Tag Archives: exploring Malacca

13th wedding anniversary at Riviera Suites Melaka

Posted in Food and Drinks, Leisure & Travel by

I am glad I did not give in to the whispers of Shaytan that week. I almost cancelled my hotel room booking because I was tired, feeling melancholic and not in the mood to celebrate. In short, I just hated everybody that week. However, wise men say, never to make rash decisions when angry or feeling under the weather. Just go through the storm and hold on to the decision of going for that mini staycation regardless of how you feel. That was what I did and boy, the experience was rewarding.

I actually made the booking on Agoda.com in October. I had no idea that my husband was due for a work transfer back to his hometown. He didn’t know as well. This explains why I opted to check out before New Year’s Day because Johor is not on holiday on January 1st. Turns out his transfer was confirmed in November and he could now enjoy an extra day off on the 1st of Jan.

Riviera Suites is located at Pulau Besar. I booked a Deluxe King Suite for 3D2N at a total of RM 572.07 tax and service fee. The rate includes breakfast for two, Free WIFI and parking. Kids eat at RM12 per pax for breakfast with a reasonable option of food. The hotel requires an additional RM100 for the deposit and RM4 for the tourist tax. Later I noted that there is another hotel just opposite ours called Kaizen Hotel & Suites. I will consider staying there in the future.

A mini room tour – muted

Our room was huge. My husband slept on the sofa whilst me and the kids used the king-sized bed. The hallway was a good stretch and according to my husband, was quite eerie at night because he thought someone was standing in the shadows. He decided to switch on the hallway lights later on because he felt uneasy. The air conditioning was cooling. The bathroom interestingly was a bit small in comparison to the size of the whole room. The shower gel is provided. If only they had a water dispenser - that would be great because the boiled water tasted funny. There is a mini fridge in the cabinet area that is good for our icy drinks. We played movies on the projector my husband brought along for this trip and displayed it on the very big wall. This hotel has an indoor pool but due to hygiene concerns, we didn’t bring the kids there to swim. Apparently, there is also a fitness centre but I did not go to explore it.

Even the lift is pretty

Breakfast was at Riviera Cafe situated just beside the hotel. It sported a dainty look and the breakfast spread was acceptable for the price we paid for. There was a queue for the eggs and waffles. The kuetiow, fried noodles and chicken curry were exceptional. They should keep the chef and give the chef a raise. I missed my own coffee though because the ones they served tasted different.

It is easy to find food at night because Selat Avenue is just down the lane. It transforms into a really beautiful, vibrant place at night. Almost like being in a European country like Italy with beautiful lights, external decor, flowers and a general setting. On our first night there, we had the shawarma at Damascus Gate. On the second night, we enjoyed pizza and ice cream at Gelato Cabana. We don’t have a big gastro capacity so we just strolled along the food stalls at the avenue while soaking in the hipster vibe of the area.

Pretty flowers outside the hotel lobby
Kids posing with the dad
Dinner at Gelato Cabana Riviera
A delicious selection of gelato

All in all, it was a great 13th wedding anniversary getaway and I look forward to visiting Pulau Besar more often this year.

Enjoying shawarma at Damascus Gate

Posted in Food and Drinks, Places to Eat by

Shawarma is made by layering marinated meat, such as chicken or beef, on a vertical rotisserie. As the meat slowly cooks and rotates, it absorbs the flavours of the marinade and becomes tender and juicy. The layers of meat are then thinly sliced and served in a variety of ways, often wrapped in a flatbread and accompanied by a range of condiments and toppings. It is a dish that combines various elements harmoniously.

In life, finding balance and practising moderation is crucial for overall well-being and success. Just as shawarma incorporates a variety of ingredients in appropriate proportions, we need to strive for balance in different areas of our lives. By practising moderation, we can avoid burnout, maintain healthy boundaries, and ensure that our actions align with our values and priorities. Of course, this is not easy when it comes to intrusion from external parties and other surrounding factors. Thus, this is when one needs to learn to say NO and put themselves first before others.

Apply for that work leave. Treasure the weekend. Spend more time with the family at any chance you get.

We discovered a great Shawarma place recently and we don’t even have to go to Bukit Bintang for it. The place is called Damascus Gate Melaka. It is located at Pulau Besar near the beautiful and colourful setup of Selat Avenue. This place is so lively and out of the world at night. You really need to be there to know what I mean. If only the local council could make the nearby areas equally vibrant so that it could churn more economic opportunities in Pulau Besar. There were so many abandoned projects that I felt could have been repurposed for something else. Surely, someone could make a pitch to money-laden investors.

This is the Shawarma Beef Meal
Shawarma Beef Rice
Lamb Cheesy Kebab

We ordered a shawarma beef rice (RM22), a shawarma beef meal(RM20), lamb cheesy kebab(RM37) and a kunafa(RM15). Alongside 3 fruit juices at RM11 each- watermelon, orange and apple. The total was RM139.70 including a 10% service charge. The portion was adequate. The beef was juicy and well-marinated. I loved the rice and yoghurt dip a lot. They were so flavourful. The restaurant also has a great song playlist. The kind of song that makes you want to just shake the hips and belly dance like Shakira.

We went there at 630pm and by the time we finished our meal – the day had gotten dark and the surrounding place looked so beautiful and cute. It’s definitely an astounding place to go for a photography session as the place looked foreign and chic.

Aircon servicing

Posted in Everyday Life by

It’s been a while since the air conditioning in one of my favourite rooms has been malfunctioning. The air is warm instead of cold. I enquired about a certain aircon servicing company the other day for a service on a Sunday – the one with good reviews – but they were closed. I respected that. Hence, I made another enquiry on a weekday and they accommodated the problem. However, the one I was in contact with – did ask if it was OK if they did it on a Friday afternoon instead of a Thursday. Since I did not want to make it an inconvenience for them. I obliged. On the notion that, “Kita mudahkan urusan orang, Allah mudahkan urusan kita”.

During the day itself, it was OK. The team was punctual and did their tasks swiftly. I even left them glowing reviews for their services. I had 4 airconditioners to be done – 3 for normal servicing and 1 with a major servicing. Might as well make their visit worthwhile.

A problem entailed afterwards. The air conditioner with the overhaul service had its lights blinking which is abnormal. It never does that before. I WA the contact person for aftersales enquiry and he/she kind of made a promise that he/she would personally come over the same day to have a look and get it sorted.

I WAITED AND WAITED AND WAITED WITH MANY AGITATIONS FOR THE WHOLE DAY BECAUSE I WAS UNSURE AT WHAT TIME THIS PERSON WILL TURN UP. I WAS ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING MY ASSIGNMENTS!

I sent this person a few WA messages afterwards to confirm whether he/she is coming. The person apologized and wanted to reschedule on Monday.

WHAT THE HELL, NO!! WHAT? NOW I HAVE TO ALWAYS SCHEDULE MY TIME AROUND YOURS IZZIT? YOU INGAT I FREE SANGAT KE?

Obviously, that was a monologue. I replied that I would be busy for the whole week (which I was because I was on call!) and that I would arrange another time. Perhaps out of guilt, this person then offered to have one of the staff to have a look at it after Maghrib’s prayers. That is to me, satu lagi kerja gila. Dah kenapa nak dtg rumah orang masa Maghrib.. kita bukan ada kenduri ke aper… I replied with a firm, NO.

And now I still have a malfunctioning air conditioner which is driving me nuts because it disrupts my ‘perfect life’ – my perfect home structure and all.

Kacang Phool Hajijie, Bukit Katil

Posted in Food and Drinks, Places to Eat, Reviews by

I am Sarawakian but I have an affinity towards Johor food. My favourite is the Laksa Johor and the Kacang Pool (pronounced as Pole). Once I tried to make Kacang Pool at home but used baked beans instead because my son has G6PD deficiency. It tasted alright but nothing could beat the dish I had at Batu Pahat.

A few months ago, I noticed a small breakfast area opened up in the Bukit Katil area. It is called Kacang Phool Hajijie.

They serve Kacang Pool, Mee Rebus and other breakfast options. I love that they open as early as 7 a.m. because it would be easy for mothers like myself who want to enjoy food immediately after dropping the kids off at school.

this is kacang phool hajijie
kopi ais rm3

The place is situated along the main road and parking was easy since I got there very early in the morning after the school run. I ordered 1 set of Kacang Pool and a glass of iced coffee. The portion was adequate but reducing the price would be much appreciated. I felt that RM7 was a tad pricey. RM5 seems suitable or RM6 if you must. The iced coffee was RM3. They also sell instant Kacang Pool gravy which was priced at RM10 per pack. I bought it as a gift for my siblings.

The Kacang Pool here is not as good as the one I had at Batu Pahat. I would consider going for a short trip to Batu Pahat instead on my off days if I crave this dish. It is much more satisfying.

Kopi 434

Posted in Food and Drinks, Places to Eat, Reviews by

This coffee shop hails from Muar but has already set up a branch in Melaka. It has been open for a while but I have never actually tried a heavy meal from there. Just it’s coffee and toast. Last weekend, my dad came for a visit. He just recently came back from a trip to Langkawi with a female companion. I have my suspicions of who it is but I will wait for a better time to hunt for that identity later.

We went to Kopi 434 for breakfast and ordered quite a huge spread.

We had nasi lemak, Mi Siam with Otak Otak, Buns with butter and kaya, Toast with butter, the original kopi, Elephant Bean Coffee and iced peach tea. The total came up to RM 110.00 for 5 pax. The price was acceptable.

The ambience was great but the food portion was exceptionally huge (for me). It triggers me a lot as a person taking care of patients with NCD. Ha ha ha. The meals were also very spicy. Only the chicken noodle was nice and palatable for children. I did enjoy my Elephant Bean Coffee though. It did not require additional sugar. But I had a headache afterwards. Perhaps the caffeine was too much. It’s called elephant beans not because they come from the dung but because of their special shape and size. Anyway, I am sure this kopitiam has their own target market of which I am not one of them.

They even sell their own products in the store and ADAMI products. We didn’t get any but the options were a lot. My mother (now deceased) would be excited to get her hands on them.