Last updated on November 4th, 2017 at 11:38 pm
Isaac asking his daddy “what’s so good abt Satay Celup”
Some of the food places we would recommend in Malacca and how baby-friendly are they:
1) Portuguese settlement (Bargain with Stall 1 or 3, depends on what you order seriously)
If you are looking for seafood and you are driving, look no further than Portuguese settlement. Their Burnt crab and Portuguese fish dishes are some of the most delicious in the world! There are only 8 stalls there and all serve similar seafood dishes. There will be aggressive touting, even before you alight from your car. We frequent stalls No. 1 and 3 which are more popular so expect a longer wait.
There was once Hubby and I have waited so long till it started to rain, but the food was so good we just continued to eat in the rain.
I guess the main issue if you bring a baby is that you would be exposed to the elements. They’re only open for dinner and with the sea breeze it’s not too hot. But if your baby is like ours, he may get irritated easily. Also not sure if they have any baby chairs.
We have always loved the ambience and the sea view but with Baby Isaac…
Baby Isaac says “meh!”
2) Pak putra (Depends on what you order but generally about RM30-50)
Pak putra is located near Jonker street. It is a short distance from Casa del Rio hotel but the place can be quite dark at night. Some of the most authentic northern Indian food is offered here. Tandoori chicken and their cheese naans are a must try and prices are affordable (The “kiam” in me is shouting: RM8 for yummilicious Tandoori Chicken! Where to find?)
There are baby chairs available. The only downside is the place may be VERY VERY crowded on weekends, and the wait for the Tandoori VERY VERY long.
3) Nancy’s Kitchen (Depends on what you order but generally <RM50)
There are many popular Nyonya restaurants in Malacca (duh!), and each have their loyal following. We have tried before Nyonya Makko and Ole Sayang (both located in Melaka raya) but our favourite is still Nancy’s kitchen. They were previously located at Jonker Street where long queues await, but have recently moved to a larger, three storey restaurant and they even have diaper changing facilities!
Beware: although the queues were not as jaw-droppingly long as before, their loyal following have followed them to the new place and they do not take reservations, so be sure to go early.
We like their ayam buah keras (candlenut chicken), kueh pie tie and chendol.
4) Chicken rice ball (About RM30 for 2pax)
We have tried both Chung wah and Hoe Kee (they are almost side by side) at Jonker. I think the rice at Chung wah is more fragrant but Hubby thinks they’re both comparable. What’s different is the long loooong queues in the hot sun for Chung wah and a lot of times they are sold out by 2pm. Prices are about the same and for 2 people, its about RM20. Queue at your own risk with baby (we didn’t).
5) Lois Beef Bak Kut Teh (Around RM30 for 2pax)
This little known Bak Kut The place in not located in Malacca city centre but along the way into Malacca town after exit from Ayer Keroh. We tried it once for fun on our first trip to Malacca and have included it in our eating itinerary on every trip since. The strong peppery taste in the soup is real shook!! But May be an acquired taste for some. Surprisingly, at such a nondescript place, there are baby chairs provided!
The Drive…
I think a post on how to bring baby to Malacca will not be complete without some mention on the journey itself.
Baby Isaac was quite well behaved and had several good naps throughout the drive. We managed to get his diaper changed at the Macchap hentian where surprisingly there is actually a baby change room. And I had my first public feed in the car. Which went quite well actually.
The return trip was a different story altogether. The hentian we stopped at had its toilets under renovation. And by the time I realised a poonami situation, it was too late. I had poo all over myself. So in panic we just decided to change him on the bench right in plain sight of everyone.
It was a mess and the flies had a field day.
Luckily I still had one last unused onesie in the bag out of sheer luck. I think I must have used a hundred antiseptic wipes to clean him up once my wits returned.
We think he wants to take revenge for us stripping him in public so he acted up since that stop. And the horrendous jam at Singapore customs didn’t help matters. I had to keep singing and entertaining him for more than an hour. Until we cleared customs and he fell asleep immediately .
Baby Isaac:
Mummy complained about me misbehaving in the car, but how would YOU like it if you were stripped naked on an uncomfortable bench and then made to sit in the car for two hours straight with the car not moving at all? I was going stir crazy!
But that aside, I had alot of fun with mummy and daddy during my two trips to Malacca and would like to have many more in future!
Read our http://www.theastuteparent.com/2016/05/30/malacca-travel-hotels for the hotels segment!
Do you have any recommendations for food in Malacca? We would love to hear from you! Subscribe to our free E-newsletter to receive the a free e-book on financial tips!