Instagram

.
Did you know? The POS kiosks in McDonald's Singapore has the option of adding extra patties for the breakfast burgers... but this is not available for lunch onwards.
.
Passed a drive-through in Malacca, Central Malacca, Malaysia, and saw that they can do double patties. I was, for a moment, tempted to do 4 patties. Maybe next time.

.
(Swipe) Stumbled upon this street hawker by chance, when we saw a long queue at the stall across several days.
.
The version from Malacca, Central Malacca, Malaysia, still has kway teow / flat rice noodles and yellow egg noodles stir-fried in pork lard over high heat, with light soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, eggs, sambal belacan / fermented shrimp paste chili, bean sprouts, shelled cockles, and fried pork lard cracklings.
.
However, it differs from the Singaporean version due to the omission of lup cheong / sliced chinese pork sausage, fish cake, and garlic chives.
.
An optional fried egg drizzled with dark sweet soy sauce can be added.
.
This has a lovely slippery chewy crunchy texture, with a bold smoky aroma of wok hei / breath of the wok, and good sweet salty savoury flavour. Queue about 15 minutes. Super decadent.
.
.
.
No Name Stall
154 Jalan Bunga Raya
Pengkalan Rama
Malacca
Central Malacca 75100
Malaysia
.
Thu - Tue: 8pm - 11pm, Closed Wed
More details in profile & blog

.
A popular local eatery specialising in Pork Satay.
.
Most people typically order much more than the requisite minimum of 10 sticks - each table averages around 50 - 100 sticks!.
.
Staff furiously grill these over charcoal in the semi-open kitchen, quickly scribbling down orders on large construction-size sheets of paper.
.
The pork loin is juicy and tender with a slight chew, pulling easily off the skewers. On its own, it has a bold savoury spice salty flavour.
.
The peanut dipping sauce is rich and thick, but has a pronounced sweet flavour that is stronger than the usual nutty savoury taste.
.
Pair with a plate of crunchy Cucumber & Red Onions (MYR RM1 / SGD $0.40), and sticky dense cubes of Ketupat Rice (MYR RM1.50 / SGD $0.50) for a complete meal.
.
.
.
Sun May Hiong Satay House
50 Jalan Kota Laksamana 1/1
Taman Kota Laksamana
Malacca
Central Malacca 75200
Malaysia
.
Thu - Sun: 10am - 6pm, Closed Mon - Wed
More details in profile & blog

.
Mornings at The Square Restaurant in the hotel.
.
This is a South Indian style flatbread, also known as Roti Prata in Singapore.
.
A staple dish made from frying a piece of tossed and spinned dough in ghee (clarified butter). Served with a choice of wet curry (chicken curry, fish curry, or dhal).
.
It usually has a crisp exterior, with a semi-thick doughy interior that has a chewy texture.
.
It's known as Veechu Parotta in its country of origin.
.
.
.
Novotel Melaka
More details in profile & blog

.
Sophisticated and elegant, with a layered complexity of flavours, Procera Gin is made with 10 key botanicals from East Africa and West Africa.
.
The bottle for Procera Gin (SGD $110 per 50cl bottle) itself is special, hand-made entirely in Nairobi, Kenya.
.
The artisan craftsmen of Kitengela Hot Glass Team from Anselm Croze Studios hand-blow each glass bottle, using 100% recycled glass.
.
This gin has a clear transparent colour, with a smooth balanced body. It tastes bright and refreshing, with good herbal earthy sweet flavour, and a lingering spice finish.
.
The essence is derived from high-altitude African juniper / juniperus procera, grown around 1,500m above sea level or more in Kenya, whose berries are harvested every August by the Kijabe Forest Trust, then flash frozen. These are blended with a tiny batch of dried European juniper / common juniper.
.
Other key African botanicals include pixie tangerine zest and dried Swahili lime from Kenya, acacia honey from Somalia, cardamom and mace from Zanzibar, pink peppercorn / baie rose (a type of berry, not pepper) from Madagascar, and coriander and orris root from Morocco.
.
The final of the 10 botanicals is selim pepper / grains of selim from Sierra Leone, a spice often used as a pepper substitute, with an unusual musky, woody, and peppery spice flavour, giving this beverage its distinctive finish.
.
.
.
Procera Gin
More details in profile & blog

.
There isn't a name for this cocktail, because I simply requested the bartender to make me anything that was rum based.
.
I understand this features a premium sipping rum, the Mount Gay 1703 Master Select, infused with a hint of chili, served with a handcrafted Kafe Utu ice cube, garnished with a juicy sour sweet black cherry, and a sliced whole red chili.
.
It has a rich amber copper colour, with aromas of vanilla, cloves, oak, and mango.
.
The body is full, rounded, and balanced, with tastes of golden raisins, red chili, toast bread, and banana.
.
Bold fruity sweet spice smoky flavour, with a delicate lingering finish.
.
.
.
Kafe Utu
More details in profile & blog

.
Despite its name, this isn't cooked in a tagine pot, but is still a tasty dish.
.
It features tender marinated chicken thigh fillets, grainy quinoa, bouncy black olives and green olives, soft charred white onions, and tender pickled lemon zest strips, completed with wispy micro-greens and saffron.
.
The complementing flavours of smoky savoury sweet to fresh vegetal sweet to briny salty zesty tangy sour, is complex yet balanced. I enjoyed this.
.
.
.
Kafe Utu
More details in profile & blog

.
The halwa is a traditional Indian and Middle Eastern dessert sweet. Traders introduced this when they sailed by the Kenyan coast in the past, and locals soon adopted it. Today, it's a popular dessert in Nairobi, Kenya.
.
This features bouncy chewy gelatinous cubes, made from tapioca starch, water, sugar, clarified butter (ghee), powdered nutmeg, powdered cardamom, rose water, and fresh dragonfruit juice to give it a lovely reddish hue. Has a fruity sweet floral flavour.
.
It's served with crunchy nutty salty sweet dukkha wafers (an Egyptian condiment), made from crushed hazelnuts, cashew nuts, macadamia nuts, pistachio nuts, salt, sugar, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, sesame seeds, and filo pastry. Glazed with a creamy earthy sweet coconut yoghurt to complete.
.
Actually very different from any other halwa I've eaten, but I like the taste and texture of this premium version.
.
.
.
Kafe Utu
More details in profile & blog

.
This is pure comfort food, a classic recipe handed down from the owner's family.
.
The spice marinated (garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, salt, black pepper) brinjal / eggplant / aubergine are roasted till tender, served with slow-braised tender beef cheek, and soft smoked file fish chunks, alongside fragrant fluffy basmati white rice.
.
A garnish of bouncy green peas, wispy micro-greens, crispy fried plantain slices, and a thick pepper sauce completes this tasty dish.
.
Bold savoury salty sweet spice peppery flavours here.
.
.
.
Kafe Utu
More details in profile & blog

.
This features a tender pan-seared marinated chicken thigh fillet, chunky mango salsa, a rather thin oily Macanese African coconut sauce, and large crisp grain patties (made from coconut rice and quinoa).
.
Completed with crunchy pickled cucumber strips and wispy pea shoots with micro-greens.
.
The only component I didn't like was the overly oily sauce. The refreshing sharp sour flavours of the pickled cucumber, the smoky toasted aroma of the earthy savoury grain patties, and the savoury smoky sweet salty flavours of the chicken, were all lovely.
.
.
.
Kafe Utu
More details in profile & blog

.
With Potato Salad & Mac And Cheese.
.
The cool crunchy waxy potato salad coated in light sour cream and garnished with spring onions has a light sour starchy sweet flavour.
.
The classic mac and cheese has gooey creamy cheese sauce over soft conchiglie seashell pasta tubes.
.
The fiery chicken thigh is juicy and tender, with a bold spicy savoury sweet flavour, and a short lingering burn.
.
The lemon lime chicken thigh is juicy and tender, coated with a thick sticky lemon and lime gravy, which lends a bright zesty tangy sour savoury sweet flavour.
.
Completely yummy.
.
.
.
Astons Specialities
More details in profile & blog

.
With Coleslaw & Onion Rings.
.
The crunchy creamy coleslaw has a lovely vegetal sweet flavour.
.
Although the soft limp battered onion rings are weak in texture, the sweet vegetal flavour is decent.
.
The perfectly grilled-to-medium beef ribeye steak is tender and juicy, with lovely grill marks, and a bold meaty savoury salty smoky flavour.
.
The fiery chicken thigh is juicy and tender, with a bold spicy savoury sweet flavour, and a short lingering burn.
.
Served with either a weak mushroom sauce, or a sharp peppery spice black pepper sauce.
.
This has been my default dish here in recent months.
.
.
.
Astons Specialities
More details in profile & blog