Over two indulgent days in historic Melaka, one foodie family dives into a nearly non-stop culinary adventure, discovering delicious local favourites and unforgettable Nyonya flavours along the way.

Malaysians and international visitors alike love Melaka not only for its places of historical interest, but also for its cuisine. That’s because Melaka has plenty of restaurants and eateries, especially the ever-popular Nyonya ones. The plan was for my relatives and me to meet up in Melaka and have a great time enjoying an almost non-stop foodie experience while sightseeing.

It was a sunny afternoon when I arrived at the lovely Casa del Rio hotel in Melaka to meet my relatives – just in time for a late lunch. After settling into my room, my two siblings, my Singaporean uncle and his family, and I walked across to Heritage Flavours restaurant at Lorong, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, just about 200 metres away from the hotel. We settled down in the main dining area at a table for the seven of us. The interior of the restaurant was uniquely decorated with multicoloured umbrellas hung upside down from the two-storey glass roof ceiling, which illuminated the dining hall in a cascade of colour. The atmosphere was indeed interesting – and so was the menu.

We all ordered drinks and individual meals, and shared a huge serving of Pai Tee, a popular Nyonya snack consisting of a savoury, crispy deep-fried pastry shell filled with shrimp, yam bean, and carrots. My uncle, my brother, and I ordered curry laksa for our main meals, while the others ordered different Nyonya delicacies. My large bowl of curry laksa, rich in coconut milk and curry broth, was heavenly to savour. The two prawns, together with the cockles that came with the noodles, were quickly and delightfully eaten. For dessert, we all ordered chendol, also rich in coconut milk and palm sugar. After the meal, we were very full and waddled back to the hotel.

After a shower and a rest at the hotel, we dressed for dinner and went down to the lobby, where we caught two Grab cars to Restaurant Ban Lee Siang at Jalan Ong Kim Wee. The restaurant was crowded, but we managed to get a table along the five-foot way. The restaurant specializes in lok lok, or long thin skewers of raw food that are dipped into a bubbling, in-table hotpot of peanut sauce (or broth) to be cooked and eaten. There were skewers of poultry, various types of meats and organs, a variety of seafood, different types of eggs, tofu, mushrooms, vegetables, and many other items. Altogether, we ate over 120 sticks! After dinner, we got a ride to the Melaka River and embarked on a river boat cruise, which was spectacular – full of the sights, sounds, and lights of Melaka’s cityscape by night.

After the boat ride, we walked back to the hotel, but not before stopping at a café by the river for another round of chendol. This time, it was served with Musang King durian. It was rather pricey, but every mouthful made it worth it! After finishing our dessert, we headed back to the hotel with satisfied smiles on our faces.

The next morning, we enjoyed a humongous Western and Asian breakfast buffet, which was included with the hotel stay. After the meal, we visited A’Famosa, the old Portuguese fortress, and later the Malay and Islamic World Museum. It was lunchtime by the time we finished with the museum, so we moved on to Peranakan Mansion restaurant. The restaurant was richly decorated with antique furniture, and the staff were attentive and eager to please. We ordered Nyonya dishes including seafood soup with fish maw and abalone, otak-otak, curry assam fish, chicken rendang, prawns, pork, and a few other items. It was a splendid meal, enjoyed in the splendour of the surroundings.

Upon leaving, we decided to have drinks at The Baboon House nearby. The ambiance and interior were really out of this world. There was an indoor garden, and the restaurant stretched far to the back, with multiple atmospheric sections. The drinks menu was varied and full of creative options. We sat chatting, sipping our drinks, and soaking in the unique atmosphere before walking back to the hotel.

For dinner that night, we e-hailed our way to Amy Heritage Nyonya Cuisine restaurant in Taman Melaka Raya, which was quite a distance from the hotel. The restaurant wasn’t fancy, but the food was unforgettable – and it turned out to be the highlight of our trip. We had deep-fried fish steaks, special fried chicken, acar, fermented vegetables, assam prawns with petai, tofu, and three other dishes. The fish and chicken really stood out. Everything was so well cooked and delicious that we had no problem polishing off every dish. It was my favourite meal in Melaka, and I made a vow to return to this restaurant the next time I visit.

After dinner, we returned to the hotel but didn’t go in straightaway. Instead, we walked to Jonker Street night market. The street was lined with stalls on both sides and packed with people. We bought some Nyonya kuih to take back to the hotel, and I treated myself to a long skewer of potato twirl, something I’d always wanted to try. I ate it while walking through the busy street. After buying a few more items, we returned to the hotel and enjoyed the kuih with tea and coffee in the guest lounge.

On our last morning in Melaka, we had another big breakfast buffet at the hotel. Later, the hotel arranged a short city tour for us in their van. We were driven to the Portuguese village, where we walked along the esplanade and took many photos. For an early lunch, we were taken to a restaurant called Nancy’s Kitchen, where we enjoyed Nyonya dishes including pork stew, chicken, prawns, vegetables, steamed fish, and dessert. Yet another satisfying meal.

After lunch, we returned to the hotel and were picked up at 1.30pm in a 12-seater car with our luggage for the next leg of our holiday. Though it was a short visit, it was a truly gastronomic experience. I had eaten to my heart’s content, and this memory will remain with me for a long time.