Operating Hours: 11AM - 5.30PM

Revisit? Yup (be prepared to queue for at least one hour during holidays)

4. HUANG CHANG CHICKEN RICE BALL 煌昌海南鸡饭

Malacca has another designation dish which is Chicken Rice Ball. All the rice would be rolled into a pingpong ball size and it goes along with steamed chicken. 马六甲鸡饭还有一个特色，就是鸡饭粒。大小均匀的兵乓饭粒，可爱又饱实。

Steamed Chicken (Large) 白斩鸡

We had one whole chicken for 4 pax and the price is extremely reasonable. (We paid RM8 each for 10 of us) Besides its generous portion, the poultry is actually silky smooth and well seasoned with garlic and sesame oil. 

香滑的鸡肉有浓郁的麻油蒜味，很是美味。经济又大份是我们可以给与的形容词。

每人才付了八零吉而肚子也吃到饱饱的。

As usual, gotta line up for food again. (I wonder how many hours I spent solely on queuing in this trip) 

假日就是必须排长龙的。。。等到肚子都咕噜咕噜了。

Taste: 7/ 10

Price: 8.5/ 10 (Cheaper than other shops)

Service: 7/ 10

Ambience: 6/ 10

Location: BB-376, Taman Melaka Baru, Batu Berendam, Malacca

Contact: +606-3170299

Operating Hours: 6.45AM - 3PM (Closed on Thursday)

Revisit? Yup

5. CHUNG WAH CHICKEN RICE BALL 中华茶室海南鸡饭

Lastly, the key of this post goes to the supreme star Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball which made us queue for almost one and a half hour. 最后呢，是这鸡场街老招牌鸡饭粒。

See the long string of all earlybirds at 8AM. 又是排队的时候。救命啊！

The outmoded interior reminisces about the aged era of grandparents. 

复古的环境，很像小时候公公婆婆的老家。。

Frankly, the balls are more rich and oily but that captures us best with its ample moisture and fragrance. 

看到那油亮的饭粒吗？非常非常的香而且还粒粒分明！

 Ta-daa, the steamed chicken is here. This is one full chicken which can be shared for 4-5 ppl. Similar to Huang Chang Chicken Rice Ball, it scents primarily from the soy sauce and sesame oil. 

这鸡肉除了本身的肉香味，主要还可以尝到香浓的酱油和麻油味。配上了鸡饭粒，排一个小时的队也值得啦。

Taste: 9/ 10

Price: 7/ 10 

Service: 6/ 10

Ambience: 7/ 10

Location: 18, Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonker Street)

Operating Hours: Mon-Fri 8.30AM - 3PM, Sat, Sun and Public Holidays 8.30AM - 4PM

Revisit? Yup (If only I don't have to queue again...)

Stay tuned for my next post. Top 5 Dinners in Malacca