In Malacca we stayed at the comfortable Hatten Hotel Melaka (I will post a separate entry on this) and because we eat our breakfasts here already at the Chatterz Restaurant, I did not want to have anything to do with the hotel anymore when it comes to food. I’d like to try other places and experience the real Malaysia, the real local food in Malacca.
Roadside Cafeteria and the Cockroach
My parents are game with my plan but on our first night, the mother was extremely tired from our Malacca day sightseeing that for dinner she does not want to go anywhere far. We managed however to cross the street from the hotel and ate at this roadside cafeteria. When my mother says she cannot walk any more further, we must, regrettably, stop and literally forage for a restaurant within a 100-metre radius, 200-metre max. This is how we came to this local roadside cafeteria on the ground floor of the Dataran Pahlawan Megamall across Hatten.
As we ordered our dinner I saw from the corner of my eyes a cockroach crawling on the floor, and then the despicable thing quickly darted across to hide under the sewage lid several feet away. It was also when I noticed that the people eating here just threw their garbage on the floor (like plastic candy wrappers and such, and a few cigarette butts). The scene made me really want to barf and run away. I really cringe at the thought of eating at this place but I gathered myself up and bit my lip.
I will eat here. Stop being such a primadonna. We will eat here and it is going to be OKAY!
I reasoned out that this is going to be an interesting experience to add to my endless list of truly going local and seeing the real Malaysia and not just the so-called nice places. If this is some sort of consolation, someone came and broomed away the littered plastic garbage on the floor. They must have read my mind or noticed me staring blankly at the floor. And I did not tell my parents about the cockroach though.
When the food arrived, I tried not to think of the pesky insect. It was not easy to withdraw the thought but I pulled it through. Hoorah =)
Malaysian Food: Nasi Goreng, Mee Goreng Mamak
The noodle soup was a special order for me, tweaked, without milk coconut which is typical in Malaysian soups (think of laksa) and without pepper and chilli, again very typical in Malaysian dishes.
A few days ago, I was food poisoned in the Philippines and was very sick but I managed to catch the plane to Singapore and got treated there before the trip to Malaysia. Read here: Food Poisoned in the Philippines, got Treated in Singapore, and now in Malaysia.
Having said that, I stayed away from dairy, oily and hot food for the first two days in the country.
Little did we know that inside the mall on the topmost floor are countless of restaurants waiting for us. We could have walked a little bit further huh? With this trip, I think my mom learned to deny herself a little bit more and to walk a bit further, albeit, next time =)
The food here though was quite good, very tasty. The fresh watermelon juices were spectacular, we all agreed it was one of the best we have ever tasted so far. If I will not have to think of the cockroach I would like to give this cafeteria 4 stars out of 5.
Travel Period: August 2013
Destination: Malacca (Malacca), Malaysia
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