THE GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE AT A FAMOSA RESORT, MELAKA

   18TH OCTOBER 2026    ~ I am always happy to get the breakfast package when putting up a night at a hotel or resort.  Most of the time, it would be cheaper compared to the walk-in price. We were among the early birds to drive to the Club House of A Famosa Resort for breakfast, the place where we stayed and the same venue for the wedding reception attended the night before.

Omelette

Puri

Pancake + Honey

Tom Yum Noodles

I met two old friends, the ex-Fourth Collegian of Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, who also attended the reception.

All in all, I was happy with the breakfasts served, especially when there were two rare items found for breakfast: Puri and Tom Yum Noodles. Besides, there was a wide variety of food to choose for breakfast from the stations and counters.

ZAINIK CAFE REVISITED FOR A LATE LUNCH

   27th SEPTEMBER 2026    ~ The late lunch on Sunday took place at Zainik Cafe, one of the eating places that we always visit in Gelang Patah. One reason: one could get freshly cooked Malay dishes from the kitchen. Even though it was already late, at about 3:00 p.m., there were still many people dining in when we arrived. Perhaps people eat out on Sundays.

Rice

Tom Yum

Chicken Asam Pedas

Fried Cabbage

Omelette

My friend the regular partner of the gastronomic trips was happy with the food, and so was I. There could be possibilities we would be coming back again to this place some other time.

FOOTNOTE: I had dinner [cum a farewell gathering] after that in the evening at a Mamak in the same area as Zainik Cafe, with my Chess teacher friends. [READ HERE]

RAMADA MERIDIN REVISITED FOR LUNCH

My gastronomic adventure buddy and I decided to revisit Ramada Meridin Hotel in Kota Iskandar for lunch. This month, Delish Cafe was offering Thai themed set meal for RM29.90 which comprised of the main dish, Tom Yum as soup of the day, free drinks of one's choice [there were 4 types of drinks] and fruits platter for dessert.

We were the only two diners at 2:30 p.m. so we got our food served on the table in no time.

Tom Yum Soup

Thai Green Curry

Sea Food Tom Yum + Satay

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy my Thai Green Curry - perhaps I was not that familiar with the taste. I should have chosen other menu. Still, the set meal was worth the money spent. I will have to wait for another promotional lunch set for next month.

THE UNPLANNED GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE FOR DINNER IN MELAKA

    21ST JULY 2026    ~ When you did not plan the itinerary during your trip properly, then you could not even decide where to go for dinner. Consequently, we just randomly went to this restaurant named Restoran Shaslinda, located in a block near Menara Taming Sari [but facing the other side]. We were walking somewhere near Jonker Street before that but could find an eating place. Furthermore, we were a bit late for dinner after the Encore Melaka show before that [READ HERE].

tom yum

steamed fish

omelette

We were the only diners at that hour, other people were already in bed. At the same time, the location of the restaurant was a bit hidden. We actually asked a shop assistant from a shop we went to before dinner for recommendation, then only we got to know about this place.

Fortunately, the Thai food was good and we were happy that we chose to eat there. However, I need to bear in mind not eat dinner that late anymore as the digestive system went haywire after that and disrupted my sleep.

THE DINNER SESSION AT "BIG STONES" IN MERBOK, KEDAH

   11TH JANUARY 2026    ~ When I thought the road trip after the wedding reception in Jitra [READ HERE] was about to end, Mr. Fakhrul diverted his car into smaller road heading into a village area. At that time, all the food from the wedding feast had not yet been fully digested, I was now taken for another gastronomic adventure at Big Stones Merbok Food Garden.

What makes Big Stones special is its location. Located in the middle of nowhere, far away from the city, it has the concept of the restaurant complex in the village, by the stream and near the forest and mountain, I supposed. The prominent landmark is the Lembah Bujang Archeological Musuem situated beside it, the place I am yet to visit one day.

The ambience of this place reminded me so much of another eating place called Dusun Riffaa in Changloon which I visited in December 2024 [READ HERE].

All the food was super delicious. The Prawn Tom Yum gravy was thicker than the usual one that I had had at home. It was worth the time and effort to get to this place which was a bit away from Sungai Petani town. Definitely commendable and I am giving a 5-Star rating.

Thanks again to Puan Suhana Abdul Jamal [a friend of the UPM TESL Class of 1993 clan] and her husband, Mr. Fakhrul, for being the excellent hosts throughout my stay. God willing, I will be seeing them in Kuantan for the next wedding reception real soon.