Malaysia road trip - Day 14 (Johor Bahru

Day 14 of our Malaysia road trip took us from Johor Bahru to Malacca, with a brunch stop before hitting the highway. After checking out from Four Points by Sheraton Johor Bahru, we left the city around 11am and made our first stop at Chaah Noodles, which was about a 30-minute drive (13.4km) from the hotel.

I ordered the JB wantan noodles with thin noodles served dry in a small portion, while my partner chose the Chaah wantan noodles with slightly thicker noodles, also served dry in a small portion. The noodles are available dry, in soup, or with curry, and both bowls came topped with slices of char siu and pork lard. I personally preferred the JB wantan noodles. The thin noodles were springy with a satisfying bite, and the seasoning coated them well, giving each mouthful plenty of flavour. They tasted even better when mixed with the fresh green chili on the side, which added a clean, crisp heat without overpowering the noodles. The char siu was thinly sliced with a light sweetness, while the wantan was decent, though not particularly memorable.

My partner’s thicker noodles were less impressive. They felt heavier and didn’t taste as flavourful as the thin noodles. We also added a small order of dry kampung pan mee. Unfortunately, this wasn't a favourite. The noodles were firmer, and while the anchovies were crispy, they leaned quite salty. The fish ball and pork ball were also fairly average. The fish ball had a slight fishy taste, and the pork ball was quite firm with more tendon than meat.

We also had a teh c ping without sugar. It was light with a slight sour note, refreshing enough for a late meal, but didn’t really stand out. Overall, it was a simple brunch stop. The JB wantan noodles were the clear highlight, while the rest of the dishes were just okay. Still, it did its job well, filling us up before continuing our journey to Malacca.

(Total bill - RM 34.80)

Chaah Noodles

Teh c ping (without sugar) - RM 4

JB wantan noodles with thin noodles served dry (small) - RM 9.50

Wantan and chili

Chaah wantan noodles with slightly thick noodles served dry (small) - RM 9.50

Dry kampung pan mee (small) - RM 10.30

Soup with fish ball and meat ball

Address:

Chaah Noodles

41, Jalan Sagu 18,

Taman Daya,

81100 Johor Bahru,

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Tel: +6011 - 5507 2108

Opening hours: 7.30am to 7.30pm - Monday to Friday / 7.30am to 5.45pm - Saturday and Sunday

It took us about three hours to reach Malacca. We left Johor Bahru at 12.20pm and arrived at around 3.35pm, with me taking over the wheel for about 40 minutes along the way. As soon as we arrived, we headed straight to Wong Specialist Clinic as my partner had a 3.40pm appointment. Masks were required inside, and they even provided one at the entrance, which made things convenient.

The waiting time was longer than expected. Even though the appointment was scheduled for 3.40pm, we only got called in about an hour later, at around 4.45pm. The consultation itself was quite brief, lasting around 15 minutes, and was completed by about 5pm. The total cost came up to RM 250, which covered the consultation only.

This visit was mainly a follow-up. My partner had been dealing with a dandruff issue, and Dr Wong had helped manage it previously. This time, we returned for further advice and to check on progress. The consultation was straightforward, focused on continuing the treatment plan and keeping the condition under control. After finishing up, it felt good to finally settle into Malacca properly and move on with the rest of the day.

Wong Specialist Clinic Sdn Bhd

Address:

Wong Specialist Clinic Sdn Bhd

61, Jalan PJ 1,

Taman Pertam Jaya,

75050 Melaka

Tel: +606 - 281 2000

Opening hours: 9.30am to 4.30pm. Closed on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday

Before checking in to the hotel, we stopped for an early dinner at Wild Coriander Cafe. We ordered nasi lemak with beef rendang and chicken devil curry. The meal looked promising at first, but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to our expectations. The nasi lemak itself was just average. The anchovies were quite hard and lacked the crispiness we were hoping for. The peanuts were big and fresh, which was a nice touch, but that was about the highlight of the rice set.

The beef rendang was tender, but the curry flavour felt a bit flat and didn’t stand out. The chicken devil curry was more disappointing. The chicken didn’t taste very fresh and we actually couldn’t finish it, as there was an aftertaste that put us off a bit. Both dishes were quite spicy, but the heat didn’t really make up for the lack of depth in flavour. Overall, it wasn’t a satisfying meal and probably not somewhere we would return to.

(Total bill - RM 64.75)

Wild Coriander Melaka. Iced water - RM 1 each

Chicken devil curry - RM 29.90

Nasi lemak with beef rendang - RM 26.90

Beef rendang

Address:

Wild Coriander Melaka

40, Jalan Kampung Pantai,

75200 Melaka

Tel: +6012 - 380 7211

Opening hours: 12pm to 10pm. Last order 9pm. Closed on Wednesday

On the way to the hotel, we made a quick stop at Bunga Raya Popiah. There was no queue when we arrived, although we noticed a sign mentioning that purchases would be limited to 15 pieces per person if the queue became too long. The popiah is freshly made on the spot, with fillings that include jicama, bean sprouts, egg, onion, and pork lard, along with a spicy kick from the seasoning. The skin was quite chewy, and taste-wise, it didn’t quite work for me. The spiciness was also quite strong and ended up overpowering some of the other flavours. Overall, I found it just okay rather than something I would go back for. However, my partner really enjoyed it, so it may come down to personal preference.

Bunga Raya Popiah

Address:

Bunga Raya Popiah

124, Jalan Munshi Abdullah,

Kampung Jawa,

75100 Melaka

Tel: +6019 - 677 5959

Opening hours: 10.30am to 7pm

We checked in at Courtyard by Marriott Melaka at around 6.50pm and finally got a chance to settle in after a long day of travelling and clinic visits. After a short rest, we headed out again at 9.05pm for satay celup. It had been quite a while since we last had it, and we noticed the shop had even relocated since our previous visit. This time, there was no queue when we arrived, which felt very different from what we remembered. The crowd also seemed to have changed, with a noticeable number of Chinese tourists dining there.

The pricing was straightforward, with long sticks at RM 1.40, short sticks at RM 3, and colour sticks at RM 2 each. In total, we had 18 long sticks, 6 short sticks, and 3 colour sticks. The setup was the classic satay celup style, where you pick skewers from a fridge and cook them directly in a shared pot of simmering peanut sauce at your table. The sauce leaned slightly sweet and wasn’t particularly spicy, making it easy to enjoy but a little less punchy than we expected. It had a thick, steady consistency that coated each skewer well, more comforting than bold, with the flavour building gradually the longer you dipped and stirred.

By the time we finished, our clothes had picked up the smell of the satay celup. It was quite noticeable, but that's to be expected when you're sitting over a pot of bubbling peanut sauce for an hour or so. We got back to the hotel around 11pm and spent the rest of the night relaxing after a long day of travelling.

(Total bill - RM 51.60)