"Ho Chien" in Melaka (reblogged from Dec 2013)

Recent trip back to Melaka - we had pangs for some good "ho chien" or oyster omelette but the regular shop at the other end of Jonker Street was no longer making any -  a chat with the speciality shop owner (selling belacan and nyonya cookies) revealed that the ho chien lady has had a stroke - so end of our hope...however, my FIL knows another one at Jalan Kampung Pantai in the same neighbourhood (I get confused with the intertwined roads inside the old Melaka town) and so we managed to find it after a few minutes of driving around the crowded streets. Eating out or even visiting the old town center of Melaka in your own car is a very tricky thing because of the narrow streets coupled with some of the most confusing and intriguing road signs in Malaysia, not to mention the severely overcrowded narrow streets (where all the shops are) without parking. So if you need to venture to town to try some gastronomique adventure on your own, act early and do some reconnaissance work before being let down by lack of parking and of course, the traffic police is ever ready to write a summon so DON'T park illegally in Melaka!

 The restaurant has an unassuming name, like any other chinese resto...

Besides ho chien, they also serve fried soft-shelled crabs.

The lattice-work of the entrance.

The side entrance.

 They still have some original marble top tables left...

and some old-fashioned wooden chair usually found in Hainanese coffee shops, kinda pre-war feel to it...

 Star of the gastronomique adventure du jour: the Ho Chien. A batter of tapioca or sweet potato starch is pan fried with eggs, garlic and spices to form an omelette and the oysters are added on last with the chives. It is usually served with a simple chilli sauce.

 Some simple fare to go with: garlic fried baby cabbage and cantonese fried rice. Not bad.

A peek at the flat-bottomed wok used for the ho chien...