Malaysia road trip - Day 17 (Malacca)

It was our fourth day in Malacca, and we decided to extend our stay for another day to discover more local food. We returned to Nyonya Secrets because we did not get the chance to try their ondeh-ondeh cake during our previous visit. Since we were there, we decided to have our brunch as well and try some of their other dishes.

We ordered the mee siam with rendang chicken, nasi lemak ayam masak merah, nyonya cendol, and ondeh-ondeh cake. The mee siam was one of the highlights of the meal. The vermicelli was cooked perfectly, with a nice texture that was neither too soft nor too firm. It was served with bean sprouts, cucumber, tofu, and slices of fish cake. I was glad that the bean sprouts were served separately, as I usually leave them out. Unfortunately, the rendang chicken was a little disappointing. It lacked the rich, aromatic flavours I had expected, and both the chicken and the rendang tasted rather bland. As a result, it did not complement the mee siam well, which made the overall dish less satisfying.

The nasi lemak, on the other hand, was enjoyable. The rice was fragrant, soft, and fluffy. The anchovies were slightly hard, but the kangkung was a pleasant addition as it was young and tender. The sambal had a nice balance of sweetness and spiciness. The ayam masak merah was on the sweeter side, but it lacked the depth of flavour we had hoped for. The chicken was also boneless, which made it convenient to eat but did not add much to the overall experience.

The ondeh-ondeh cake was a pleasant surprise. It was fluffy, moist, and enjoyable. However, the nyonya cendol was not as good as the one we had previously. The flavour seemed different this time, with a slight bitterness, and the gula Melaka was not as fragrant as before. My partner also ordered the sarsi, which came in nostalgic-looking packaging that reminded us of old-school drinks. The drink was not overly sweet and was without carbonation, but the flavour was just average.

(Total bill - RM 51.85 including 5% tax)

Huge menu

Nasi lemak ayam masak merah - RM 12.50

Mee siam rendang chicken - RM 12.50

Ondeh ondeh cake - RM 12.90

Nyonya cendol - RM 6

Sarsi - RM 5

Address:
Nyonya Secrets
60, Jalan Munshi Abdullah,
Kampung Jawa,
75100 Melaka
Tel: +6018 - 791 3379
Opening hours: 9.30am to 3pm. Closed on Thursday

After brunch, we visited the Malaysia Prison Museum and spent about 40 minutes exploring the exhibits. The museum provided an interesting and educational look into the history of the prison system, including the development of prisons, daily routines, and the lives of inmates in the past. The exhibits were informative and gave us a better understanding of the experiences behind the prison walls.

The museum was quite easy to explore within a short amount of time, with various displays and information boards throughout the area. Some sections were air-conditioned, which was a nice relief from the afternoon heat while walking around. Admission was free, and parking was also available at no cost, making it a worthwhile stop if you are looking for a unique and educational attraction in Malacca.

Malaysia Prison Museum

Souvenir shop

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Malaysia Prison Museum

Address:

Malaysia Prison Museum

Jln Parameswara,

Kampung Bandar Hilir,

75000 Melaka

Tel: +606 - 281 3548

Opening hours: 9am to 5pm. Closed on Monday

We then headed to Thong Shui Inn for a drink and some dessert. We ordered the mango juice with sour plum, fresh pandan coconut, and red bean with black sesame glutinous rice balls. The ordering process was convenient as we could simply scan a QR code to place our order. We also liked that they provided metal straws, which was a nice touch and a more environmentally friendly choice.

My partner’s fresh pandan coconut was refreshing, with a nice coconut flavour that was enjoyable on a warm day. However, my mango juice with sour plum was too sour for my liking and tasted more like mango cordial juice rather than fresh mango. We also ordered the red bean soup with black sesame glutinous rice balls. The red bean soup was on the sweeter side, and the beans were slightly firm. Personally, I prefer red bean desserts with softer, more mushy beans. The black sesame glutinous rice balls were disappointing as they were served cold and had a firm texture instead of being soft and chewy. Overall, the drinks were a mixed experience, and the dessert did not quite meet our expectations.

Thong Shui Inn. Mango juice sour plum - RM 7.90 and fresh pandan coconut - RM 7.50

 Red bean with black sesame glutinous rice balls - RM 5.90

Cold black sesame glutinous rice balls

Address:
Thong Shui Inn
35l, Jalan Kenanga 3/25,

Taman Kenanga Mewah,

75200 Melaka

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm

We headed back to the hotel at around 3pm. While my partner went for a head spa, gua sha, and leg massage, I stayed back at the hotel to get some work done. He returned around 6.30pm, and we headed out again for dinner. We had originally planned to visit Soupy Licious Restaurant the day before, but it was fully booked when we arrived. This time, my partner had made a reservation for two at 7pm, so we finally had the chance to try it. The restaurant has a small and cosy setting with limited seating, with only around 10 tables available. Even with the limited seating, the food took a while to be served.

We ordered the fried rice with XO scallop, steamed white pomfret (750g), dry curry pork, and peppercorn pig’s stomach soup. We also ordered an iced water and a warm water. We initially wanted to order the prawn dish, but the minimum order of 10 pieces was too much for us. The fried rice was the highlight of the meal. It was packed with flavour and came with two scallops and two prawns, making it one of the better dishes we had that night.

The dry curry pork, on the other hand, was a little disappointing. It was on the salty side and had some spiciness, but it lacked the depth of flavour and richness we were hoping for. The steamed white pomfret was just average as well. The fish did not have much flavour and tasted like it had been frozen, which affected the overall experience. The tofu served together with the steamed fish was one of the better parts of the dish, as it had a silky smooth texture and absorbed the flavours of the sauce well. The peppercorn pig’s stomach soup was also not to our liking, as it lacked flavour and did not leave much of an impression. Overall, Soupy Licious had a few good dishes, especially the XO scallop fried rice, but the rest of the dishes were rather underwhelming.

(Total bill - RM 259.35 including 5% tax)

Soupy Licious Restaurant

Iced and warm water - RM 0.50 each

Chili padi and garlic

Fried rice with XO scallop - RM 20

Peppercorn pig's stomach soup - RM 18

Dry curry pork - RM 28 

Steamed white pomfret 750g - RM 180

Address:
Soupy Licious Restaurant
No 1 & 3, Jalan Melaka Raya 13,

Taman Melaka Raya,

75000 Melaka

Tel: +6018 - 363 6868

Opening hours: 12pm to 10pm. Closed on Thursday

After dinner, we decided to take a leisurely walk around Mahkota Parade and Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall. Since it was already evening, the malls were a nice place to unwind after a full day of eating and exploring. We spent some time browsing the shops and walking around, enjoying the cooler indoor environment. Although we did not have any specific purchases in mind, it was a pleasant stop before heading to our last supper spot for the night.

Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall

Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall

Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall

Address:

Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall

Jln Merdeka, Banda Hilir,

75000 Melaka

Opening hours: 10am to 10pm

Our last food stop of the night was Pak Putra Restaurant, where we ordered the cheese naan, chicken tandoori, and two iced waters. The chicken tandoori was freshly prepared and arrived warm. The meat was tender and not dry, which was enjoyable, but we felt that it lacked the smoky charred flavour that we usually associate with tandoori chicken. There was also quite a generous amount of marinade paste on the chicken, which made the flavour a little heavier than expected.

On the other hand, the cheese naan was crispy around the edges, with a nice texture on the outside. However, we found that it was not as cheesy as we had hoped, so the cheese flavour was not as prominent as expected. After supper, we headed back to the hotel and arrived at around 10.10pm, marking the end of another food-filled day in Malacca.

(Total bill - RM 21.85)

Pak Putra Restaurant

Iced water

Chicken tandoori - RM 13

Cheese naan - RM 7

Dhal

Address:

Pak Putra Restaurant

56 & 58, Jalan 4,

Taman Kota Laksamana,

75200 Melaka

Tel: +6012 - 601 5876

Opening hours: 5pm to 1am. Closed on Monday