Malacca, March 2011 - Part 2

Here's part 2 of our Malacca trip back in March.  We are planning another trip to Malacca, but unfortunately Courtyard is fully booked on the dates we want.  In fact, most of the hotels along Jonker Street are fully booked.  There are a few other boutique hotels available but after reading the reviews @ Trip Advisor, I decided to venture further and give the ones at Jonker a miss.  I explored the possibility of staying @ Holiday Inn as I've heard so much rave but the busy traffic across the hotel made me change my mind.  A few other hotels with good reviews from Trip Advisor are fully booked too.  So left with no other options, I settled for a budget hotel that is newly refurbished.  I do hope we will have a pleasant stay there.

Enough said, here are more pictures of Courtyard.

This is the view opposite our room.

This is our room.  There is a huge window but it cannot be opened.

A dressing table just beside the window, as a decoration.

This layout is found in their inner yard, just behind reception area. Fengshui?

I like these furnitures!  Not that I like to have them in my house but I feel that these nostalgia furniture gives the hotel character.

Walkway towards the rear, leading to the carpark. 

Breakfast area

We didn't have a chance to visit Teo Soon Loong Chan Teochew Seafood Restaurant  last year and since our room wasn't available for early check-in, we went for lunch first.

It is easy to overlook this restaurant as it is located in a quiet alley with a not so prominent signboard.  In addition, the kitchen is at the entrance of the restaurant and it looks very rundown.  Nevertheless, we found it by asking the locals for directions.

There are a few things to take note if you are planning to have a meal there:

1. Reservations is a MUST. We didn't but being the first customer (they are open at 12.30pm but we were there at 12.20pm), they allowed us a table.  Contact number 606-282 2353.
2. You can't really dictate how you want the food to be cooked.  You basically choose your ingredients from the counter and the rest, you leave it to the cook/chef. 
3. Absolutely no food wastage.  Why do I say that?  That's because they do not allow you to over order.  Also, before they clear the plates away, they'll make sure the plate is empty ie no leftovers.  If there's even a mouthful of food left, the staff will it scoop up and serve to the person nearest to him.
4. Dessert (yam dessert/orh nee and fresh mango) is mandatory.  We didn't order, it was served and charged to our bill.

Oyster Noodle (RM16).  I'm not a fan of cooked oysters but since this is one of their signature dish, we went ahead to order this.  No regrets!

Stir-fry vegetable (RM10).  Not appealing looking but taste is not too salty, suits our taste bud. 

Tofu with minced meat (RM9).  This looks like a boring dish but it is absolutely fabulous.  The gravy goes well with rice too.  I don't usually eat minced meat outside but this is a must try for all!

Spring roll (RM9).  Besides the tofu, my kids like this dish too.  Maybe because it's deep fried?

Steamed prawns with ginger wine (RM25).  We wanted to order steamed fish but the only fish DH eats must be "bone-less" (that's because I always debone for him back home).  I reckon I won't have much time to debone for the 4th person so we changed our order to steamed prawns instead.  We like the simplicity of this dish.

This goes well with the steamed prawns!  There's another condiment on the table, sambal belachan with anchovies, which was absolutely yummy too!

I didn't manage to take pictures of their famous yam dessert/orh nee (RM18) as I was busy cleaning up after the kids.  Again, I don't appreciate yam dessert (served with pumpkin and gingko nuts) but the dessert served is really smooth and thick.  The fresh mango (RM8) was so-so too, I think the ones we bought at Machap stopover tasted better.

Our bill added up to RM128.60, including 4 glasses of freshly squeezed juice. Will I come again? Most definitely! Want to try their soft shell crab and suckling pig!

Of course, we visited the ever famous Jonker 88 again.  However, I thought this trip was a letdown as the cendol wasn't as tasty and fragrant.  It wasn't as satisfying as the first time.  Maybe they have changed the gula melaka and coconut milk supplier?  Will I go back there again?  Maybe, might try out again this coming trip to see if their standard has improved. 

These interesting words of wisdom caught my attention again and this time round, I remember to take some pictures.