If you ever find yourself in Malacca, making a trip to the famous Jonker Street, try to make it a point to look out for East & West Rendezvous located along Lorong Hang Jebat. Despite its unassuming, low profile outlook that barely signifies its existence, if you are looking for Peranakan delicacies, the Nyonya dishes in East & West Rendezvous is as authentic as it goes.
Nestled somewhere in between the colonial buildings of historical Jonker Street, East & West Rendezvous brings out the best in Nyonya delicacies and there, you will get to sample one of Melaka's best Nyonya dumplings -or as locals say it, 'the Nyonya chang'. On the outside, the Nyonya chang depicts the signature white and blue Peranakan glutinous rice encased by pandan leaves, and as you break into the interior, the aromatic smell of the filling will assault your senses. The filling, consisting of shrimp spices (rempah udang) along with pork meat, mushrooms and winter-melon, will ensure you have a good time with each and every bite.
Moving on, the next on the must-eat list is their cendol. With ice so finely shaved that it is of a fluffy consistency, coupled with the syrupy sweet goodness of brown palm sugar, you are in for a real treat. And if you are a fan of durian -who isn't?- you can instead opt for their durian cendol version.
That aside, this Peranakan joint also functions as a purveyor of traditional Nyonya pastries such as the famous pineapple tarts. Baked to perfection to the extent that the pastry is soft, crumbly and light, every bite-sized pieces will bring about a wonderful bout of pineapple goodness.
