Cafe BLD in Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel in Permas Jaya, Johor Bahru

May 31, 2013, 6:09 pm

≫ Next: Wild Boar Meat at Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭 in Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru

≪ Previous: Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭 in Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru

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With the Grand Opening of Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel by YAM Tunku Idris Iskandar on 28 May 2013, Johor Bahru now has more exciting dining choices.

 

 

Cafe BLD is the cafe at the newly opened Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel. I am fortunate to visit this exciting new dining option in Johor Bahru twice recently, once at Renaissance JB's Grand Opening and again today during lunch. Two days, and yet not enough stomach space to try everything. All I could do was to eat to my heart's content, and the rest, I can only take photos and feast with my eyes only.

 

 

Inside Cafe BLD, everything is spanking new, squeaky clean, yet the decor is warm and has rich welcoming tones. Seating is comfortable and spacious at Cafe BLD.

 

 

The food is prepared on order in a central island, open concept kitchen - the first and only such kitchen in Johor Bahru at the moment. We can enjoy watching the chefs prepare our food :)

 

 

I went round and round the four sides and corners of this kitchen, hunting for the best food and photo opportunities. I seemed to discover new, interesting things with every round.

 

 

This is the friendly Executive Chef Foong making cotton candy for us :) Chef Foong who hails from Ipoh has a wealth of experience in international cuisine having worked in restaurants and hotels in London, Osaka, Shanghai, Perth, Jakarta and Singapore.

 

In case you wonder, and some of you might have already guessed it, Cafe BLD stands for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

 

Follow me and let me take you around Cafe BLD.

 

 

There are lots of Western and local appetisers - this is the succulent smoked duck, my personal favourite :)

 

 

The seafood station during the Grand Opening - I tried only the oysters and they were plump and fresh. I could literally taste the sea - went two rounds on this one :P

 

 

Chef Foong is very proud of his signature Nasi Goreng Kampung. The prawns and scallops were fresh and well executed. The fried rice was savoury. That sunny side up quail egg was a interesting touch and the fried keropok were crispy and tasty. The nasi goreng kampung is served with a couple of sticks of satay. Available from the a la carte menu.

 

 

I didn't take the satay - saving it for another day but from the looks, charred bits at the edges and the meat grilled to golden brown, they must be delicious.

 

 

The chef was frying thick chunks of fish with a spicy looking sauce.

 

 

Sushi from the Japanese station.

 

 

Roast duck lovers - look out for this roast duck, it is one of the best that I've tried. This roast duck is one of the signature dishes at Renaissance's own Cantonese restaurant, Wan Li.

 

 

The roti canai station - everything is freshly made.

 

 

Shaolin pizza by Chef Yap at the pizza station.

 

 

Crispy, thin crust pizza.

 

 

Fire works at the pasta station.

 

 

I can't help myself catching another flambe at the pasta station - this spectacular one by Sous Chef Thana who was visiting from Marriott Singapore, helping out at the Grand Opening.

 

 

The Briyani station during the Grand Opening. The lamb was gamey, tender, succulent and infused with spice fragrance. I had two helpings :P

 

 

 

The spicy tom yam noodle soup from the noodle station.

 

 

We were spoilt for choice for dessert, both Western and local.

 

 

For cake lovers, the Western desserts are made at Renaissance's own Chocolate Cake Company. 

 

Cafe BLD changes its menu regularly, so you can expect to see something different during different visits.

 

Here are the prices for the international buffet at Cafe BLD.

 

Breakfast Buffet : RM 42.00++ (Monday – Sunday)
Lunch Buffet : RM 55.00++ (Mon- Thurs)/ RM 60.00++ (Fri – Sun)

Dinner Buffet : RM68.00++ (Mon- Thurs)/ RM80.00++ (Fri – Sun)

 

· 50% for children below 12 year old – 7 year old

· FOC  for children below 6 years old

 

 

 

Restaurant name: Cafe BLD (in Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel)

Address: 2, Jalan Permas 11. Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, Masai, Johor

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/w6A4u

GPS: 1.495097,103.812786

Hours: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

 

Date visited: 28 May 2013, 31 May 2013

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Wild Boar Meat at Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭 in Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru

June 2, 2013, 12:57 am

≫ Next: Old JB Town Heritage Food Trail at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee 陈旭年街 in Johor Bahru

≪ Previous: Cafe BLD in Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel in Permas Jaya, Johor Bahru

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We had just finished eating our kampung chicken rice set at Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭, when I noticed that they also sell curry wild boar meat as a side dish.

Our stomachs were already full but I remembered many queries especially from Singapore readers about where to find good wild boar meat in Johor - so I am on a constant look out for this.

We decided to try Ah Lee's curry wild boar meat especially since this stall in Taman Sri Tebrau is so accessible for Singapore readers.



Curry is one of the hardest food to photograph as it is not very photogenic and that attention seeking big potato has to get in the way LOL. Ah Lee's curry wild boar is served with plain white rice and tasty chicken soup at RM7 a set.



Ah Lee's curry wild boar is all ribs (except for the potatoes). The wild boar ribs were tender and completely smothered in mildly spicy and fragrant curry. Greasy as expected of boar meat.

Very tasty but if you are hoping for a distinctly exotic texture or gamey flavour, there is none. In fact, I found it indistinguishable from domesticated pork.

So, for foodies hunting for wild boar meat in JB, here it is at Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice stall, and very tasty too :)



Restaurant name: Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭 (inside Tyson kopitiam)
Address: Junction of Jalan Badik and Jalan Badik 1, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/WTb4d
GPS: 1.486227,103.768959
Hours: 4:00pm to 12:00 midnight
Non Halal

Date visited: 27 May 2013

Old JB Town Heritage Food Trail at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee 陈旭年街 in Johor Bahru

June 3, 2013, 8:47 am

≫ Next: Little Red Cube at Puteri Harbour Johor - Media Launch

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In this post, I am taking you on a walking heritage tour of the old hawkers of old town Johor Bahru, mainly along Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and also the surrounding streets as well. For this heritage trail on foot we start at 10:00am and end at about 2:00pm.



Our first stop is Sang Heng 甡兴 just next to the OCBC branch at the east end of Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. The Teochew kway teow soup uncle has been here since the 1950s.


Ah Seng also sells braised duck and pork at the stall.

Uncle Ah Seng is the oldest hawker on this street and one of the oldest in the whole of Malaysia. Ah Seng's loyal followers say his kway teow soup hasn't changed at all, all these years. "Old school" they say. Let's try Ah Seng's popular kway teow and mee pok but we'll save the coffee for our next stop.



After Sang Heng, we walk along Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and at the junction with Jalan Trus turn to our right towards restoran Hua Mui along Jalan Trus. Like Sang Heng, Hua Mui opened for business in the 1950s.

We shall stop here for Hainanese coffee, soft boiled eggs and French toast. Unlike Sang Heng, Hua Mui has been considerably updated to the chagrin to some of its old timer fans. But, at least, this and saucer are still originals :)



After coffee, walk up slope along Jalan Trus. At the next junction (with Jalan Pasar), you will be at Kok Yow Yong herbal stall. Kok Yow Yong has been here for a hundred years, making it the oldest here in old JB town. The stall front has just been modernised. Lost most of it's old quaintness and original charm but thankfully, the herbal drink is still the same.



After herbal tea at Kok Yow Yong, we walk back down towards Hua Mui. Back at Hua Mui turn right along Jalan Dhoby and keep walking along the shops until you come to Salahuddin Bakery. No much changed at Salahuddin's since the bakery started business here in 1937. That old wood fired oven is still in use. We can still get those lamb filled Bengali curry puffs with flaky crusts - the same as those from my childhood.



After Salahuddin, we cross Jalan Dhoby to the restaurant diagonally across - Restoran IT Roo. IT Roo started business in 1961, and during its heydays was even named the Best Chicken Chop in Malaysia in 2003. Much has changed at IT Roo with only the old photographs in the shop to remind us of it's legacy. IT Roo's chunky chicken chops are still a crowd puller.



After IT Roo, walk down along Jalan Pahang. At the junction of Jalan Pahang and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, you will see the most photographed building in old town Johor Bahru - the Red House. Originally the home of a wealthy Indian family, the Red House is now the venue of cultural and art events.

At the Red House, walk along Jalan Tan Hiok Nee towards Jalan Trus. At the junction of Jalan Trus and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, you will see the popular Kin Wah kopitiam. Right across Kin Wah along Jalan Tan  Hiok Nee is Hiap Joo bakery - the final stop of our Heritage Walk.



Like Salahuddin bakery, Hiap Joo also uses a wood fire oven from 1919. The traditional hot favourites are Hiap Joo's coconut buns and banana cakes.



We will take away some straight out of the oven before making our way home. The new generation of owners are coming up with more contemporary pastries but I just stick to old time favourites :)

There you are - heritage walk and heritage food trail of old town Johor Bahru's Jalan Tan Hiok Nee "Culture Street" 文化街.

Plenty of food tasting and photo opportunities for foodies and photography buffs.

Summary of Jalan Tan Hiok Nee heritage food trail:

10:00am Teochew kway teow soup at Sang Heng
10:45am Coffee at Hua Mui
11:15am Herbal tea at Kok Yow Yong (drink and go)
11:45am Pastry shopping at Salahuddin bakery
12:15pm Chicken chop at IT Roo
  1:30pm Pastry shopping at Hiap Joo bakery. End of heritage tour.

Little Red Cube at Puteri Harbour Johor - Media Launch

June 5, 2013, 7:59 am

≫ Next: Cantonese Cuisine at Wan Li 万丽轩 Restaurant in Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel, Permas Jaya

≪ Previous: Old JB Town Heritage Food Trail at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee 陈旭年街 in Johor Bahru

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Today, I was at the media launch of the Little Red Cube at Puteri Harbour in Nusajaya, Johor. The Little Red Cube is Johor's newest food and fun attraction focused on family oriented entertainment and retail. 



Dato' Eddy Leong, Chief Operating Officer at Destination Resorts and Hotels leading the key tenants at the Little Red Cube media launch.



We were entertained to a fashion show by cute little tykes dressed by Poney, a retailer specialising in children's apparel.



We were hosted to lunch at The Olive Tree - a restaurant and bar that serves Indian cuisine. I liked the food at The Olive Tree a lot and definitely want to come back for a proper try out.

During this school holiday period from 5 to 23 June 2013, Little Red Cube is having a Carnival with lots of activities and games at the concourse.



Photo opportunities with cartoon characters.



Live entertainment by Cherlike, a Johor homegrown music band.



The Stompers making music with oil drums, trash cans, paint tins, pots and pans, and used car parts.



Juggling clown and tumbling "sumo wrestlers".



At the Little Red Cube, the friendly ambassadors are always ready to help visitors have an enjoyable day.

We were given "media passes" and let loose at Sanrio Hello Kitty Town and The Little Big Club.






Sanrio Hello Kitty was packed with Hello Kitty fans of all ages happily lost in the fantasy world of walk-through attractions, interactive activities and rides.




The Little Big Club is a whole floor of rides based on popular children's characters like Bob the Builder, Barney and Friends, Angelina Ballerina, Pingu the Penguin, and Thomas and Friends. The decibel level was high with screams of excited children (or were there some adults too?). I was moving from ride to ride until a Little Red Cube staff tracked me down and informed me that the media visit was already over LOL. Time passes very fast when you are having fun :P



Little Red Cube can be reached by car or by public bus from JB Sentral.

(Take a look also at my post on LAT's Place, another food and fun attraction at the Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park.)



Little Red Cube
Address: Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/eYA8w
GPS: 1.416984,103.658484

Date visited: 5 Jun 2013

Cantonese Cuisine at Wan Li 万丽轩 Restaurant in Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel, Permas Jaya

June 6, 2013, 9:22 am

≫ Next: Day Trip to Johor Bahru Town in Jun 1965 (Inspiring People I Met on a Trip Back in Time)

≪ Previous: Little Red Cube at Puteri Harbour Johor - Media Launch

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Today, I was in JB's newest Chinese fine dining restaurant, Wan Li 万里 in Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel at the invitation of Ervina.

At the entrance of Wan Li 万丽轩, we were greeted by 8 large gorgeous Arowana fish. I love Arowanas because to me, they are symbols of elegance, distinction and good fortune. 



Inside, Wan Li 万丽轩 is well appointed - the decor is contemporary minimalist, tasteful and has an understated kind of elegance. It is classy yet warm and welcoming. 

Executive Chef Foong and Ervina graciously accompanied us throughout our meal despite their busy schedules.


Wan Li Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao RM12++ for 4 pieces

Our first appetiser was the Wan Li Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao. This is set apart from ordinary xiao long baos with the additional touch of French inspired foie gras (savoury goose liver) added into the soupy meat filling.



Executive Chef Foong who has worked in restaurants and hotels in Japan, UK, Australia, China, Indonesia and Singapore likes to innovate and create. These foie gras xiao long baos are served in elegant glass cups instead of the traditional baskets.


Chef's Special Coffee Chicken RM42++ for small serving

The second appetiser was Chef's Special Coffee Chicken. The pieces of boneless chicken were marinaded in rich, robust bitter-sweet smooth white coffee. This is especially appealing for coffee lovers like me :) I love the aroma of coffee entertaining my nose while my taste buds enjoy the tender savoury chicken.


Signature Durian King Prawns RM48++ for small serving

Our next appetiser was extra special - Wan Li's Signature Durian King Prawns. Savoury deep fried succulent large king prawns coated with creamy sweet durian with topping of prawn roe. This unique dish is a Must Try.



Our first main course was Wan Li's Roasted Crispy Mango Peking Duck. I had tasted Wan Li's roast duck before and was looking forward to this with great anticipation. This is Andy, Wan Li's manager personally slicing the Peking Duck.


Roasted Crispy Mango Peking Duck RM78++ for half bird

When the blade sliced the duck's crispy skin you can literary hear the skin crackle and break. I was told that it is the office joke that Andy insists that everyone stops and listen to the crackling music whenever he cuts the duck.



The crispy duck skin is wrapped in popiah skin with a stick of cucumber and mango, drizzled with a bit of traditional condiments. I love Peking duck especially those with extra crispy skin and thick, moist juicy meat.



The remaining meat was taken away and stir fried with oyster sauce, spring union, onions and ginger.


Cantonese Crispy Noodles with Assorted Seafood RM25++ for small serving

We had this Cantonese Crispy Noodles with Assorted Seafood. I like this common stir fried dish brought to the higher level by careful and skillful execution. The crispy noodles were not greasy, set on a bed of savoury sauce and garnished by pieces of squid, prawn and fish.


Golden Custard Bun RM8++ for 3 pieces

Our first dessert was the trendy Golden Custard Bun or Liu Sah Bao. The soft bouncy bun was filled with a sweet and savoury filling made with pumpkin flesh and salted egg yolks.



The final dessert was the Chilled Mango Puree and Pamelo served on top of a glass of dry ice. The dry ice gave the dessert a dramatic look and feel while keeping the sweet mango puree nicely cold.



After our sumptuous meal, Executive Chef Foong took us on a tour of the kitchens in Renaissance Hotel. We walked through a cavernous labyrinth of kitchens and sections catering to various needs like Halal and non Halal, Wan Li's kitchen, BLD's kitchen, banquet kitchen, room service kitchen, bakery and so on. There is even a room where all the live seafood is kept. I noticed that everything is thoughtfully laid out, and spic and spank. It speaks volumes of Executive Chef Foong's organisational expertise and leadership.



This is Chef Lor Kar Yue, the man behind Wan Li's outstanding roasts. Chef Lor had previously worked in the Michelin Star Hakkasan Hanway Place Restaurant in London before joining Wan Li as the roast chef.




Restaurant name: Wan Li 万丽轩 Restaurant (at Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel)
Address: 2, Jalan Permas 11. Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, Masai, Johor

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/w6A4u

GPS: 1.495097,103.812786

Hours: Lunch/ Dinner

Non Halal

Date visited: 6 June 2013

Day Trip to Johor Bahru Town in Jun 1965 (Inspiring People I Met on a Trip Back in Time)

June 7, 2013, 9:52 pm

≫ Next: Soto Ayam at Hj Abu Soto Power in Kampung Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang, Johor

≪ Previous: Cantonese Cuisine at Wan Li 万丽轩 Restaurant in Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel, Permas Jaya

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Photo Credit: Johor Bahru Hainanese Association

Johor Bahru, 2 Jun 1965. Today is my birthday - I am 5 years old :) To celebrate my birthday, Dad brought mum, my brother and sisters to Johor Bahru to eat and to buy our favourite cakes. We had a wonderful day :)

We boarded the bus at Queens Street (Singapore). We didn't have to pay for our bus ride as dad is a bus driver with the Singapore - Johor bus company. As we were getting up the bus, dad told the driver in Hokkien "我的人" or my people.


Photo Credit: Wikipedia

It was a long bus ride, passing rubber plantations with endless rows of neatly planted rubber trees in Nee Soon. I saw rubber tappers working hard in the plantations early in the morning. The rubber tappers inspire me with their discipline and hardworking nature.

Photo Credit: Construction site hoarding (source unknown)
 

After passing the forests of Woodlands, we arrived at the Causeway. I love crossing the Causeway. I was excited to see the sea to my left and right as our bus drove across it. A smoking train rumbled past us on our right side as our bus was crossing.
 

 
 

When we arrived in JB, our first stop is always Sang Heng kway teow soup stall at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. Dad is a regular customer and friend of Uncle Seng. Uncle Seng has many customers. They say his Teochew kway teow soup has that captivating "prawny" flavour. I like Uncle Seng's soup too.

Dad ordered a bowl for everyone. I had mee pok dry which is my favourite. I am inspired by Uncle Seng's quiet pride and by his steadiness. Uncle Seng will carefully make each bowl of kway teow noodles one by one. Uncle Seng steadfastly wants to make the best kway teow soup, no matter how many customers are waiting. They all learnt to accept Uncle Seng's style and never complain :)

As we were eating, I spotted this customer leaving the coffee shop on his big Norton motorbike, making that throaty exhaust sound. I wish I could ride a bike like this when I grow up.

 

After our breakfast at Uncle Seng's place, dad took us for a short walk to Hua Mui coffee shop along Jalan Trus.



Dad likes the thick Hainanese coffee here. He would pour the coffee into the shallow saucer to let the coffee cool down quickly and he would hold up the saucer to sniff the coffee aroma before sipping it loudly. "好香" my dad would say in Cantonese. Mum would always remind dad to enjoy his kopi without making that slurping noise but it would fall on deaf ears as usual :P As for me, I like the sweet French toast here - white bread toasted with Planta margarine and sprinkled with sugar.



While daddy enjoyed his kopi (coffee), I watched the workers send food up and down stairs using a rope, a big tray and basket. Mum says this is a "dumb waiter". I wondered why she said that - I think this is a very clever idea :P With this, the workers don't need to climb up and down the stairs anymore. I am inspired that sometimes, problems can be solved with simple solutions.



After coffee, we always walk up slope along Jalan Trus to stop by at the 50 year old Kok Yow Yong herbal tea shop. On our way to the old herbal tea shop, we passed by a red coloured arch on our left along Jalan Trus. Dad told us that Jalan Trus was the boundary separating the Hakka and Cantonese people of Johor Bahru during the old days. That red coloured arch leads to the houses where only Hakka people lived.



Kok Yow Yong is a hole in the wall type of herbal tea shop. People from all walks of life and all races stop by for quick relief from the blistering heat with a "cooling tea".



Sister was having a cough and cold, so mum asked the auntie at the herbal stall for an extra strong herbal tea. Fortunately, I didn't have to drink this very bitter and thick, grainy, gooey tea today :P


Photo Credit: Johor Tourist Information Centre

We then walked along Jalan Dhoby towards our next stop, Salahuddin Bakery - on the way we passed several laundry shops.
 

Dad stopped to chat with his friends Gopi and Muthu who work in one of the laundry shops along Jalan Dhoby. Gopi and Muthu are always cheerful, no matter how busy they were. Gopi always amazes me by how he is able to effortlessly straighten and flatten out wrinkly shirts and trousers with his hot iron in a matter of seconds. Gopi inspires me with his orderliness and systematic way of doing his work.



I love Salahuddin bakery - when we arrived we were greeted by a shop filled with the aroma and colours of freshly breads and cakes.



Enche Salahuddin uses this old wood fired oven to bake his popular breads and cakes.



Mum always buys bread from Enche Salahuddin whenever we come to Johor Bahru.



As for me, I always look forward to Enche Salahuddin's Bengali karipap (curry puff). Spicy mutton and potato with super crispy flaky crust that keeps falling off all over my clothes with every crunchy bite.


Photo Credit: Johor Bahru Hainanese Association

After buying our triangle shaped Bengali karipaps and bread, we crossed Jalan Dhoby towards IT Roo Cafe. I am inspired by the strength and toughness of the two small boys at IT Roo who were happily helping out at their parent's cafe after school. One of the boys was my age and another was slightly older.



IT Roo's chicken chop is our family's favourite. All of us love IT Roo's thick and chunky chicken chop in heavy crunchy batter. Since the chops were huge, we always just order 3 chops for all 6 of us to share. I also love IT Roo's potato wedges.

As we ate and chatted, I love the music they play in the background at IT Roo. The Righteous Brothers were crooning "Unchained Melody" - I think I will love this song for years to come.
  

 

As we walked down Jalan Pahang after IT Roo's chicken chops, we walked pass this huge house - the largest house along these streets. Dad said that a rich Indian family lives in this towering mansion. I had to really crank and tilt my head to try and catch a glimpse of the people living inside.

By the time we finished our chicken chops at IT Roo, it was already nearly 2pm. Dad hurried us up so that we could get to Hiap Joo bakery in time for their freshly baked banana cakes and coconut buns.
 

 

Like Salahuddin, Hiap Joo bakery also makes their breads and cakes using a large wood fired oven. I love to watch the frenzy inside the bakery as the freshly baked bread and hot cakes were taken out of the oven.
 

 

 

Auntie May cuts the freshly baked banana cakes. I am always amazed by how Auntie May is able to cut the slabs of banana cake into 10 pieces of exactly the same size. Auntie May inspires me to focus on whatever I am doing and to do it with pride, in order to get the best results.



I love Hiap Joo's fluffy and soft banana cake. Real bananas are used to make this spongy cake, so it is not overly sweet. The skin is slightly charred from the wood fire while the inside is still moist.


Photo credit: Construction site hoarding (source unknown)

Our stomachs full and our hands carrying bagfuls of bread, kakipap and cakes, we make our way happily back to Singapore by bus.

It was a very memorable fifth birthday trip for me :)

Epilogue - Hiap Joo's banana cakes never ever made it home with us - me and my siblings pinched it one piece at a time and finished it on the bus on the way home.

The 1960s were tumultuous yet inspiring times. As a 5 year old in 1965, obviously I could not understand what was happening around me. Yet, I could sense and feel that the earth was moving and great shifts were taking place in many spheres. The wounds of the horrific Second World War were still raw. Former colonies, newly independent, faced uncertain futures. The life and death struggle between Communism and the West was still unsettled and it was not at all clear who will turn out the winner.

With this backdrop, the common folks of whom I am one, got on with our lives. Tomorrow will be better - this simple, simplistic thought kept us going. The people's hardy spirit and society's ruggedness inspired unconsciously. Music, fashion, science and other creative endeavours flourished in this crucible. It's only years later that I become conscious of their influence in my own life.

Some of this heritage survived to this day. Our food and food ways among the treasures that survived, thanks to our hawkers - I am so glad that we made it through more or less intact, together.

In conclusion, the people who inspire me are not always rich, powerful or famous. Many people who leave a mark in my life and influence me are "ordinary" "everyday" folks we meet every day. Since I was small, I have a special fascination for hawkers. I spent many hours watching hawkers prepare and cook food. In the process, the traits and values of the best hawkers inspired and enriched me.

This post, indeed this entire blog, though focused on Johor is dedicated to street hawkers everywhere.

Note: This "1960s" trip is fictional because my family couldn't have afforded this. A trip like this in the lean 1960s would be considered a luxury, a "dream trip" few families could afford. Nonetheless, all the shops and food mentioned are real, and they are still here in JB today, at and around Jalan Tan Hiok Nee 陈旭年街. And, hawkers are the real inspiration for me and for this blog.

Click to view post on heritage food trail 2013

Click on the picture above to take a tour of these heritage shops as they are today (2013).

This 60s themed post is submitted for the Singapore Blog Awards 2013. If you like this post, please register and vote once a day for Johor Kaki - http://sgblogawards.omy.sg/2013/category/?cat=food Thank you.

Soto Ayam at Hj Abu Soto Power in Kampung Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang, Johor

June 12, 2013, 6:06 am

≫ Next: Lobsters at Jade Garden Seafood Corner at Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor - Second Visit 翡翠园海鲜酒家

≪ Previous: Day Trip to Johor Bahru Town in Jun 1965 (Inspiring People I Met on a Trip Back in Time)

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My friend Bryan has been raving about his favourite soto ayam place (near the famous Rahmat Ikan Siakap) for some time. I couldn't wait to visit Hj Abu Soto Power in Kampung Pasir and we finally did on Monday.



Haji Abu's warung is actually an extension of his house which is a stone's throw from the sea (yes, if you throw a stone, it will actually drop into the Straits of Johor :P ). With the airy structure letting in the sea breeze and shade from the leafy trees ringing the warung, it feels cool and comfortable inside even though it was another blisteringly hot day in tropical Johor.  



Inside, the simple and well kept stall front at Hj Abu Soto Power.



Hj Abu and his wife have been running this popular warung for over 30 years. The recipe came from Hj Abu's mother-in-law who was from Surabaya, Indonesia.



This bee hoon soto ayam costs RM4 for a "regular" one and RM5 for a large one. Byran fixed his soto craving with "one big, one small".



The heart of soto ayam is in it's slivers of pulled chicken meat. At Hj Abu's, the pulled chicken slivers are very fine. The fine chicken slivers sponge up the savoury soto chicken broth very well.



If the pulled chicken slivers are the heart of soto, then this savoury chicken broth is it's soul. Hj Abu's soto has a savoury, deep, rich chicken flavour.



The fragrant, spicy chicken broth is made by boiling whole chickens with many different spices in the pot for at least 4 hours.



Bee hoon (vermicelli) soto is eaten with kicap added to taste. Bryan likes his soto with plenty of kicap.



Sambal made with chili padi is also added to taste. I like my soto to have plenty of fresh sambal chili.



I also tried the rice cake (lontong) version - same spicy chicken broth eaten with traditional rice cakes. The rice cakes were tender with refreshing rice flavour.  This nasi version is a good option for people who like to have rice for lunch.



If you like, you can have chicken parts cut up and added to your soto.



This bowl with chicken feet added looked so enticing, I asked the customer for permission to take a photo of it before he began to eat it :P

I have been looking for a good soto ayam in Johor to share. I am happy to recommend Hj Abu Soto Power :)

Hj Abu's son, Rujhan, has just opened a Soto Power branch at Jalan Helang 2, in Taman Scientex. I look forward to paying Rujhan's shop a visit soon :)



Restaurant name: Hj Abu Soto Power
Address: 26, Jalan Pantai, Kampung Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/i3W2X
GPS: 1.434510,103.931860
Hours: 9:00am to 9:00pm (closed on Friday)
Halal

Date visited: 10 Jun 2013

Lobsters at Jade Garden Seafood Corner at Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor - Second Visit 翡翠园海鲜酒家

June 15, 2013, 12:12 am

≫ Next: Passionfood Café and Bakery in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

≪ Previous: Soto Ayam at Hj Abu Soto Power in Kampung Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang, Johor

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Yesterday, I brought my high school schoolmates to Sungai Rengit for lobsters :) We were in high school together in the 1970s. This was a trip we had been talking about for a long time. So we came to Sungai Rengit excited - talking and laughing like children on a school excursion after the final exam :)

I picked Jade Garden for this special trip because this is by far the most popular seafood restaurant in Sungai Rengit. I've also tried Jade Garden before and I like their "Superior Broth" lobster. It was lunch time on a Friday, and as usual there was a good crowd of diners in the bright and spacious restaurant.

How fresh are lobsters in Sungai Rengit? Well, they come straight from the sea (a stone's throw away) in plastic bags with no water. Once they arrived, the lobsters were immediately sorted according to species and size, and tossed into the display tanks.

We asked the staff who came to take our orders to recommend their signature lobster dishes. There were five of us, so we ordered one lobster for each person. These were the lobsters dishes recommended by Jade Garden to us :)

 

Lobster in Superior Broth

I had this "Superior Broth 上湯" lobster before during my last visit and this is my favourite style of cooking lobster. The savoury buttery broth brings out the exquisite flavour of the spiny lobster very well. 



Today's "Superior Broth" was slightly heavier on saltiness than my last experience. We all agreed that the thick lobster flesh was springy and refreshingly crunchy.

Fragrant Fried Lobsters

For our second dish, Jade Garden recommended this "Fragrant Fried Lobsters 香炒龙虾". After the slightly salty "Superior Broth", looking at this dish, we were initially wary that this dish might be a little too heavy on saltiness.



The "Fragrant Fried Lobsters 香炒龙虾" turned out not overly salty and we all liked this style, though it was slightly greasy. The herbs used to cook the lobsters indeed spiced up and perfumed the lobsters.



The gravy though a bit greasy was finger licking good :) The lobster meat was still bouncy though a little drier compared to the "Superior Broth 上湯 " version.


Marmite Lobsters

After our lunch, we noticed that the next table had these luscious looking lobsters. LOL as usual, I could not resist asking the customer if I could have permission to take a photo of it so that I could share it on this blog and also to come back again for it at my next visit.

The gracious customer who is a regular told me that this "Marmite Lobster" is Jade Garden's best lobster dish and is offered only to regular customers. LOL I will make sure I ask for "Marmite Lobster" at the my visit, though I am not sure if visiting them a third time qualifies me as a regular :P

I also noticed that some customers had a large bowl of interesting looking herbal chicken soup. (I didn't take a picture of this because the bowls were all nearly empty :P ) The regular customer told me that this special chicken soup is one of Jade Garden's best dishes and available only on Fridays and Saturdays. Again, it is only for regular customers. LOL I hope to have a chance to try this next time :)



This was our bill for our lunch at Jade Garden. We had 5 lobsters altogether :)



Restaurant name: Jade Garden Seafood Corner 翡翠园海鲜酒家
Address: 54, Jalan Kerisi, Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/mUkH
GPS: 1.350967,104.224076
Hours: 11:00am to 10:30pm
No Pork, No Lard, No Halal cert

Date visited: 5 Jul 2012, 14 Jun 2013

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Passionfood Café and Bakery in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

June 15, 2013, 8:28 pm

≫ Next: Crepe Signature Crispy Crepe at Johor Premium Outlets, Johor

≪ Previous: Lobsters at Jade Garden Seafood Corner at Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor - Second Visit 翡翠园海鲜酒家

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Chi Ling invited me over to try out her new menu at Passionfood. This was my second visit to Passionfood at the invitation of Chi Ling, the owner. I was excited about this visit as I had a very good experience at Passionfood during my first visit.

 

Chi Ling is one of the new blood of Johor F and B entrepreneurs who are driven by passion. Chi Ling is a medical bioscience professional who couldn't resist dumping her white lab coat for her pink apron to pursue her passion for baking and cooking.

 

Oh, on that pink apron - pink is the theme of Passionfood, so you can see the feminine colour in their decor, furniture and even in their food.

 

I asked Chi Ling how the name Passionfood came about. Chi Ling said she was in Vietnam and the Vietnamese fruit passion fruit gave her the "ah ha moment". She like the name because passion is what Passionfood Café and bakery is all about.

Creamy Ebiko Crab Meat Pasta RM18.90

First to arrive was the Creamy Ebiko Crab Meat Pasta. The thick el dente pasta was smothered in a homemade savoury white cabonara sauce with white wine and crab meat.

 

The tiny savoury ebiko (Japanese prawn eggs) popping in your mouth added an interesting mouth feel and flavour to the whole dish.

 

Cheese Chicken Burger RM17.90

Next was Passionfood's Cheese Chicken Burger. I heard my friend Bryan spoke highly of Passionfood's chicken burger before and was looking forward to try this.

 

The thick chicken patty was sitting of a bed of fresh tomato slices, cherry tomatoes and sauteed onions. The chicken patty is blanketed by a layer of soft melted cheese that flowed down the sides of the patty. And, everything is held together between Passionfood's own fluffy charcoal bun, made right here at the cafe from scratch.

 

This is no industrial mass produced patty at average hamburger joints. Passionfood's thick handmade patty is made with hand chopped chicken thigh and breast meat with some herbs and condiments mixed in. The meaty, tightly packed patty had little grease or fat. You will never find bits of bone or rubbery sinews in Passionfood's handmade patty. 

 

 

French fries with ketchup are always simply, special to me :P

 

Passionfood has many interesting drinks on their menu. This is the signature Passion Paradise (RM7.50) - passion fruit syrup with soda water and rainbow jelly.

 

The Mango Tango (RM7.50). Mango syrup with soda water and mango puree.

 

I will be coming back soon to try Passionfood's cakes and pastries from Chi Ling's passion for baking.

 



Restaurant name: Passionfood Café and Bakery
Address: 14, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SS9N3

GPS: 1.481626,103.773679
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Monday to Thursday); 11:00am to 11:00pm (Friday); 10:00am to 11:00pm (Saturday); 10:00am to 10:00pm (Sunday) Closed on Tuesday
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 16 Nov 2012, 12 Jun 2013

Crepe Signature Crispy Crepe at Johor Premium Outlets, Johor

June 17, 2013, 8:00 pm

≫ Next: Lamb Mandi at Restoran Parsia in Taman Universiti, Skudai, Johor

≪ Previous: Passionfood Café and Bakery in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

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This is embarrassing :P I have to admit that I fell in love with Crepe Signature's crispy crepes :) 



When Alex from Crepe Signature contacted me to try their crispy crepes at their Johor Premium Outlets branch, I was more curious than excited. After all, I am no teenybopper.


When I saw the bewildering choices of Crepe Signature's trendy colourful crepes, I wasn't sure how my taste buds will react to this faddish looking food. Might this not be just another food fab that comes and goes like morning mist?


Chocolate Banana Crispy Crepe RM4.90

When I took my first crispy, crunchy bite of my chocolate banana crepe, it was literary love at first bite :) Any scepticism I initially had just evaporated with that first bite.


The secret of Crepe Signature's crispy crepe is in its special batter. Every one of Crepe Signature's crispy crepes is made on the spot, made to order with natural ingredients.

This results in a rather thick crepe with a surprisingly crispy and refreshing mouth feel. The natural chocolate banana filling was also not overly sweet - it was just nice :)



The completed crispy crepe is best eaten straightaway, though I am told that it can be eaten two days later and it will still be as crispy.  



This Crepe Signature outlet at Johor Premium Outlets is the first Crepe Signature stall. Opened in 2011, it was so successful that now (just 2 years later), there are over 10 Crepe Signature outlets in Johor and the first outlet in Clementi Mall (Singapore) will be opening soon.

Obviously, I am not the only one bitten by the Crepe Signature bug. Try it and see if you can resist it :P



Restaurant name: Crepe Signature
Address: Johor Premium Outlets Branch (over ten branches in Johor)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/D0XQI
GPS: 1.604566,103.621888
Hours: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Halal cert in process

Date visited: 17 Jun 2013

Lamb Mandi at Restoran Parsia in Taman Universiti, Skudai, Johor

June 19, 2013, 12:46 am

≫ Next: Dinner Buffet at Harbour Café at TRADERS Hotel at Puteri Harbour, Johor

≪ Previous: Crepe Signature Crispy Crepe at Johor Premium Outlets, Johor

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I am a big fan of lamb. I especially love lamb that has rich smokey gamey flavours, tender bite and smooth mouth feel.

Couple the moist flavourful lamb with a bed of fragrant fluffy yet non starchy saffron perfumed Basmati rice and eating it with tangy, refreshing herbs and juices - this is a lovely meal that takes me to food paradise like a magic carpet from Arabia.

Fortunately, in Johor Bahru, we don't have to pay a King's ransom to enjoy a wondrous meal like this. In Restoran Parsia, we can have it for under RM20 with a drink thrown in :)

In case you are wondering - this is no short cut, mass produced meal but an authentic Iranian classic. Lamb mandi or grilled lamb prepared the tedious traditional way with a large old style tandoor - the only one there is in Johor Bahru. Come to think of it, I haven't seen anything like this tandoor anywhere else in Malaysia or Singapore :P



Amin, a hands on boss, personally putting the final touches in preparing the Iranian lamb mandi using the large tandoor.





The fluffy, airy, non starchy, non greasy, saffron perfumed Basmati rice is also made with this large tandoor for that authentic, almost sensual aroma.

Was it worth all that trouble just to cook rice? Well, this picture speaks for itself :)

Amin the boss, and Jahangir the Chief Chef of Restoran Parsia

 

Amin who hails from the Shiraz district of Iran, set up Restoran Parsia to serve authentic Iranian comfort food for the Iranian community here in Johor Bahru. For example, Restoran Parsia serves Dizi which is the iconic Iranian everyday staple. As a large part of the Iranian community in JB are students at UTM (Universiti Technlogi Malaysia), Amin prices Restoran Parsia's food with their budget in mind.
 

Restoran Parsia is tucked away in Taman Universiti, and it's interior decor is simple and basic but the Iranian and Arabian food served here is delicious. The portions are large and satisfying, and reasonably priced.

Restoran Parsia is a place we return to regularly for our Iranian and Arabian food craving fix. 

Restaurant name: Parsia Restaurant (Iranian and Arabian cuisine)
Address: 63-01, 64-01, Jalan Pendidikan 4, Taman Universiti, Skudai, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/dwA8d
GPS: 1.545076,103.629237
Hours: 11:00am to 11:00pm
Halal

Dates visited: 16 Dec 2012, 16 May 2013

Dinner Buffet at Harbour Café at TRADERS Hotel at Puteri Harbour, Johor

June 20, 2013, 7:19 am

≫ Next: Gianni's Trattoria in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

≪ Previous: Lamb Mandi at Restoran Parsia in Taman Universiti, Skudai, Johor

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Aida, Communications Manager at newly opened TRADERS Hotel at Puteri Harbour invited us to visit their Harbour Café.

All guests are warmly welcome at the bright reception and entrance to Harbour Café.



Once pass the Café reception, guests are greeted by this unique cheerful display of fruit and vegetable pickles in large bottles.

Harbour Café offers a wide range of International and local favourites. Obviously, I couldn't taste them all in one day even though I wish I could :P and I could only take photos of food that caught my eye. So, there is much more on offer at Harbour Café than what is shown in this post :)

Alright, let's take a walk around at Harbour Café.



The heap of sweet and succulent blanched shrimps chilled on a bed of ice at the seafood station.



Lots of blanched flower crabs for crab lovers. Fresh crabs, no need for fancy cooking. Best on it's own,  au naturel :)



The Indian section has a large traditional tandoor (clay oven) where the meats on skewers and naan (Indian flat bread) are baked.



Executive Chef Alan, a hands on leader, demonstrating his roti canai flipping skill. 



Thin, crispy roti canai (prata) straight off the hot griddle.



William is the Station Chef in charge of the Indian station at Harbour Café. William who loves Indian cuisine learnt his craft under an Indian master, and now specialises in Indian dishes.




William's freshly baked masala chicken from the tandoor.



Executive Chef Alan who has worked in many countries in hotels under the Shangri-La group, is very proud of his herbal stew and soup station. Alan who hails from the town of Tapah in Perak, Malaysia proudly declared that his mother's cooking is his inspiration. Alan, a Cantonese, said that Cantonese people must have soup at every meal, and he grew up on his mum's soups and stews. I trust any chef who tries to serve us mum's cooking. Mum's cooking is best - no kidding.



I took a bowl of Alan's herbal lamb stew back to our table for three of us to share. I like the tender, flavourful lamb so much that I ended up eating up all three persons' share because they were too slow hehe and I forgot to wait for them haha :P



Chef Meng, the Chef De Cuisine in charge of Harbour Café whipping up a bowl of curry mee for us. Chef Meng also has many years of overseas experience with the Shangri-La group, including in Shangri-La, Singapore.   



Harbour Café's curry mee is as good as any of the old names in Johor Bahru town. Good balance of spices and santan, not overly spicy despite it's fiery looks - actually, just the right amount of spicy hot. The two good sized succulent, shelled prawns is a nice touch.



Chef Meng at the dim sum station. I need to come back to try this as many readers have been asking me where to find good no pork, no lard dim sum.



Pan fried salmon with creamy sauce and zucchini. Looks nice but I didn't try it this round. Too much good food, saving this for my next visit :)



The pasta section. I didn't try the pasta as there was just no more room in my seriously overstretched stomach.





The sashimi station is my personal favourite. Here we can indulge in fresh sashimi to our hearts' content LOL.



Chocolate lovers! Harbour Café has a chocolate fountain! Irresistible to the young and young at heart :)



Coming up next, my Harbour Café breakfast buffet experience :)

Restaurant name: Harbour Café
Address: TRADERS Hotel, Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/3xCnf
GPS: 1.416727,103.659063
Business Hours: Dinner 6.30pm - 10.30pm @ RM78++ (10% svc charge and 6% gov tax). Children below 6 dine for free with two (2) paying adults, children 6-12 at 50% off.
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 17 Jun 2013, 18 Jun 2013

Gianni's Trattoria in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

June 21, 2013, 9:04 pm

≫ Next: Mee Bandung Muar at Abu Bakar Hanipah Mi Bandung Muar Special, Muar, Johor

≪ Previous: Dinner Buffet at Harbour Café at TRADERS Hotel at Puteri Harbour, Johor

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I was invited to the media introduction for the new Gianni's Trattoria which will be opened in Permas Jaya in July 2013. The media introduction was held at the Gianni's Trattoria in Taman Pelangi - a famous and established Italian restaurant in Johor Bahru.



This was my first time at Gianni's Trattoria. When we arrived we were efficiently ushered to the "Urban Lounge" on the second floor where the media introduction was held. (Next time, I have to come back to experience a lunch or dinner at Gianni's Trattoria in Taman Pelangi - something that I had been planning for some time already :) )



A big, towering gentleman came in and started to scrape the big wheel shaped block of cheese with a large knife. Chef Hans Durst the owner of Gianni's Trattoria needs no introduction. Without any cue, we started to take photos of Chef Hans performing this strange scraping "ritual".

The friendly Chef Hans then shared with us that this is Parmiggiano Reggiano - the King of Italian Cheeses from the region of Parma of Italy. The unique taste and flavour of Parmiggiano comes only from the special combination of the right cows, grass and climate found only in Parma, and nowhere else. This block aged for 24 months, weighs 150kg. Parmiggiano is available in JB only at Gianni's Trattoria(Taman Pelangi) and the upcoming branch in Permas Jaya, opening in July.



Would you have guessed that Johor's best known Italian chef is from....... Germany! Hans has experience in the restaurants of Germany, Italy, France, Kuwait, USA, Australia, and was the Executive Chef of Grand Hyatt, Singapore before coming to Johor Bahru.

Tonight, Chef Hans let us have a taste of Gianni's Trattoria's offerings which will be served in both the Pelangi and Permas Jaya branches.


Parmiggiano on focaccia and bruschetta 

First was the Parmiggiano cheese, of course. The Parmiggiano cheese "shavings" were feathery light. It was a delightful blend of slightly sweet and savoury. We ate it with focaccia bread dipping it in olive oil with balsamic vinegar. I said many times before that with bread, cheese and olive oil like this, I don't need anything else to have a great meal :)



The Antipasto Platter was a kaleidoscope of carpaccio, Kalamata olives, artichokes, mushrooms, squid rings, melon, ham, and capsicums.



I am a cheese lover and this Caprese with big globs of creamy Mozzarella cheese dressed with Arugula salad and drizzled with Balsamic vinegar was one of my favourites of the evening.



Rolled Salmon Pizza alla Nobile.



This Black Ink Pasta Aglio e Olio with Fresh Prawns was just wonderful. I was thrilled by the aroma of the umami seafood flavours as the waiter made his way serving the dish guest by guest down the line - and I was last person drooling and waiting in the line :P I love that thick el dente spaghetti coated with that savoury smooth seafood sauce. I would order this when I visit Gianni's Trattoria.



Mediterranean vegetables with Australian Angus beef done medium well. Juicy, tender, beefy, just marvellous.



Mediterranean vegetables with New Zealand lamb. Tender, moist and with that lovely lamb flavour and aroma that makes lamb my favourite meat.



Sauteed Alaskan Cod. The snowy white flaky meat - tender, moist and mildly flavoured, it soaked up that sweet savoury sauce perfectly. 



Butternut Pumpkin Soup - warm, full bodied, smooth blend of sweet and savoury. One small cup is not enough for me :P



Gianni's Trattoria's house made alcohol free Tiramisu. Chef Hans asked us to guess if alcohol was used in the Tiramisu and none us could tell that it was alcohol free :P Flavoured with top grade coffee, just the right level of sweetness, it is very easy to overindulge in this classic Italian dessert.  



Throughout our evening, Jessica from Gastrolution shared with us the fine points of the fine foods and spirits we were enjoying. Jessica is no ordinary Sommelier. She has worked in an Australian vineyard harvesting and hauling grapes, so you can say she knows her wines from the ground or roots up :)



One of the fine drinks we had at the event, courtesy of Gastrolution.

After enjoying this sampling of Gianni Tratttoria's delightful offerings, this classic Italian is firmly in my must visit list. I can't wait for their Permas Jaya branch to open :P



Restaurant name: Gianni's Trattoria (Pelangi Branch)
Address: 101, Jalan Serampang, Taman Pelangi, Johor bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/y7MZf
GPS: 1.484195,103.770943
Hours: Lunch (11:30am to 3:00pm), dinner (6:00pm to 11:00pm)

Restaurant name: Gianni's Trattoria (Permas Jaya Branch)
Address: 9, Jalan Permas 10/2, Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, Masai, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/4qlHm
GPS: 1.495915,103.816112
Hours: Lunch (11:30am to 3:00pm), dinner (6:00pm to 11:00pm)

No pork, no lard, no Halal cert, alcohol served

Date visited: 19 Jun 2013

Mee Bandung Muar at Abu Bakar Hanipah Mi Bandung Muar Special, Muar, Johor

June 26, 2013, 7:00 am

≫ Next: Oyster Divers in Muar, Johor

≪ Previous: Gianni's Trattoria in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

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Mee Bandung Muar (MBM) is one of the uniquely Johor dishes that make up the Johor brand of foods. Enche Abu Bakar Hanipah's Mee Bandung Muar Special is one of the best versions of this Johor speciality.



I was first introduced to Abu Bakar Hanipah's Mee Bandung Muar Special during Tourism Malaysia Johor's 2013 food trail featuring the riverine city of Muar.



As we approached Enche Abu Bakar Hanipah's stall, the aromas, cooking fumes and buzz at the old kopitiam in busy downtown Muar instantly excited my foodie instincts.



Inside the typically grimey old town Wah San kopitiam, every inch of the the walls were plastered with photos of the who's who of Malaysia and Singapore visiting Abu Bakar Hanipah's MBM stall.

My salivary glands immediately kicked into overdrive. My taste buds were primed to nearly unrealistic levels.

I am pleased to say that Abu Bakar Hanipah's MBM Special more than met my expectations.



The secret of Abu Bakar Hanipah's MBM Special is in this sambal made mainly with dried shrimps, chili and spices.



I love Abu Bakar Hanipah's MBM a lot because of the savoury and mildly spicy gravy. I like it that the gravy is chock full of ingredients and feels substantial and full bodied. This gravy is made with diced cubes of beef, shrimps, cuttlefish, and the signature grainy sambal made mainly with ground shrimps, chili and spices. Some might find it on the slightly overpowering side but it tasted just perfect to me :P



Enche Abu Bakar Hanipah is a very warm and friendly man who is infectiously proud and passionate about his MBM Special. He also has a natural marketing flare. When asked if I could take photos of him in action, he instantly straightened up and snapped into this well rehearsed pose. After the obligatory picture, I had to gently persuade him to let me have some candid shots of him at work :P



Enche Abu Bakar Hanipah is the baby on his father's lap. Abu Bakar Hanipah has been helping out at his father's MBM stall since he was a primary school boy.

Abu Bakar Hanipah's grandfather came from Madras, India and invented this special version of MBM. The stall opened in Muar in 1930. Today, Abu Baker Hanipah has two stalls in Muar, one in Pagoh and he is going to further open a branch each in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru.

Helping Abu Bakar Hanipah at the stall today are his wife, daughter and his youngest son.



Mee Bandung Muar fans will be glad to know that Abu Bakar Hanipah's MBM Special is in good hands with Sabarina poised to continue the tradition when Abu Bakar Hanipah retires.



When you are in Muar, pay Enche Abu Bakar Hanipah a visit and try his Mee Bandung Muar Special. It's quite a treat at RM4.00 a plate.

Restaurant name: Mi Bandung Muar (Special) - stall in Wah San kopitiam
Address: 69-A, Jalan Abdullah, Muar, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/4zImu
GPS: 2.050674,102.571642
Hours: 6:30am to 5:00pm
Halal

Date visited: 25 Jun 2013

Oyster Divers in Muar, Johor

June 26, 2013, 11:24 pm

≫ Next: ONE63 European Bistro & Bar in Downtown Johor Bahru

≪ Previous: Mee Bandung Muar at Abu Bakar Hanipah Mi Bandung Muar Special, Muar, Johor

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The first time I heard about Muar oysters was from the lady boss of Ah Hua kway teow thng at Jalan Segget in old downtown Johor Bahru.



Ah Hua at Jalan Segget is famous for their RM16 fully loaded kway teow thng. The lady boss proudly told me that "I use only Muar oysters. More expensive but the best."

A quick search of the Singapore National Library archives revealed that Muar oysters were already a well known, much sought after delicacy even during the early 1900s.

You can imagine how excited I was to have a chance to see oyster divers in action in the Muar river during the Muar Food Trail by Tourism Malaysia Johor.



We boarded a ferry at the Tanjung Emas jetty to link up with the divers' sampans at the Muar river mouth.



The divers start work each day when the tide is low. Coming out in groups in motorised sampans.



The diver heaved himself high above the water to take a long, deep breath. The divers dive just by holding their breath under water - no breathing apparatus is used.



The divers then disappeared under the water. The only things still visible were the sampans and the long wooden poles. As the current was swift in the Muar river, the boats continued to drift at a fast clip towards the sea while the divers were looking for oysters. The divers used the long poles to guide them down and up the oyster bed.




A few minutes later, the diver surfaced and threw the oysters into the sampan.



A middle man with a freshly caught oyster. At the time of writing, the divers sold the oysters to the middle man at RM20 per kilo. This seems like quite a fair price for the divers' hard work, considering how heavy oyster shells are.



The Muar oyster that I ate straight from the Muar river bed. The slippery oyster was soft, fat, juicy, savoury and creamy.

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ONE63 European Bistro & Bar in Downtown Johor Bahru

June 29, 2013, 12:56 am

≫ Next: Sai Kee Coffee 434 in Muar, Johor

≪ Previous: Oyster Divers in Muar, Johor

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I was thrilled when Mandy from ONE63 European Bistro & Bar invited me to visit as I am happy to see more and more higher end restaurants enter the increasingly exciting Johor food scene. So, soon after ONE63 opened for business, I popped by for a simple lunch.



ONE63 bistro is located in a pair of refurbished heritage shop houses along the historic Jalan Ngee Heng. 

Singaporean foodies would be happy to note that ONE63 is just 5-7 minutes walk from City Square Mall - just head north along Jalan Wong Ah Fook, once you exited City Square. ONE63 bistro is easy to locate as it is right next to the prominent Hotel Tropical Inn building.



Inside, ONE63 is well appointed though neither lavish nor pretentious - contemporary European chic, I would say. This is the drinks section on the ground floor. Also on the ground floor, ONE63 has an al fresco dining area. Upstairs, ONE63 has a large dining room as well as an alcova (sheltered balcony) area. 



ONE63 bistro also has a cosy private dining room that comfortably seats 10 people.

ONE63 European Bistro & Bar specialises in Italian and French cuisine.


Smoked Duck Salad Appetiser RM23

As I an a fan of smoked duck, I asked for this Smoked Duck Salad appetiser. Tossed with slices of house smoked duck, mix mesclun (leafy greens) salad, caramelised shallot rings, marinated cherry tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar.



ONE63 bistro is the only restaurant in Johor I know that house smoked their ducks. The thin slices of smoked duck were tender, smooth and savoury. The savoury smooth duck blends well with the refreshing greens bathed in tangy balsamic vinegar. 


Squid Ink Vongole RM28

I wanted something interesting and yet not too heavy, so I picked Squid Ink Vongole. This a popular spaghetti dish made with linguine pasta, fresh squid ink, white wine reduction sauce, little neck clams, chili, and parsley



Ahh.. I love those al dente spaghetti enveloped in that exquisitely savoury squid ink and clam gravy. Delicious, delicious. hehehe.... I order squid ink spaghetti whenever a restaurant offers this dish :)


Tiramisu RM16.30

To wrap up the simple lunch, I had ONE63 bistro's tiramisu for dessert. I was expecting the usual frumpy, chunky slice of cake but was pleasantly surprised that ONE63 serves the classic dessert creatively in an elegant cocktail glass. Made with Italian mascarpone cream and coffee, and lightly blanketed with cocoa powder. Sweet and lovely as good tiramisu should be, and Mandy confirmed that it is alcohol free :)


Sangria Smooth RM13

For drinks, I had this Sangria Smooth suggested by Mandy. It's a pulpy, icy blend of blueberry, strawberry, orange juice, apple juice, and lime with finely crushed ice. I love it.



After lunch, Mandy introduced me to ONE63 bistro's Executive Chef Kelvin Lee. Beneath Kelvin's friendly and warm demeanour is an eye popping résumé.

Kelvin, originally from Kuala Lumpur, has experience in not one but two 3 Michelin Star restaurants in France. They are Le Jardin Des Sens in Montpellier and Michel Bra in Laguiole. Kelvin was also the Group Executive Chef / Chef Consultant of Gusttimo World and was the Head Chef of San Marco at The Lighthouse, Fullerton Hotel, Singapore before coming to Johor Bahru.

Kelvin graciously made me a dessert :)



Food? Art? Food art by Executive Chef Kelvin Lee.



Delectable chocolate mousse with house made ice cream. Oh my, since when did I developed a sweet tooth?!

hehe I already made appointments with Mandy to come back for ONE63's set lunch and dinner :)



Restaurant name: ONE63 European Bistro & Bar
Address: 163, Jalan Ngee Heng, Johor bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/lg22W
GPS: 1.465643,103.760075
Hours: 11:00am to 12:00 midnight daily
No pork, no lard, alcohol served

Date visited: 28 Jun 2013

Sai Kee Coffee 434 in Muar, Johor

June 29, 2013, 11:27 pm

≫ Next: Muar Soup House near Classic Hotel, Muar, Johor

≪ Previous: ONE63 European Bistro & Bar in Downtown Johor Bahru

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I am a coffee lover. No, that's not entirely accurate. I am a coffee addict needing over 5 mugs of kopi kau (thick coffee) every single day.

So, since I started Johor Kaki blog in 2011, I have asking around and looking for opportunities to visit a coffee plantation in Johor, but with no success. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to have the chance to visit Sai Kee Coffee 434 or Elephant brand coffee plantation in Muar, thanks to Tourism Malaysia Johor's Muar food trail.

Here are the stages of production of Elephant brand coffee at Sai Kee Coffee 434.



The ripe premium grade Liberica berries ready for harvesting. It takes 3 to 4 years for a coffee seedling to mature into a fruit bearing tree. The ripe and best berries are hand picked - cherry picking, literary.



Sai Kee Coffee 434 uses the traditional "dry" method to separate the coffee seed and the pulp. The Liberica berries are simply spread on the clean ground in a "green house", turned regularly with shovels and allowed to dry. The "green house" protects the berries from dust, sand, and rain. It felt very hot and humid inside the "green house".



When the berries become wrinkly and dry (10% moisture left), the pulp and seed are separated (a process known as hulling). The pulp is used as an organic fertiliser while the seed is the much sought after coffee bean.



To make traditional kopitiam coffee, the beans are roasted with margarine, sugar, sesame seeds and other ingredients. This style of roasting coffee beans is unique in Malaysia and Singapore. Here, workers are air cooling the freshly roasted over 200ºC hot beans by spreading them out using shovels.



The roasted beans are oily and tacky, caked and stuck to the shovel - a bit like that stubborn used chewing gum stuck to the bottom of our shoes.



Worker transferring the caked, roasted beans in buckets to the separator.



The caked, roasted beans spun and separated.



These are Elephant brand premium Liberica beans ready for grinding.



The final step in the production process - packing the grounded beans into sachets and bags.



Making coffee at Sai Kee Coffee 434 the old way by pouring boiling water through roughly grounded beans in a white muslin sock. Sai Kee was founded in 1953 by, you guessed it, Ah Sai. The number 434 was the telephone area code for Muar in the 1960s, and today it is synonymous with Sai Kee coffee.



Our sample of freshly brewed Elephant brand coffee in a styrofoam cup. The coffee was full bodied, robustly flavoured, bitter and sweet. Love it.



The rather gay and lavish interior of Sai Kee Coffee 434 Cafe at Jalan Maharani in downtown Muar.

(Note: Johor Kaki has no affiliation with Sai Kee Coffee 434. There are no fees for this or any post in Johor Kaki. LOL Sai Kee Coffee may not even be aware of this post :) )



Restaurant name: Sai Kee Coffee 434
Address: 121, Jalan Maharani (across the road from the central bus station and wet market)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/TlU3f
GPS: 2.048787,102.567999
Hours: 8:00am to 5:30pm daily
Certified Halal

Date visited: 17 Mar 2013, 25 Jun 2013

Muar Soup House near Classic Hotel, Muar, Johor

July 1, 2013, 7:40 am

≫ Next: Ah Chuan Fish Soup at Jalan Lumba Kuda in Johor Bahru

≪ Previous: Sai Kee Coffee 434 in Muar, Johor

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It was the night after the "Big Haze" in Muar. The night before, Muar recorded a whopping PSI (Air Pollutant Index) of 741.

The famous Muar Soup House was on our supper plan arranged by Tourism Malaysia Johor. The haze had subsided considerably and Muar Soup House was temptingly just around the corner from Classic Hotel where we were staying. Peering through the receding haze and sniffing the air, we decided that it was safe enough to venture a little out of the hotel. So we pulled on our masks and proceeded for our soup supper as planned.



When we rounded the corner and arrived at Muar Soup House, there was already a big crowd of people out and about. Actually, it was Monday morning. LOL people were out perhaps celebrating an unexpected "public holiday" because schools and offices were closed on Monday due to the haze emergency.



Coming back to food, Muar Soup House started as a typical pedicab stall in 1958. Today, it occupies 3 shophouses in downtown Muar. Muar Soup House now has a full range of food and drinks like those at 24-hour Mamak cafes. But, at Muar Soup House, it is still their famous mutton and beef soups that are their main draw.  



Even today, the famous soups are served from this signature push cart, just like the old days.





The action at the soup cart was frantic and non stop.





The big pots of simmering soup and meat - not very photogenic but something that many crave for.



To stay out of the haze, we chose to sit inside the air con section which has plush seats and nice marble tables. Well past midnight and business was still brisk.



My sup kambing at RM5. The soup was spicy, herbal, robust and not overly oily (excessive oiliness is a common fault of average sup kambing). The bowl was loaded with generous chunks of tender mutton. It had that mutton flavour that I like and yet was not overly gamey, so most people would enjoy it too. Needless to say, I finished the whole bowl with gusto.



The sup tulang or lamb shank soup at RM7. (Another person's order, so I didn't taste this but everybody seemed happy and satisfied.)



The lady boss whipping up a Mee Bandung Muar - a Muar signature dish that I need to come back for at Muar Soup House. She is the second generation owner running this large shop with her younger brother. Her brother told me that a Muar Soup House branch will be opening soon in Johor Bahru :)

Restaurant name: Muar Soup House
Address: 47, Jalan Sisi, Muar, Johor (near Classic Hotel)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/v2MPY
GPS: 2.045666,102.566455
Hours: 24 hours
Halal

Date visited: 23 Jun 2013

Ah Chuan Fish Soup at Jalan Lumba Kuda in Johor Bahru

July 2, 2013, 8:20 am

≫ Next: Third Junction Cafe at Taman Nusa Bestari, Johor Bahru

≪ Previous: Muar Soup House near Classic Hotel, Muar, Johor

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My friends know how I can have fish soup for weeks without feeling bored. I will even endure hour long queues standing in line for the best fish soup. Actually, I used to do that almost every week at my favourite fish soup stall in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore.

Ah Chuan's fish soup at Jalan Lumba Kuda was not love at the first mouthful of soup as its flavour tasted rather slight, especially when my benchmarks were pretty robust in flavour.

But strangely, I appreciate it more as the meal progresses. Enough for me to want to blog about it.



The boss Ah Chuan worked several years at another fish soup stall before saving enough money to strike out on his own about two years ago.



Ah Chuan Fish Soup is the small corner stall run by Ah Chuan and his younger brother at Shang Ji kopitiam. This is Ah Hoe the younger brother. Ah Chuan's stall is just beside Cathay (Tan Kee) laksa stall.



Ah Hoe making our pot of fish soup.



Our RM10 fish bee hoon soup served in a claypot.



A piece of black snapper meat. It's a lower grade fish than the more familiar red snapper. Still it is more tasty than sea bass and doesn't have that muddy taste that sea bass sometimes have. The meat was fresh, tender and tasted of natural sweetness. I counted about 7 or 8 pieces of similar sized fish meat in our claypot.



The springy handmade fish balls had a nice bite though they were not very bouncy. Ah Chuan said his fish balls are 100% fish meat with nothing added. This probably accounts for the lack of bounciness as there is no starch added to Ah Chuan's fish balls.



Ah Chuan's bee hoon was done just right - it still had a little bite and subtle stiffness which I like. I don't enjoy limp and soggy bee hoon :P



The soup was quite clear, the flavour was slight yet pleasant and it was not oily at all.



Ah Chuan uses only fish bones, chicken bones and anchovies to make his soup. Ah Chuan assured me that he uses no MSG and I believe him because I could taste the difference.



Ah Chuan adds a dash of ti poh made from grounded dried sole fish to give his fish soup a bit of essential savoury oomph.



Ah Chuan goes to the market everyday to buy his fish. Ah Chuan deals in only sea fish such as black and red snappers, and groupers. If there is no good fish for the day, Ah Chuan simply closes the stall for the day. So, you only get good fish, personally selected by Ah Chuan. Now, that is quality assurance.

Furthermore, Ah Chuan does not buy his fish in bulk. The small orange ice chest of fresh fish is all Ah Chuan buys and sells every business day.

Give Ah Chuan a try, if you are a fish soup lover.





Restaurant name: Ah Chuan Fish Soup (in Shang Ji kopitiam)
Address: 141, Jalan Lumba Kuda, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Ugdyz
GPS 1.461130,103.767365
Hours: 7:15am to 2:30pm (closed on Monday)
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 2 Jul 2012

Third Junction Cafe at Taman Nusa Bestari, Johor Bahru

July 5, 2013, 7:08 am

≫ Next: J Maison Café in Kulai, Johor

≪ Previous: Ah Chuan Fish Soup at Jalan Lumba Kuda in Johor Bahru

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Popped by at Third Junction Cafe's new branch at Taman Nuea Bestari yesterday at the invitation of Li Wen, the boss. (Third Junction Cafe has two branches in Kulai and this is their first venture in Johor Bahru.)

Third Junction is one of those trendy modern cafes that are sprouting up around Johor. I am not really a big fan of this genre of cafes and have so far only tried some of them for a quick bite when I am in a hurry and have no other options. The menu is usually extensive and the clean and comfortable environment is family friendly. However, I have so far been a little sceptical about the quality of the food.

So, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the food at Third Junction Cafe. Overall, the flavours are on the robust and heavy side, and is quite appealing for people used to stronger tastes.



First to arrive was this Spicy Tomato Soup Noodle with Seafood (RM8.90). Just the right level of spiciness for me, though some may find it slightly too hot. I like the body, seafood flavours and slight tanginess in the soup. The egg noodles were nicely al dante. I will reorder this dish.



Fried Butter Chicken Rice (RM8.20). Nice fried rice accompanied by battered fried chicken in curry and baked beans. Tasty. I liked this too.



I like these Special Salty Egg Yolk Drumlets (RM6.90 for 4 pieces). The salted egg yolks gave the drumlets a nice savouriness. Nicely fried, crispy outside and inside it was still slightly tender and juicy. I will reorder this.



I have been looking for good cheese baked rice and so ordered the Hong Kong Supreme Baked Rice (RM11.90). At Third Junction, the rice is stir fried before smothered by creamy cheese. The fried chicken chop felt slightly overdone to me but others may appreciate the blend of crispy chicken with flavourful fried rice topped with creamy cheese.



We were already stuffed but Li Wen was eager for us to try Third Junction's XO Sauce Fried Taro Cake (RM6.90) with bean sprouts and eggs. The taro cubes were deep fried, slightly crispy outside and inside it was tender and flavourful. Stir frying the cubes with XO sauce added additional savouriness to the dish. The bean sprouts were crunchy. I like this dish and would reorder when I am at Third Junction again. 



The Fresh Mango Sago Toss (RM6.50). Sweet and icy - nice way to round up the meal :)



Our cold fresh honey dew juice.



The old style coffee at Third Junction is good - robust flavour and full bodied. They use a good quality coffee bean from Muar and it was nicely brewed.

Third Junction is good for groups chilling together. Food is tasty, there is something for everyone, and prices are reasonable. On Thursdays and Saturdays 8:30pm to 11:30pm, there is even live singing to entertain the diners.



Restaurant name: Third Junction (Taman Nusa Bestari branch)
Address: 32 Jln Nusa Bestari 5/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/gmHHq (rough)
GPS: 1.482532,103.666305 (rough)
Hours: 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight
Parking: Ample, free street parking.
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 3 Jul 2013