Tony Johor Kaki Travels for Food · Heritage · Culture

GIANT-Caterers-Halal-Indian-Food-Johor-Bahru

Many people in Johor would be familiar with the famous GIANT Caterers but maybe not so many people know about Restoran GIANT Caterers.

Thanks to link up through makan kaki Kumes, we were hosted to lunch today by Yokitha Naidu, the Director of GIANT Caterers. GIANT Caterer actually has a simple restaurant at the same premises where they prepare their famous catered meals. We had our lunch at the nice air con section with large round tables for eat togethers.

The layout of GIANT Caterers restaurant and the arrangements are very simple. Customers just point out to the staff the food that they want from the many choices laid out in the lines of food warmers.

The price is then totalled up based on the price list displayed prominently on the wall. A very good meal of rice, meat and vegetables can be had for about RM6 per person.

The best way to enjoy Indian food is to mix the rice, curries and dishes, and eat it using our fingers. The second best way is to use fork and spoon, and I was the only one doing so today as I had to take photographs. Food bloggers are such a long suffering bunch, in case you are not aware :P

We had a sampling of some of the dishes served at GIANT Caterers.

GIANT-Caterers-Halal-Indian-Food-Plentong-Johor-Bahru

I love sambal deep fried eggs.

I am normally not a fan of flower crabs but this was so good, we asked for a second helping.

No much meat in the slender claws but the flesh in the body was sweet and meaty.

Overall, the dishes were delicious. Though most of the dishes looked fiery, they were not overly spicy hot. The spices were gentle on our taste buds but very indulgent towards our noses, entertaining it with pleasant fragrances.

No Indian meal would be complete for me without at least a couple of dry, crispy, crackly papadums. These were very nicely done here and not the greasy, limp kind I sometimes encounter at other Indian restaurants.

I tried this cold yogurt drink known as moor ais. It was savoury and slightly sourish. The drink tasted almost like a soup.

We topped off our sumptuous lunch with hot masala tea.

Kumes demonstrating how to tarik teh, almost successfully.

Restoran GIANT Caterers is a good place to enjoy authentic Indian food at reasonable prices. It's a good opportunity to sample GIANT Caterers' food, if you are thinking of holding a large event. I want to come back to Restoran GIANT Caterers for their Clay Pot Hydrabadi Dum Briani which is available only on Sundays.

Restaurant name: Restoran GIANT Caterers
Address: 2, Jalan Sri Wangi 1/2, Taman Perindustrian Desa Plentong, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/rs6Zo
GPS: 1.512150,103.828471
Hours: 7:00am to 7:00pm
Certified Halal

Date visited: 4 Apr 2013

This laksa wasn't what I was looking for. I had originally wanted to eat and blog about the famous fish ball noodles at Batu Pahat's "glutton street". Many readers have suggested that I try the fish ball noodles. I have been here at Batu Pahat's "glutton street" at least four times but never ever got a chance to taste the fish ball noodles and blog about it. Sigh. I was always here either at the wrong time of the day, or the wrong day altogether. Unfortunately again, this time I was here at "glutton street" on a Tuesday, the fish ball noodle stall's off day :(

No choice, I paced up and down "glutton street" in the blistering heat to try and salvage the time and effort invested in coming all the way to Batu Pahat.

Then I noticed that this laksa stall at the street corner right next to the fish ball noodle stall had a big crowd of customers and many people queueing for take aways.

I overheard the boss who was working frantically, politely apologising and telling the customers that they have to wait 20 minutes for their laksa. Hmm, that sounds promising :)

I stood around to observe the boss, Mr. Chew, at work. I noticed that Mr. Chew makes laksa using wanton mee style "whole egg" noodles - something I have not seen before. I don't need anymore reason to try this laksa. When I asked him, Mr. Chew told me that he had been selling laksa for over 30 years.

The laksa gravy was pretty good - mildly spicy and fragrant without being overly lemak, which is the way I like my laksa gravy. All the usual stuff were there - tofu, see ham, fish cake, but then there was more. There was cuttlefish which I have not seen in laksa before. The gummy cuttlefish was a nice touch. So were the wanton noodles. The crunchy wanton noodles were nothing out of the ordinary but to eat it in laksa gravy was an interesting variation.

Remember to add this sambal chili if you like to eat your laksa extra hot. This sambal which Mr. Chew makes everyday had plenty of hay bee or dried shrimps, so it had a distinct savoury flavour.

While obsessively photographing the laksa, my strange behaviour attracted the attention of other customers sitting nearby. Daniel and his friend asked me if I am Johor Kaki as he recognised me from my blog. It was nice to be recognised and to chat with locals who know about the best food in the area. I asked Daniel for recommendations and he pointed me to "Restoran Bus Stop" for Chinese nasi beriani - something I have not heard of before. (I will blog about that later.)

When it was time to pay for the laksa, the lady boss told me that Daniel had paid for my meal before leaving. Thanks Daniel, if you are reading this, for the delicious treat. That was very thoughtful of you :)

Restaurant name: No name noodle stall at Batu Pahat's "Glutton Street"
Address: At the junction of Jalan Peng Kai and Jalan Soga
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/pThRx
GPS: 1.854745,102.927206
Hours: 9:00am to 2:00pm (closed on Weds)
Non Halal

Date visited: 19 Mar 2013

I grew up on min chang kueh or apam balik (a form of Chinese peanut pan cake) which is an affordable, popular snack in Malaysia and Singapore.

This well greased and well loved push cart stall has been here in Batu Pahat for decades.

Mr. Chai, the owner had been making min chang kueh here for 20 years and before that, his father had been running the push cart stall for 30 years.

This humble push cart stall, unnoticed by many outside Batu Pahat, has half a century of history, wow!

This time worn knife slicing through countless min chang kueh, silently tells the story of steadfastness and quiet determination of the push cart stall hawkers.

These stacks of min chang kueh will disappear fast, mostly to regular customers at RM4.40 for the whole pan cake and 50 sens for a slice.

My 50 sens slice of min chang kueh. It's quite greasy, slightly savoury, sugary, bouncy soft, and peanutly. This was the "usual" type, so it did not have the crispy edges.

Mr. Chai will make you the skinny type of min chang kueh with the crispy edges, if you ask for it. Next time I shall ask for this type.

The first key to a good min chang kueh is actually strong arms.

It takes a lot of elbow grease to beat the batter to create that fluffy crust.

The other key to good min chang kueh is a generous shower of blended oil used in the topping.

The blended oil is poured from these plastic squeeze bottles. Other than margarine, which is the main component, the rest of the ingredients are trade secrets :P

If you are in Batu Pahat, swing by and try Mr. Chai's min chang kueh.

Another min chang kueh stall in Batu Pahat is in near by Nam Wee kopitiam run by Mr. Yaw. The two gentlemen are related.

Restaurant name: No name push cart stall

Address: At the junction of Jalan Abu Bakar and Jalan Mohd Akil. Just outside a coffee shop and opposite the famous Swee Kee herbal soup restaurant

Map: http://g.co/maps/hsbdr
GPS: 1.852493,102.928526
Hours: 12:30pm until sold out (usually at 4:30pm)
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 19 Mar 2013

We visited Bluewave Bistro in Bukit Indah (near AEON Jusco and opposite TESCO mall) today at the invitation of Sam, one of the owners.

Sam is a multi-talented and passionate young businessman. Bluewave Bistro has a baking section serving cakes and breads. Bluewave Bistro also serves Western, Asian favourites, and even vegetarian dishes all personally whipped up by Sam in the kitchen. Sam's passion in cooking runs in the family as his elder brothers also run their own restaurants in Singapore and Johor Bahru.

The interior of the neat and simple restaurant was warm and these whimsical decor pieces set the light hearted and welcoming tone.

The earth toned wall and table cloth added warmth and comfort to the air conditioned interior.

Cream of Mushroom Soup RM8.90

We started our lunch with this cream of mushroom soup. Made with freshly chopped mushrooms, mixed with garlic and onions, the mixture was fried and then boiled to create this creamy, sweet and savoury broth.

Fried Chicken Platter RM15.90

Bluewave Bistro's Fried Chicken Platter is a Must Try. Sam said that his Fried Chicken Platter is winning a lot of regulars for Bluewave Bistro. After tasting it, I can appreciate why.

The attractive looking yellow coloured rice was surprisingly tasty. The nicely cooked rice was flavoured with cumin, lemon grass and pomelo leaf. The rice was pleasing to the eyes, and delightful to our taste buds and noses.

The chunky piece of fried chicken leg was huge and thick. Sam did a good job in the frying. The batter was thin but the outside was crispy while the thick flesh inside stayed tender and juicy. The fried chicken was not greasy at all.

The fried chicken platter came with a sambal egg, one of my favourite sides. The fried hard boiled egg was nicely done. Slight crispiness in the very thin crust while the whites and yolk were tender still. The not too spicy sambal made by Sam was fragrant and savoury.

Sam's passion about his food can be seen in the little touches in his dishes. This is actually tempeh (fried soy bean cake). Tempeh is normally served in strips, thrown in almost like an customary side deserving scan attention. But, at Bluewave Bistro, tempeh is treated with a bit more respect. Sam chops up the tempeh and fries the tiny bits in tangy and savoury tomyam sauce.

Bluewave's special tomyam tempeh added interesting flavours and bite to the already tasty cumin rice.

After trying Bluewave's Fried Chicken Platter, it is easy to see why this dish is so popular. I highly recommend this dish.

Seafood Aglio Olio Pasta RM17.90

Next, Sam let us try his Seafood Aglio Olio Pasta which is another of his hot sellers.

Bluewave Bistro's Aglio Olio is garnished with good sized shrimps, mussels and strips of squid. The whole dish was showered with a generous blanket of cheese powder.

Sam really knows his pasta as this spaghetti was perfectly al dente. I really enjoyed the bite and mouth feel of these pasta - each crunchy strand coated with a film of olive oil, seafood broth and bits of powdered cheese.

Bluewave Bistro has a wide range of cakes and desserts to cap our meals. The cakes and desserts were so colourful and enticing. Bluewave Bistro also offers made-to-order cakes for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. I definitely want to come back to Bluewave Bistro just to try their cakes.

Tiramisu RM7.90.

For today, on Sam's suggestion, we topped off our not too heavy lunch, with Bluewave Bistro's popular tiramisu. The tiramisu was light and airy, not overly sweet - just the perfect after lunch dessert. (There is no alcohol in Bluewave's tiramisu.)

Miss Tan, Bluewave Bistro's service supervisor made a nice latte for me.

My latte was the perfect match for my tiramisu.

I enjoyed my lunch today and was impressed with Sam's culinary skills. I am curious and can't wait to come back to try Bluewave Bistro's other offerings such as their steaks, vegetarian dishes, and cakes and desserts.

Restaurant name: Bluewave Bistro
Address: 9, Jalan Indah 15/2, Taman Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/orxQA
GPS: 1.481562,103.661724
Hours: 11:00am to 11:00pm (Sun to Thurs), 11:00am to midnight (Fri and Sat). Closed on alternate Thurs.
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 8 Apr 2013

Paloh is one of those small towns where the Malaysia Railway (KTM) train stops and which heydays were past with the arrival of the North South Expressway.

On the way back to Johor Bahru from Kuala Lumpur, we dropped by Paloh, taking a 45 minutes detour after exiting the Yong Peng toll.

Why come to Paloh? Because Johor Kaki is committed to put every good Johor hawker on the World Wide Web. Never mind that it is in a forgotten old town as long as it is in Johor.

Our KL readers Ooi and Koe who visited Paloh before gave us some leads. When in Paloh, we further asked the friendly locals we met about what food is popular here.

Two stalls and a kopitiam were mentioned often. I've earlier blogged about Ling Nam kopitiam, a heritage treasure trove. The stalls are the wanton mee stall at the small food centre beside the bus station, and the curry mee stall next to the disused Capitol Theatre.

Arriving at Paloh, our first stop was the bus station and food centre at the centre of town. There wasn't any bus at the bus station on a sunny Thursday morning. And, there was plenty of parking space at the food centre.

This was the food centre on a Thursday morning in Paloh. The food centre like Paloh town itself, was half shut.

The wanton mee auntie was not full of enthusiasm about being photographed and interviewed :P Theirs is a "nothing much 没有什么" stall, she humbly said.

My friend Kumes liked this wontan mee. The noodles were crunchy and the sauce was soy sauce based with a bit of sesame oil. Personally, I like my wanton noodle crunchier and more fragrant.

Auntie and her son make everything themselves - the noodles, wanton, and charsiew. Nothing is very artisanal here but it's simplicity has it own charm, reflecting small town laidbackness and authenticity.

The wontan mee stall opens around 9:00am and closes around 1:00pm. There is no specific off day. When it is about 1:00pm, the auntie just packs up everything and closes the stall.

The curry mee stall is just about 50 metres away, in the zinc roofed provision shop right beside the disused Capital Theatre. You can't miss Capital Theatre when you are in Paloh town, as it's the largest structure in town. The imposing name and the facade of the disused building, tells of grander days.

The curry mee stall has been around for over 50 years since the time of Mdm Lim's father. But, much of the younger generation of the Lim clan today are in the bigger cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Mdm Lim's name is Ah Choo, so this stall is known as "Ah Choo curry mee".

This curry mee is overflowing and spilling over the sides with noodles, bee hoon, fish cake, pork ball, char siew and other ingredients. Everything is handmade at the stall except for the mee and bee hoon.

The curry was not the lemak kind and rather mild in flavour but this is easily fixed with their "power" sambal chili. The fiery sambal is solid with plenty of chili and dried shrimps.

These two stalls would not be enough for me to recommend to you to take the long detour to try them. But if you happen to be in Paloh, let's say because you took the KTM train, you may want to try these stalls recommended by the locals.

Our last stop in Paloh was Ling Nam kopitiam - this one, I'll suggest, you don't want to miss :)

Restaurant name: No name wanton mee and Ah Choo curry mee near the bus station
Address: At the Paloh bus station
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Eo0VF
GPS: 2.189051,103.194242
Hours: Wanton mee (9:00am to 1:00pm), Curry mee (9:30am to 8:00pm)
Non Halal

Date visited: 7 Mar 2013

Kway teow kia stalls are in every corner of Johor Bahru. Most are the mildly herbal Teochew style and there are a few stalls selling the more robustly flavoured Hokkien style. This was the first time I tried what the stall owner Mr. Chan called the Cantonese style.

Fourstorey Kway Teow Kia 四楼小吃 is family run, by Mr. Chan, his wife, and Mun, the son. The Chans previously ran the famous curry pork ribs and chicken/pork chop stall in Taman Bukit Indah before reopening here in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah about two months ago. The Chans still sell their famous chicken/pork chops here but the popular curry pork ribs are available only on weekends.

The very friendly Mr. Chan.

Mun slices the kway teow kia and fries Fourstorey's famous chicken chop.

We had a couple of mixed plates of kway teow kia with a bit of everything from braised pork, innards, skin, to chicken feet.

The pig skin, like everything at Fourstorey was very well trimmed and cleaned. There was neither excess fat nor unwanted odours, just the lovely savoury flavour of bouncy braised pork skin.

Lovely slice of braised pork with skin, fat and meat in one tender, savoury piece.

This tender braised pork tongue was crunchy and nicely, lightly flavoured. This is one of the best pork tongues I have tried.

The braised chicken were tender, delicious and smooth as they were not fried before braising.

The braised eggs and braised fried tofu. The tofu has a nice crisp outer layer while the inside was soft and smooth.

I noticed that the different innards here have slightly different tastes - a subtle difference in flavour and not only in texture. Usually the KTK parts taste identical in average KTK stalls. I asked the lady boss about this and she told me that she braised the different parts separately in different pots. This retained the unique flavour of each part, which would be lost in those stalls that throw everything together and braise it all in one big pot. Attention to details like this set Fourstorey Kway Teow Kia apart from the average KTK stall.

The cabbage stir fried with chopped shallots and dried shrimps was crunchy, fragrant and savoury.

I strongly recommend this fried sayur manis which is seldom seen in kway teow kia stalls. Indeed, I have not seen this anywhere else. The fresh sweet sayur manis blends well with the savoury sauce with hints of spicy hot from the chilis.

The kway teow kia in the savoury, subtly herbal brew.

Unlike the Teochew style, in the Cantonese style, the kway teow is not served with the same braising sauce used in cooking the innards.

Instead, it is served in a tasty broth made specially for the kway teow. The broth is made with stock bones and flavoured with pork lard crackles and fried shallot crackles.

The perky, stinging spicy and fragrant chili sauce for the kway teow kia.

Besides the kway teow kia we also had Fourstorey's famous fried chicken chop. The crispy batter encased the tender juicy chicken meat inside its crackly crust.

The chicken chop is served with not one, not two but three(!) types of sauces (as they say in those afternoon tacky Hollywood Sellavision commercials).

This is the tangy, sweet and spicy hot chili sauce.

The savoury sweet sauce is made with honey and apple jam.

The creamy mayonnaise dip.

The chicken chop is a hot seller for take away customers.

Fourstorey kway teow kia is at the right hand corner of this four storey flat at Taman Ungku Tun Aminah.

Fourstorey stall and its surroundings might look humble but the quality of their kway teow kia and fried chicken chop which I tried today are among the best in Johor Bahru.

If you want to impress your friends that you know the unlikely nooks and crannies where the good food of Johor are, Fourstorey should be on your food trail.

Restaurant name: Fourstorey Kway Teow Kia 四楼小吃
Address: No 0118, Blok 20, Jalan Pendekar 1, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SDfka
GPS: 1.513217,103.651789
Hours: 9:00am to 2:00pm (Mon & Tues off)
Non Halal

Date visited: 10 Apr 2013

I am a fan of curry pork and also of pork ribs, especially that part with the cartilage. So when Mdm Chan, the lady boss of Fourstorey 四楼小吃 told me that their signature curry pork ribs is made with that part with the cartilage on, I didn't wait long to return to the stall. Actually, I was back the next day.

Old Bukit Indah stall.

Fourstorey 四楼小吃 used to be the very popular curry rice stall in Taman Bukit Indah. At the Bukit Indah stall, they used to sell the whole range of curry meat and vegetable dishes to go with their fragrant rice.

Old Bukit Indah stall.

Recently, the stall moved to the 4 storey flats at Taman Ungku Tun Aminah. The lady boss told me that they decided to move because their previous stall was a mobile road side stall. Though business was good, whenever it rains, it would wash out the day's business. So, they decided to move indoors into this stall in a kopitiam.

It's been nearly four months since they started business here and Fourstorey is gradually getting their old clientele back and building their new customer support.

The two pieces of chunky pork ribs came smothered by a layer of smooth, almost creamy curry. The "cream" came from santan and potatoes, so the curry had a pleasant natural sweetness blended with both hot and fragrant spices. The curry was a blend of sweet, mild spiciness, savouriness from the pork and aromas from the ground spices such as star anise. The spiciness of the curry was just right - it did not overpower but instead complement the subtle, natural flavour of the pork.

Ah.. that tender and delicious curry pork rib. That piece of cartilage between the flesh gave the tender, perfumed meat an interesting crunchiness.

I plopped a couple of dollops of the curry onto the rice. The rice was cooked with pandan leaves, lemon grass and fried shallot oil. The rice had a nice fragrance and subtle oiliness that made it an additive pleasure.

The curry pork rib rice is served with this tangy, sweet and savoury archar (crunchy vegetable pickles). I found that the archar went very well together with the fragrant rice at Fourstorey 四楼小吃 .

This curry pork ribs is definitely a Must Try (curry pork ribs is available only during the weekends).

Restaurant name: Fourstorey Kway Teow Kia 四楼小吃
Address: No 0118, Blok 20, Jalan Pendekar 1, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SDfka
GPS: 1.513217,103.651789
Hours: 9:00am to 2:00pm (Mon & Tues off)
Non Halal

Date visited: 10 Apr 2013, 12 Apr 2013

Since I stumbled upon Tam Zabb Lao and Thai restaurant a few months ago, I have become a regular here. I like Tam Zabb because their food is delicious and also for their uncompromising authenticity.

Inside the shop lot at Taman Nusa Bestari, Tam Zabb is neat, simply laid out, comfortable and unmistakeably Thai with a contemporary touch.

Aphinya, the lady boss, is from Thailand, as are the Chef and crew in the kitchen. Aphinya herself had been a Chief Chef in a Thai restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden for many years. Speaking with Aphinya, I realised that she took great pride and go to great lengths to get the right and freshest ingredients to ensure the authenticity of her Lao and Thai dishes.

Whenever I am at Tam Zabb, I saw Aphinya personally involved in the food preparation and cooking.

Here are some of my personal favourites at Tam Zabb.

Pandan chicken RM12

Pandan chicken is standard fare at Thai food restaurants but at Tam Zabb, there is a basic yet important difference.

Tam Zabb is the only restaurant that I know, so far, that uses fresh chilled chicken instead of frozen chicken to make their pandan chicken.

Tam Zabb's pandan chicken has tender, natural sweetness of fresh chicken - something not possible with frozen chicken. The pandan flavoured chicken is further enhanced by dipping it in the savoury sweet sauce made with palm sugar imported from Thailand.

I like this Stir Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts. The chicken slices are smacked sharply with the flat of a chopper, coated with a thin batter and then deep fried to a crisp, before stir frying. The end result is a savoury biscuit-like chicken koropok or crackle. Excellent with white rice and even better with cold beer :P

Num Tok Phla (tilapia fish) RM25

Num Tok Phla is a large tilapia fish, its thick flesh diced into chunky cubes, marinaded with hot spices, deep fried and served with union, mint, dried chili peppers and chili powder garnishing.

Fried fish with chili RM22

This fried tilapia with chili is another of my favourites. The thick tilapia fish is fried till the outside is crisp while the insides are still slightly moist. The chili sauce looks fiery but it is actually just mildly spicy.

Thai-Food-Johor-Bahru

Grilled catfish RM10

Catfish is common in markets and stalls in Johor but here at Tam Zabb it is BBQed with such finesse that the skin is reduced to a dry savoury parchment while the sweet flesh remains moist with its natural juices and oils.

Classic Larb RM15

Classic Larb is an everyday kind of home cooked meal in Northeast Thailand and Laos. Comfort food made with finely chopped pork and stir fried with spicy, tangy sauces, herbs and spices.

For many people, no Thai meal is complete without a spicy tom yam soup. For Thai food newbies, have no fear, Tam Zabb's tom yam soup is just mildly spicy (as long as you don't bite into the chili peppers :P ) and the ingredients are all market fresh.

Kho Moo Yang or pork neck salad RM16

In JB, this Thai pork dish is available only in Tam Zabb as far as I know. The pork from the chin area is grilled over very slow fire, when cooked, it is thinly sliced and then tossed in a tangy and spicy salad sauce. The resulting meat is tender, naturally sweet and spicy with a bouncy, delightful "QQ" mouth feel. That fearsome looking thick layer of fat did not make me feel congested or bloated at all (making it all the more dangerous :P ). This grilled pork neck is simply marvellous.

Som Tam Thai RM10

Som Tom RM15

Delicious tangy, sweet and savoury Thai appetisers that can really whet one's appetite.

To top off our meals, Tam Zabb serves some marvellous Thai desserts that I've not seen anywhere else in Johor Bahru.

Pumpkin Custard served with Ice Cream RM15

Delightful pumpkin custard served with ice cream. Soft, natural sweetness of the pumpkin is complemented by the saccharin sweetness of ice cream. The contrast of warm custard with cold ice cream makes this treat an interesting experience.

Sticky Rice Mango dessert RM12

Sticky Rice Mango is a common dessert in Thai restaurants. The sweet and slightly tangy mango complemented the sweet sticky rice. At Tam Zabb, the mango is bathed with a milky syrup made with palm sugar extracted from "sea coconut" palms. Delightful on the taste buds and not overly sweet, I found it rather addictive. Unable to find it in Johor markets, Aphinya buys the palm sugar directly from Thailand. This treat is so delicious that somehow, my stomach always found space for this substantial dessert.

Tam Zabb's grilled banana dessert served with a sweet sauce made with Thai sea coconut palm sugar. Aphinya used a mix of local and Thai bananas for this dessert. The local bananas are sweeter, soft and mushy while the Thai ones were firmer, less sweet and slightly fibrous. Using both bananas gave this dessert an interesting mix of flavours and textures.

Tam Zabb has many other delicious authentic Lao and Thai favourites. Here are more popular dishes that I have enjoyed.

Steamed sea bass with garlic, chili and lemon sauce RM30

Steamed glass noodles with shrimps RM15

Pad-Thai-Johor-Bahru

Pad Thai RM12

Pineapple Rice RM15

Tam Zabb's pineapple rice is the Northeastern variety without the yellow cumin which we have here in Johor and Singapore. The flavours are milder and it is less greasy. The fluffy fried rice is served with diced capsicum, pineapple, carrots, raisins, cashew nuts, chicken and shrimps.

At Tam Zabb, I also like the opportunity to try out traditional Thai beverages.

Wood apple RM5

Lemon grass infusion RM3

Cha-Yen iced tea RM5

We always enjoyed our visits to Tam Zabb very much and will be back regularly. We like the clean and neat environment, easy accessibility and parking, attentive service, reasonable pricing, and the authentic traditional Lao and Thai food was excellent.

Restaurant name: Restoran Tam Zabb Lao and Thai
Address: 48G, Jalan Bestari 3/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/QBa4W(rough)
GPS 1.481964,103.666407 (rough)
Hours: 11:00am to 11:00pm (Closed in Tuesday)
Non Halal

Dates visited: 8 Apr 2013, 18 Feb 2013, 21 Jan 2013,

I went to Kulai today to try out the coffee, breads and a few of GC Good Coffee cafe's popular dishes at the invitation of Annie, the owner. CG Good Coffee cafe is actually an old name started by the Annie's husband's grandfather in 1948.

Inside Good Coffee cafe, customers dine in a clean environment and air con comfort. I like those large GC "stamps" on the wall showing Rengit coffee at various stages of production.

GC Traditional "White" Coffee RM2.30

I like GC Coffee's coffee alot. The coffee is full bodied and robustly flavoured. The taste is strong yet clear and distinct unlike the average "strong or kaw" coffee which tends to have a murky taste. GC Good Coffee's coffee are from the famous Rengit plantations (near Batu Pahat) and roasted in the traditional way. Rengit coffee has a distinct flavour and character which once a person acquires a taste for it, it will become his/her preferred coffee.

GC Milk Tea RM2.30

GC Milk Tea fragrant and milky. A popular option for non coffee drinkers.

GC Hainanese Steamed Bread RM1.60

Good Coffee's signature steamed bread is fluffy and bouncy like a pillow. Good Coffee's bread comes from a traditional bakery in Rengit and is delivered here in Kulai daily. The thick steamed bread is layered with fresh house made kaya and eaten with small strips of chilled butter. Goes very well with Good Coffee's coffee and tea.

GC Margarine and Sugar Toast RM1.50

Good Coffee margarine and sugar toast which customers affectionately called "tiger skin".

The staff makes Good Coffee's toast and steamed breads using their house made kaya.

GC Traditional Nasi Lemak RM6.90.

Good Coffee's nasi lemak is simple, old style and good. The coconut flavour rice is fluffy. The sambal is mildly spicy with distinct anchovy flavour which I like. The fried chicken made with fresh chicken is well marinaded and crispy. The sunny side up egg was perfectly done.

The fried anchovies that come with the nasi lemak were crispy and crunchy.

Singapore Fried Prawn Mee RM7.20

Good Coffee's version of Singapore style fried prawn mee is based on prawn stock. Fried with chicken and prawns and served with a sambal chili heavy with ground dried prawns.

Good Coffee Mee Rebus RM5.50

For many years, besides good coffee and bread, Good Coffee was drawing in customers serving only this mee rebus. Good Coffee's mee rebus is different from other popular mee rebus in Johor in that it is extra peanuty and has a strong anchovy flavour. The gravy is almost like a variation of satay sauce.

Remember to try this kicap pedas when eating Good Coffee's mee rebus. This house blend kicap pedas takes the mee rebus to the next level of taste. The kicap is cooked with chili, onions and other ingredients according to the boss' mum's recipe.

Mash Potato RM3.20

Warm, smooth, soft mash potato topped with savoury sauce. Good Coffee's mash potato is a popular snack which customers like to nibble on while chatting.

I love Good Coffee's coffee and I actually asked for another for take away before leaving. The breads and side dishes were good too.

The lady boss, Annie, shared that GC Good Coffee cafe will be opening their new branch in Taman Sutera, near Sutera Mall in May 2013. This is good news as we can taste GC Good Coffee's Rengit coffee and breads in Johor Bahru soon. Annie told us that she will be adding new items to her menu in their Sutera branch too - we are looking forward to that :))

Restaurant name: GC Good Coffee (Kulai)
Address: 20, Jalan Kenanga 29/1, Indahpura, Kulai, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/oWfQU
GPS: 1.640172,103.619549
Hours: 07:30am to 7:30pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 15 Apr 2013

We passed Senai town many times (too many to count) between Johor Bahru and Kulai ,and everytime, the smartest person in the car will say "maybe next time we shall stop awhile for the famous kueh stall" at the foot of the pedestrian bridge. A long time has passed, and everytime we said the same thing while hurrying towards our destination.

Today, we finally made an effort to pull over and try the famous kuih at Senai - and, we wondered why we had not done so earlier. This is really a case of hurrying everywhere and never stopping to smell the kuih (or roses).

This Chin family stall has been around for over 50 years. The current owners are third generation - a team of three sisters led by the eldest. The Chins make all the kueh themselves - starting their day making kueh from 2:00am and selling them from 10:30am onwards at the stall.

The eldest Ms Chin is very proud of her signature yam cake.

This yam cake has plenty of huge chunks of yam and went very well with the sweet sauce. Reminds me of the yam cake which my grandmother used to make when I was a boy.

Oh, everything at this kueh stall is slightly oversized except for the prices, which are very reasonable.

Ms Chin was eager for us to try their signature Hakka kuih. This unique kuih is only sold here in Senai and no where else in Johor. The skin is olive green in colour as it is made with a green vegetable.

Inside, the filling is very similar to "soon kuih" with shredded pumpkin and dried shrimps.

These humble looking chee cheong fun is really something. The skin has rice fragrance, is thin, soft, and has good mouth feel. The lovely skin wraps a variety of different ingredients which we can choose. This is one of the best chee cheong fun that I have tasted whether in Singapore, Malaysia or even the chee cheong fun Meccas of Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

The huge and pillow soft onde onde with juicy grated coconut fillings.

We like this "fat boy" street curry puff much more than any of those franchise ones.

More other traditional kueh available at the Chin kueh stall in Senai.

I love glutinous rice.

We kick ourselves for not stopping earlier. This no name kueh stall is a full 5 out of 5-star stall! It is not only worthwhile stopping a while while passing by. It is actually worthwhile making a special trip just for these kueh, which many people actually do.

No preservatives are used, so all kuih are best eaten the same day or at most, the next day.

The kueh stall is inside Kim Wah kopitiam next to the overhead pedestrian bridge.

Restaurant name: No name famous kuih stall in Kim Wah kopitiam
Address: Jalan Senai 10, Kampung Baru, Senai, Johor Bahru (right next to pedestrian overhead bridge)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Oqe2O
GPS: 1.601134,103.644729
Hours: 10:30am to 3:00pm (closed on Weds)
Non Halal

Date visited: 15 Apr 2013

Hwa Mei 华美亚B bak kut teh is in an inconspicuous part of Johor Bahru that attracts little, if any tourist traffic at all. Still, Hwa Mei 华美亚B bak kut teh is full house everyday.

Hwa Mei 华美亚 B bak kut teh is a very old name in Johor Bahru BKT. This shop has its roots 50 years ago in the push cart stall at the car park at the old Sungei Segget.

Today, Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh is run by Johnny, the third generation owner and his wife.

At Hwa Mei 华美亚 B BKT, the entire process of cooking the bak kut teh is done with charcoal fire which requires constant attention to both the fire and the meat.

Hwa Mei 华美亚 B bak kut teh is the only shop in Johor Bahru that still insists on using charcoal for all its cooking including cooking the rice and even just boiling the water for tea. Sticking to the traditional way for three generations, little wonder then that Hwa Mei's regular customers said that the tastes and flavours at Hwa Mei BKT hasn't changed.

This, of course, is the star at Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh. The meat was tender yet still had sufficient firmness for a bouncy bite. The meat was clinging to the bone yet tender enough to fall off with a light tug with the teeth.

The meat was naturally sweet and had a subtle, lovely porky flavour.

The broth was very mildly herbal and was savoury with slight saltiness. It was not overly greasy and I was comfortable enough to drink it all up. At Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh, customers can ask for soup top ups :)

This braised tofu was tender, spongy and heavily loaded with the braising sauce.

The savoury braising sauce gushes out with every bite of the tofu. Don't bite into this too fast if you don't want the braising sauce running down the corner of your mouth :P

Another customer's pork soup. This made my mouth water and I must come back for this soon.

The simple menu and price list are prominently displayed on the wall.

For those who are using public transport, Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh is about 10 minutes walk from JB CIQ buidling.

Restaurant name: Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh

Address: 146, Jalan Lumba Kuda, Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru

Map: http://g.co/maps/f2esq
GPS: 1.460851,103.767564
Hours: 08:30am to 2:00pm (Monday off)

Non Halal

Dates visited: 31 Dec 2011, 17 Apr 2013

Hin Hock bak kut teh 兴福肉骨茶 is famous for its BKT (of course) and also for their awesome steamed fish. I have been wanting to blog about Hin Hock bak kut teh for a long time and finally made it today, thanks to my JB friend Foong.

It's easy to miss Hin Hock bak kut teh because this weather beaten sign is inconspicuous and usually partially hidden by parked cars. The dining area is also difficult to spot when one is just driving by. (Anyway, Hin Hock is moving soon to new premises but it will just be nearby.)

Ah Hock has been running Hin Hock bak kut teh for over thirty years with his wife and is now assisted by his son (in the background).

Foong and I shared this steamed tilapia fish. It was the best steamed tilapia I have ever tasted whether in Malaysia or Singapore. The whole large fish half submerged in a drippy sauce was smothered in a blanket of savoury fried garlic and chopped spring unions. The tender fish was juicy and meaty, and there was not even the slightest hint of fishiness. Between ouhs and ahs... Foong and I finished this fish pretty fast.

The sauce was savoury and not overly salty. The sauce tasted so delicious, it was drinkable to me. Hin Hock reminded me of the legendary Chan Sow Lin steamed fish in KL which was my favourite when I was living there for a few years. (Of course, Chan Sow Lin's signature is their steamed Song fish head.)

The success of Hin Hock is based on one simple little secret - fresh fish from Pontian.

Customers get to pick and choose the fresh fish they want like it is in a fish market.

The other secret is this fried garlic.

Ah Hock's son dousing the fish with generous doses of Hin Hock's signature sauce and piled in huge heaps of fried garlic and chopped spring unions.

The cooking area which is out in front is a frenzy of activity.

Ah Hock making bak kut teh for the large lunch crowd.

Serving the braised pork knuckles.

Ah Hock cutting the pork.

Perfectly done three layer belly pork.

Cooking the popular tofu.

Pig's tail boiling in a clay pot.

Ah! Shall come back for this awesome steamed Ikan Merah and other great food below at Hin Hock.

The simmering braised pork knuckles in a clay pot.

Sweet potato leaves.

Tofu.

Hin Hock bak kut teh is a 5 out of 5-star eatery. If you are a steamed fish fan, come and try it and I am confident that you too will be impressed. I will be going back to Hin Hock bak kut teh soon to try their other dishes and blog about it :))

Restaurant name: Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock 兴福肉骨茶
Address: Jalan Dato Mohammed Seth, Tampoi, Johor Baharu
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/E29uq
GPS: 1.496813,103.702429
Hours: 08:30am to 3:30pm (Mondays off)
Non Halal

Date visited: 19 Apr 2013

For many people, Yew Swee 友水 is the best curry laksa in Johor Bahru. For me, whenever I am asked to name the best laksa stalls in Johor Bahru, I always mentioned Yew Swee laksa as among the best.

If you have never tried Yew Swee laksa and come to the shop for the first time, you may wonder what the hype is all about.

The humble kopitiam is a very basic, bare bones shop lot that can get pretty hot especially in the morning. The sun bleached roller shades doesn't help much in keeping out the heat. The air is still and occasionally a waft of fragrant spicy aroma drifts by.

Sometimes, gusts of choking pungent aroma blow by, sending those with sensitive noses scurrying. That's when the staff is stir frying the day's sambal chili in the kitchen at the back.

The bowl of laksa, when it arrived looked loaded but hardly photogenic.

Any doubts about what Yew Swee curry laksa can deliver get blown away with the first mouthful. Yew Swee's laksa is neither subtle nor pretentious. It just unapologetically hammers your taste buds and olfactory nerves with its robustness - not hot spiciness, but fragrant savouriness. The flavour and taste come on so strong, it might make curry novices uncomfortable.

The curry laksa is actually very lemak (loaded with santan) but the creaminess is masked by the spices, chili and belacan. The distinct full bodied umami flavour is extracted from the dried shrimps in the belacan.

These are sambal chili which Yew Swee makes everyday. I doubt many people need this to boost the spiciness and taste of Yew Swee's already very robust curry.

The Liew family, originally from Penang, has been running Yew Swee laksa for 22 years.

Yew Swee laksa - you will either love it or be overwhelmed by it. It's been 22 years and Yew Swee's growing legion of fans keep coming to have their taste buds and noses pummelled by their curry laksa.

Well, it seems that I can never quite have enough of Yew Swee's curry laksa... I shall be back for more.

Restaurant name: Restoran Yew Swee 友水

Address: 64, Jalan Harimau Tarom, Taman Century, Johor Bahru

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/D4xfd
GPS: 1.485273,103.765477
Hours: Daily 8:00am to 4:00pm (closed on Sundays)

Non Halal

Date visited: 17 Jan 2012, 22 Apr 2013

I was at Lazio in Danga Bay last night at the invitation of Stanley, the Manager and Executive Chef.

Stanley wanted me to try Lazio's steaks.

Lazio is a well appointed restaurant specialising in Western cuisine. It has a comfortable air conditioned section and a breezy al fresco section outside with a pretty view of the Danga Bay Marina and the yatchs.

Stanley had worked in the restaurants of Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore before assuming the Manager and Executive Chef position at Lazio early this year. Stanley has since introduced a whole new menu at Lazio which included his signature steaks that he showed us last night.

Stanley graciously granted me permission to view him and his staff in action in the kitchen. It was such a pleasure for me to watch the maestro doing his magic.

USDA Black Angus Ribeye RM12.00 per oz

From that fire and drama came this (corn fed) USDA Black Angus Ribeye which I asked to be cooked medium rare.

On the outside, the steak was tender and smokey while the inside was succulent and dripping with flavourful savoury juices. My mind quickly registered this as one of the best steaks that I have ever tasted.

Lazio's USDA Black Angus Ribeye was an unforgettable love at first bite for me.

Bone in Ribeye 900 grams RM120.80.

Our next was the Bone in Ribeye (OP or oven prepared ribeye) made with Australian wheat fed beef, done medium.

This hefty, thick chunk of tender beef had that lovely bovine flavour and a nice smokey taste from the charred outside. At 900 grams, it initially looked a daunting challenge to finish it especially after the 10 oz USDA Black Angus. In the end, we dispatched all of it easily because it tasted so good our minds overruled the stop signals from our filled stomachs. So, is this what they mean by "mind over matter"? :P

For the sides today, I had rich, artery clogging ox tail soup which is one of my favourite soups :P I ate up most of the meat and fats which I patiently prised out with a fork from the vertebrae.

I was chilling and chatting with Stanley, and nibbling at this grilled corn. This corn was so good, it hijacked our conversation topic. The USA imported corn was sweet and was saturated with the savoury sauces and juices from the steak.

Chicky fries made with chicken luncheon meat. Eaten with house blended Tartar sauce. Unique and popular but I didn't have much of this as I was really full after the two large steaks.

To wash our steaks down, we had a couple of wines from Lazio's well stocked bar which has the full range of beers, wines and liquor to complement the food.

Pizza-Johor-Bahru

I would like to come back to Lazio soon because besides their wonderful steaks, Lazio also offers so many different foods like their oven baked pizzas.

Oh.. if you are coming to Lazio, before you come, please feel free to give Stanley a call at +6010-900-2048 and he will reserve your steak for you and cook for you personally when you are here. How's that for commitment and customer service? I think that's outstanding :))

Restaurant name: Lazio Italian Restaurant and Bar
Address: Danga Bay, Jalan Skudai, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/y4WL8
GPS: 1.475931, 103.723533
Hours: 12:00noon to 1:00am. Closing time 2:00am on Friday, Saturday and eve of public holidays (rest on Mondays)
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 23 Apr 2013

My friend Foong has been a banker for over thirty years. Foong also happens to be passionate about cooking. For years, Foong has been baking his "Tyrant" chicken to share with his family and friends.

Through years of experimentation and countless chickens and willing guinea pigs, Foong's baked chicken with his special blend of spices and sauces have earned him many accolades from his friends.

Now that he has retired from banking, Foong's friends have been cheering him on to start a business with his baked "Tyrant" chickens. Foong finally took the plunge partly to meet new friends and mostly to share his passion with more people.

I have tried Foong's "Tyrant" chicken twice when he brought them to the usual haunt to share with the kakis and we ate them along with kopi, teh, or bandung.

Foong said the best way to eat his chicken is to use our hands and fingers. He even provides a couple of limes for cleaning our hands before and after eating.

Our kakis always eat Foong's succulent "Tyrant" chicken hot, tearing it apart with our fingers like hungry lions.

The chicken is tender and the bones slip off the sweet, savoury meat with just a light twist and a tug. Somehow, there is never enough for everyone, so we got to be quick :P

Foong is a jolly good fellow with a good sense of humour. Ask Foong how good is his "Tyrant" chicken and he will tell you that it is so good that it will make "Ji Gong濟公" the drunkard beggar monk of Chinese folklore forget his bottle for a while to enjoy "Tyrant" chicken.

Foong is now offering his "Tyrant" chicken at RM24 a bird, inclusive of delivery in Johor Bahru. So if you want to try Foong's "Tyrant" chicken, give him a telephone call a day ahead at +6017-880-4321 to make arrangements to have the chicken sent to your location in Johor Bahru, piping hot.

Eat it right away :))

I visited Moonlight Cake House at Taman Bukit Indah yesterday at the gracious invitation of Boon Lin, the branch manager.

I love chilling out at the contemporary coffee shops in Johor Bahru that are clean, spacious, serves a wide variety of good Asian and Western food and beverages at reasonable prices, have pleasant service staff and provide complimentary and fast wifi. Moonlight Cake House at Bukit Indah has all these features of a good modern Johor Bahru coffee shop.

Moonlight-Cake-House-Bukit-Indah-Johor-Bahru

I especially love Moonlight Cake House's very cosy al fresco dining area which is cooled by a dozen whirling ceiling fans and shielded from road dust and traffic by closely planted scrubs and cooling mist curtains.

My first dish was the Aglio Olio with Mushrooms at RM10.90.

The spaghetti was smooth and el dente - it had that pleasant slightly springy bite that makes a good spaghetti. The tender lightly fried mushrooms were fragrant and the whole dish was perfumed by cheese and olive oil.

We next had the Spaghetti Soup with Clams at RM12.90.

The el dente spaghetti was submerged in a light savoury soup with distinct touches of fried garlic.

These fresh and very well cleaned clams gave the soup and spaghetti a sweet seafood savouriness. A couple of chili paddies gave the soup hints of sharp spiciness that heightened the enjoyment by opening the taste buds.

Chef Surya Rumba whips up the spaghetti dishes with flare and gusto.

After enjoying the spaghetti dishes, it's time to pick some cakes and sweets for dessert :P That's a very pleasant but not too easy task given the whole parade of tempting choices at Moonlight Cake House. So many cakes and sweets but just one 3/4 full tank :P

Fortunately, the task is much simplified for me as whenever there are crepe cakes, it will be my default choice. This is my "Berry Berry Milk Crepe" at RM8.80. Yum yum.... not overly sweet, creamy and has that special delicate bite that only good crepe cakes have. I am a sucker for good crepe cakes :P

I also had a creamy rich, sweet and smooth Vanilla Crème Brûlée at RM7.50.

To go with my crème brûlée and crepe cake, I had a cappuccino. The cappuccino made with coffee beans from Argentina was full bodied, robust and smooth.

I enjoyed myself at Moonlight Cake House and look forward to trying out their other dishes and cakes.

Restaurant name: Moonlight Cake House (6 branches)
Address: 1, Jalan Indah 16/12, Taman Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/BVJmT
GPS: 1.480843,103.664631
Hours: 9:00am to 2:00am
No pork, no lard, Halal cert in process

Date visited: 25 Apr 2013

Fried-Siakap-Kedai-Makan-Rahmat-Kampung-Pasir-Putih-Pasir-Gudang-Johor

I had always wanted to visit Kedai Makan Rahmat in Kampung Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang for their famous deep fried Siakap or Siakap goreng. My friend Foong knew the founder, the late Encik Rahmat for nearly 30 years from Foong's banking days. Foong brought me to Kedai Makan Rahmat a few days ago. The famous shop by the sea is now run by Encik Rahmat's son.

Kedai-Makan-Rahmat-Kampung-Pasir-Putih-Pasir-Gudang-Johor

The Sultan of Johor (then Crown Prince) graced the opening of Kedai Makan Rahmat in 1986. These photos hanging at the entrance proudly commemorate this significant event.

The restaurant set on stilts over the sandy beach and water had a charming kampung ambiance.

Kedai Makan Rahmat was full house during our visit. The sun was blazing outside, but inside the restaurant, the sea breeze kept everyone cool and comfortable.

This is the view of the Johor Strait from Kedai Makan Rahmat. That forested land in the background is Pulau Ubin, Singapore. Foong said he used to just swim across when he was a young man.

Customers queue, place their orders at the counter and go to their seats. The food are served shortly at the tables.

I was stalking this young man with my camera whenever he comes out of the kitchen with a stack of fried Siakap and prawns. He was moving so fast, I was having a hard time trying to get a good picture of him in action. A few times, I got into his way. So sorry about that :P

Our order - Foong and I shared this large deep fried Siakap, deep fried shrimps and a couple of lime juice. Foong paid about RM50 for all these.

The large Siakap was deep fried with scales on. This created a crispy outside layer of skin and scales which kept the thick Siakap flesh tender and slightly juicy. I like my fried fish done this way. The fresh white Siakap flesh was sweet and still had a slight muddy taste that did not bother me. Dab the Siakap meat in a little kicap pedas or sambal chili and we have a marvellously delicious treat.

The fried Siakap scales are edible, though personally I felt they were not crispy enough for that today and had a slight "metallic" taste. Shall try again next time :)

This pounded sambal chili is a "power". Very spicy and this sambal was what took the simple fried Siakap to the next level of taste for me.

Prawns-Kedai-Makan-Rahmat-Kampung-Pasir-Putih-Pasir-Gudang-Johor

Seeing that almost every table ordered a plate of these deep fried shrimps, we had to get one too.

I love these large meaty shrimps. The shrimps were fried to the point just a shade below dry. Would have been perfect for me if some of the natural juices remained but I still liked this.

Our lime juice - simple and nice.

There is plenty of parking space at Kedai Makan Rahmat, though you might have to walk a little bit during peak hours.

Kedai Makan Rahmat is an excellent place for lunch. Besides their signature Siakap goreng and fried shrimps, they also serve a variety of Malay vegetable, beef rendang and chicken dishes.

Restaurant name: Kedai Makan Rahmat
Address: 3, Jalan Pantai, Kampung Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/J6MNk
GPS: 1.434552,103.931629
Hours: 10:30am to 3:30pm
Halal

Date visited: 24 Apr 2013

I didn't know there is a Sarawak market in Johor Bahru until Rajan the owner of Original Sarawak Kolomee showed it to me. Thanks, Rajan! (Sarawak market is also know as Tamu Dayak or Pasar Borneo.)

At first look, there is nothing really spectacular about this little market. It's actually just a small car park ringed by shop houses, many selling Sarawak food, including Rajan's Kolomee shop. But, on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, this car park becomes a street market with many vendors selling Sarawak food.

And so, this unique market is special, especially for Sarawakians. Sarawakians from all over Johor Bahru, and even Singapore come here for Sarawak vegetables and hometown foods.

Here's some pictures I took of the market on a Saturday afternoon.

This lady was doing a brisk business selling those black coloured berries.

Huge bamboo shoots.

Live mangrove crabs.

Sayur midin or bidin, a wild jungle fern unique to Sarawak.

I love to eat this crunchy Sarawak vegetable boiled and fried in sambal belacan or simply stir fried with oyster and soya sauce.

I am not a Sarawakian but I will be here once in a while to satisfy my craving for Sarawak specialities such as sayur midin. I also need to come back for the sago worms which I missed during my visit.

Sarawak Market
Address: Jalan Bayan 37, Taman Megah Ria, Masai, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/F6fbZ
GPS: 1.498266,103.856538
Hours: 12:00noon to 7:00pm Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday

Date visited: 6 Dec 2012

Tampoi Laksa is a household name in Johor Bahru and I've been asked many times, since I started blogging about Johor food, "Have you tried Tampoi Laksa?" When I shook my head coyly, the response was always an awkward pause and surprise written all over their faces. And, the words tripped out in disbelief, "You haven't tried Tampoi Laksa?" Their cringed faces and wrinkled noses shouted the unspoken words, "Where have you been, really?"

So today, I am so glad that I finally visited Tampoi Laksa :)

Tampoi Laksa is run by a 3 person team - Mdm Wong, her daughter and son-in-law (not in this picture). The 30 year old street side push cart stall is just in front of their house in Tampoi.

This is the menu of this street side stall - everything in one glance. It says laksa, rojak, cuttlefish kangkong and seeham. We tried everything except for the seeham which was not available on Monday.

This is the famous Tampoi Laksa. Fiery looking, most of the ingredients covered by the fried tofu skin and submerged under the curry.

Tampoi-Laksa-Johor-Bahru-淡杯辣沙

The ingredients were quite simple really. The yellow noodles, taugeh (bean sprouts), fish balls, see ham, tau pok and even the fried tofu skin were quite average.

Tampoi-Laksa-Johor-Bahru-淡杯辣沙

But what sets Tampoi Laksa well apart is their curry laksa. Tampoi Laksa's curry has the usual spices and santan but it also has a subtle umami-ness not usually found in other laksa places. Mdm Wong said they boil anchovy for hours to get the stock (and the umami flavour).

Mdm Wong tossing the cut fruits and vegetables with prawn paste and sambal chili to make rojak.

The rojak is made with thick and mildly flavoured savoury prawn paste, so it would suit most palates. The cut fruits and vegetables were fresh and crunchy. The pieces of cut you char kway were not toasted, so they were soft - many people like it this way though personally my preference is for mine to be toasted and crispy.

We also tried this cuttlefish kangkong. The sauce was savoury, slightly sweet, mildly spicy and blanketed with a layer of crushed peanuts. The kangkong was market fresh and the cuttlefish was springily bouncy.

We enjoyed the cuttlefish kangkong. I asked Mdm Wong if they also serve this dish with bee hoon. Mdm Wong said yes and that many customers from Singapore asked for it as they are used to eating this dish with bee hoon.

Tampoi Laksa is also famous for their boiled live seeham (cockles) eaten with savoury sauce and crushed peanuts. Unfortunately for me, the was no seeham on Mondays. Shall have to be back to try the seeham :)

Restaurant name: Tampoi Laksa 淡杯辣沙
Address: 17, Jalan Dato Muthuthambi, Tampoi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Pfjnn
GPS: 1.497811,103.703309
Hours: 5:00pm to 11:00pm (opens daily but no see ham on Mondays)
Non Halal

Date visited: 29 Apr 2013

New-Swee-Kee-新瑞记-Chicken-Rice-Senai-Johor-Bahru

Swee Kee 瑞记 Hainanese chicken rice ruled the chicken rice world in Singapore for two generations from 1949 before closing in Feb 1997. The plan originally was to renovate and expand the old shop in Middle Road, Singapore which had become an icon for locals and tourists alike. Meanwhile, the family and workers returned to Senai in Johor where they came from. In Jun 1997, the relatives set up New Swee Kee 新瑞记 with the blessing of the founder Mr. Po 莫瑞安 who (for unknown reasons) did not proceed with the plans to expand Swee Kee in Singapore.

I have (unfortunately) never tried the original Swee Kee in Singapore but the worker who had been with the old shop told me some interesting snippets about it. He said that every day the founding boss 莫瑞安 would personally select the live chickens one by one, picking only the best ones. The chickens were then slaughtered at the old shop ensuring that the meat was super fresh. The old shop also used the best imported Thai fragrant rice.

Other than these two aspects, New Swee Kee followed the traditions of the old shop as the owner (who is a nephew of the founder) and some of the workers are from the old shop. This is the current boss, the younger Mr. Po 莫泽安's son-in-law who will help take Swee Kee into the third generation.

New Swee Kee has done rather well - it was named one of the Top Ten chicken rice shops in Malaysia by Guang Ming Daily 光明日報 in 2007. New Swee Kee now occupies two shop lots in Senai. On the wall are several pictures of visits by celebrities and familiar dignitaries.

Now, Swee Kee is popular among the workers from the nearby Senai industrial park and golfers from the nearby Palm Golf Resort. Travellers using Senai airport also drop by.

The chickens are laid out in the old way in traditional large enamelled pans. Those in the foreground are normal farm chickens 肉鸡 and those in the background are kampung chickens.

We had half of a normal farm chicken 肉鸡. The chicken meat was tender with a firm, springy bite (not soft). The meat had a nice subtle chicken flavour and aroma.

The rice was fragrant, fluffy, flavoured with chicken oil but was not overly greasy.

The clear chicken soup that comes with the order was fragrant and tasty. The umami flavour come from slow boiling these chicken heads and necks.

Swee Kee's ginger sauce is outstanding. It has the aroma and taste of ginger blended with savouriness from chicken oil.

The chili sauce was the watery, drippy kind. My preference is for my chili sauce to be like a paste.

We liked this fried taugeh (bean sprout) side dish. The fresh taugeh was stir fried with bits of salted fish and lard crackles.

Our total bill for half a normal farm chicken, taugeh and two herbal drinks came to RM25.

Swee Kee chicken rice is certainly one of the better chicken rice shops in Johor. I will eat at Swee Kee again, if I am nearby.

Restaurant name: Swee Kee 瑞记海南鸡饭
Address: 98, Jalan Bintang, Taman Bintang, Senai, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/HAKB8
GPS: 1.614658,103.659009
Hours: 9:00am to 7:00pm (close at 3:00pm on Mondays)
Non Halal

Date visited: 29 Apr 2012

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Tam Zabb Lao and Thai in Taman Nusa Bestari, Johor Bahru

GC Good Coffee Cafe in Kulai, Johor

Famous Kueh Stall in Senai, Johor

Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh in Johor Bahru

Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock 兴福肉骨茶 in Tampoi, Johor Bahru

Yew Swee 友水 Laksa in Taman Century, Johor Bahru

Best Steaks in Johor Bahru at Lazio by Danga Bay

Foong's Tyrant Chicken 霸王鸡

Moonlight Cake House at Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru

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Sarawak Market in Johor Bahru

Tampoi Laksa, Johor Bahru 淡杯辣沙

New Swee Kee 新瑞记 Chicken Rice in Senai, Johor Bahru