Savoring Breakfast While Exploring Melaka

Those are delightful breakfasts amidst the simple and peaceful backdrop, reminiscent of everyday life. And from here, there's a humble Melaka that doesn't belong to the lingering tourists in my heart...

Indulging in Morning Delights During Melaka Tour

I woke up in the narrow room of a house at the end of Jonker Street, the famous pedestrian street of the riverside town of Melaka, Malaysia. In my mind, I immediately thought of the Famosa chicken rice balls I had read about somewhere, touted as one of the culinary delights to 'must-try' when visiting this charming pink town.

The scenery of the West Bank of the Melaka River had captivated me all through yesterday afternoon and evening, leaving my feet weary from walking. We hit the streets. It seemed too early still. The shuttered houses stood silent, the long street devoid of footsteps.

The flowers by the veranda were still damp with the night dew. Venturing into the narrow alleys, we encountered a few elderly folks quietly sweeping their houses, tidying up. Some local breakfast eateries sporadically scattered with patrons, the pot of boiling water emitting steam thick and warm.

Ancient architecture still bears the imprint of a once glorious and prosperous era, quietly retreating yet proudly standing tall.

The name of the Chicken Rice Ball eatery - Famosa, is etched as a quintessential dish of Melaka. A leisurely stroll yesterday evening led me to spot the prominent Famosa eatery on the street, bustling with customers, some even queuing for a table.

Perhaps in the morning when tourists from the East Bank of the Melaka River have yet to arrive, I'll have a chance to enjoy breakfast without the hassle of waiting.

Thinking so, I wandered back towards the main street of Jalan Hang Jebat intersecting with Jalan Hang Kasturi, easily spotting the red-painted double-fronted house at the corner, rich in Chinese influences with its patterns and colors.

Indeed, in the morning with few customers, just a few scattered individuals. We easily chose a table right next to the counter to observe how others ordered before choosing our own dishes.

Inside the restaurant, the walls are painted in two dominant colors, yellow and red, adorned with a few paintings, photos evoking memories of old Melaka. Surrounding us are round tables, encircled by stone-faced round chairs.

During busy evenings like yesterday, guests have to both eat and share in the cramped space, which can feel quite stuffy due to the layout's impact.

The restaurant's menu offers quite a variety of Chinese dishes, but the main focus is the chicken rice ball served with boiled/roasted chicken, duck, and roasted pork.

Similar to Vietnam, fully-cooked chicken or duck (boiled or roasted) hangs gracefully in glass cabinets, with shiny or golden crispy skin, enticingly appetizing.

The rice, cooked wet, is smooth and formed into adorable round balls, cooked with chicken broth instead of water as usual. Because it's cooked with chicken broth, it tends to be a bit greasy, making it quite filling. Typically, eating around five rice balls is just right.

For breakfast, I chose a plate of chicken rice balls with roasted chicken thigh. The chicken is fried tender, with crispy brown skin, richly flavored, served with five adorable rice balls, and a bowl of soy sauce with diced green chili.

At first glance, the rice balls seem few, but in the end, it's a quite satisfying and energizing breakfast, ensuring I'll have plenty of stamina to explore both the East and West Banks of Melaka throughout the day.

The next morning, I decided to wake up early to have more time to wander the streets along the West Bank of the Melaka River.

I found delight in strolling alone through the deserted streets, the scent of the night mist, damp walls, musty foliage, the distant sounds of early morning doors opening, the aroma of incense burning in the ancient temples and hundred-year-old mosques.

Passing by a crowded local eatery opposite the Kampung Kling Mosque, I stopped out of curiosity. The owner, a silver-haired man, was standing on the porch chatting with customers, warmly inviting me in Mandarin with a friendly smile.

That smile gave me a considerable boost of confidence in the famous tourist district of Jalan Tukang.

As usual, I would choose a table and observe the surrounding diners to find a dish that suited me. It was then that I noticed the petite dishes, each containing 1-2 or 3 pieces of food, with a variety of dishes neatly arranged on the table.

It turns out I had stumbled upon a Chinese dim sum restaurant, which had become one of the top signature dishes bearing strong Chinese influence worldwide.

Dim sum refers to a variety of dishes prepared with a thin outer dough layer filled with a diverse range of fillings such as meat, fish, vegetables, roots, seafood, seasoned with savory and sweet spices, then either fried or steamed to perfection, featuring intricate and enticing presentations.

The owner brought over a tray of food, and I began selecting my favorite dishes, asking about the ingredients as I chose. I mainly opted for steamed dishes, with a variety of fillings including vegetables, meat, fish, and seafood, each on its own plate to ensure I could savor as many varieties as possible.

We joyfully savored breakfast in an old-fashioned and cluttered shop. At one point, I even dashed into the kitchen to peek at the stacked bamboo steamers on the stove, keeping the food warm before serving. I requested permission from the owner to snap a few pictures.

A cheerful girl always kept an eye on the bustling kitchen area, lifting the lid of the steamer to reveal incredibly delicious cakes, perhaps the best I've ever tasted, surpassing even the renowned ones from Thogezhuang, Zhangjiajie, Hubei, China.

I sat indoors, with the aroma of the dim sum dishes still wafting. Outside on the veranda, a table with empty plates, where a few locals had finished their breakfast and were now gathering around a tea pot, some reading newspapers, others chatting with neighboring guests or the shop owner.

The simple and tranquil scene, reminiscent of everyday life. And that day, there was a humble Melaka that didn't belong to the tourists, nestled in my heart...

By Tuoitre.vn

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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour