SANG Seafood • HALAL Johor Chinese Restaurant • Memories of Old Danga Bay • Menu & Review📍Damansara Aliff 尚海鲜 清真 ☏ +6019 737 7556

Alice invited me to lunch with a group of friends at SANG Seafood, a Halal certified Chinese seafood restaurant at Taman Damansara Aliff in Johor Bahru.

I rarely get to try Chinese Halal restaurants because there weren't that many in Johor, or even Malaysia.

The last one I went to was Mohd Chan in Ipoh. So I jumped at the opportunity to visit SANG Seafood at Damansara Aliff (which is at Singapore's doorstep).

1843 Chinese Laksa Recipe from Jakarta (Batavia) Indonesia • Kitab Masak Masakan India

Alright, this is so far the earliest known Chinese laksa on record.

All credit to De Tempoe Doeloe Koken (The Old Times) Youtube channel for sharing this 1843 recipe.

Khao San Sek by Chef Pam in Bangkok, Yaowarat • Refreshing New Look at Five Sacred Ingredients of Thai Cuisine ข้าวสารเสก ☎️ +669 7016 9824

I love the Bangkok food scene because it is so creative in modernising / re-interpreting traditional Thai cuisine while honouring its spirit and essence at the same time. 

It's a very fine balance between tradition and modernity which only the best chefs have been able to achieve. It's a very fine line between a heritage dish reborn and a fad that disappears with the next change of season.

Pang Cha Thai Tea & Bread Ice Dessert • Don't Leave Thailand without Tasting

I mean, I had Pang Cha before when it was served as an after dinner dessert at Luk Kai Thong restaurant two years ago.

Ajmir Briyani📍 Woodlands MRT Ramadan Bazaar📍Admiralty MRT Overhead Bridge ☎️ 8787 1819

When you come to the Ramadan Bazaar at Causeway Point / Woodlands MRT, you will know that the busiest stall here, by far, is Ajmir Briyani.

Kuay Jab Mr. Joe • Crispy Fried Pork Organ Soup Rice Noodle Rolls📍313 Chan Road ก๋วยจั๊บมิสเตอร์โจ 📞 +66 2 213 3007

We had a quick coffee at the hotel, then dashed out to check out the famous Kuay Jab Mr Joe for breakfast.

Aunt Orn Stall outside Yak Thai Poshtel📍Wat Ratchabophit Temple ป้าอร ริมคลอง ☎ +66 85 294 9467

This place, only locals will know lah 🤭

Rent Traditional Thai Costume Bangkok📍Yak Thai Poshtel Cafe & Studio • Wat Ratchabophit วัดราชบพิธสถิตมหาสีมารามราชวรวิหาร 📞 +66 91 789 2152

In Bangkok, buddy Chai suggested I try dressing in traditional Thai costume for a photoshoot. He knows a good studio and a good photo spot.

I've seen people do it in Ayutthaya and at Wat Arun temple. Since, I have the opportunity now 来都来了, why not right?

An Kee Chicken & Roast Meat Rice • Ring Road Restaurant 📍 Pudu Kuala Lumpur 按记鸡肉烧肉饭 正宗菜园鸡 马草鸡

Two years ago while prowling around KL's Pudu neighborhood for good food, I stumbled upon An Kee Chicken & Roast Meat Rice stall. The royal yellow colour chicken in the window looked so enticing.

Rosarin / Baan Suan Farang Khao Yai Traditional Thai Desserts Sweets ขนมไทยขนมถ้วยโบราณร้านบ้านสวนฝรั่ง ☎ 089 846 2399

When it comes to what we call kueh (in Singapore and Malaysia), I am very partial to the way Thais do their traditional sweets and desserts.

If you are like me who find traditional Thai desserts extremely hard to resist, then Rosarin / Baan Suan dessert shop in Khao Yai is the place for you 🤭

Hainanese Chicken Rice Go Ang Phochana Suansone📍Bang Pho Bangkok โกอ่างโภชนา สวนสน ☎ +66 2 587 5344

We drove two hours from Khao Yai into Bangkok in the morning to catch our flight back to Singapore. Pui, our gracious Bangkok kaki had us stop over for lunch at her home 🙏

Best Teochew Braised Duck Hawkers in Singapore 新加坡潮州卤鸭

🎗️You can skip all the geek stuff by scrolling straight down to the list of all the best braised duck hawker stalls in Singapore.

A lot has been said and written about Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore. Every Singapore hawker centre has at least one chicken rice stall. But, Teochew braised duck has a strong presence too though it doesn't feature strongly on social media lists of "must try" Singapore cuisine.

Pudu Yap Hup Kee Chee Cheong Fun & Yong Tau Foo 半山芭葉合記 +603 2148 9220

One of my objectives for coming back to Pudu this time, was to document my favourites when I was living in KL nearly 30 years ago.

One of them was a yong tau foo shop. I couldn't remember anything except that the dining area was long, narrow, and air conditioned (no the norm in Pudu at that time). Its business card had a fish or fish bone motif.

Chun Kei Tai Bu Noodle📍Pudu Kuala Lumpur • 100 Year Old Hakka Mee Institution 春記大埔麵 ☎ +6016 212 6870

Stumbled upon Chun Kei Hakka Noodle shop at Pudu's "glutton street" 半山芭为吃街. Founded by 杨春华 in 1931, Chun Kei is just 5 years shy of 100 years old (as at 2026).

Keong Kee Famous Herbal Soup near Pudu KL 强记補品 ☎ +6016 227 8688

Keong Kee Herbal Soups is one of the type of places I travel for - We won't get exactly the same dishes and very unlikely to get this type of setting and vibes in Singapore now.

Foong Lian Claypot Chicken Rice 📍 Pudu • KL Michelin Listed 丰年瓦煲美食馆 ☎ +603 9287 2294

Three days in Kuala Lumpur, I decided to go in-depth on food in the Pudu neighborhood. As Pudu has a sizable Cantonese population, so claypot chicken rice is a popular dish here. 

There are three well known claypot chicken rice places in Pudu. Yan Kee, 168, and this - Foong Lian 丰年.

168 Claypot Chicken Rice Pudu Kuala Lumpur 富都瓦煲鸡饭 ☎ +6016 373 6622

When we were living in KL, charcoal cooked claypot chicken rice was one of our favourite local dishes.

In Pudu, we liked Heun Kee and 168. Over in Petaling Jaya, we had another couple of favourites but I forgot their names. Yeah, before I retired, I didn't pay attention to what's famous and what big names. Just know what we enjoyed and where.

Sin Yuan Kee • Best KL Chicken Rice & Cantonese Roasts near Cheras LRT 新源记滑鸡饭 ☎ +6012 313 0079

This is the proverbial "hidden gem".

Yan Kee Claypot Chicken Rice (Formerly Heun Kee Pudu) • Menu & Review 甄記炭火瓦煲雞飯 • 富都桥底瓦煲雞飯 📞 +6016 259 0110

When I was a living in Kuala Lumpur 20+ years ago, we were regulars at Heun Kee in Pudu. Most people including myself know it as "claypot rice under the bridge" 桥底瓦煲雞飯.

Seng House • Pet-Friendly Modern Hainanese-Western Café📍214 Tanjong Katong ☎ 9182 6388

Located at the intersection of Tanjong Katong Road and Poole Road. I know this area well as I went to school at Tanjong Katong Secondary in the late 1970s. 

A lot has changed, my school building demolished to make way for another condo 🙄 But some things remained, like this corner shop house where Seng House is located 🙏

Ngaku Chinese Arrowhead Chips • Auspicious Goodies for Chinese New Year 炸芽菇饼

Fried ngaku 芽菇 or arrowhead chips are one of my favourite Chinese New Year snacks.

Tony, as a food blogger, how do you stay slim & not get fat? I Fast Once a Week

I am often asked, "Hey Tony, how do you keep slim with so much eating?" 🤔

In the past, I replied that I eat less and eat simple at home when I am not food hunting outside. I also brisk walk at least 10,000 steps almost daily.

For years, that has kept my weight within range and body fat at around 25% (which is slightly above the recommended BMI of 20% - 25%).

5-Star Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok Hotel • Is it a Good Stay? ☎ +66 2 056 9999

Bangkok is tough. I mean choosing a luxury hotel in Bangkok is hard.

Because, there are so many excellent hotels to choose from, we are really, really spoiled for choice.

Menya Itto Bangkok • Famous Tsukemen Ramen 📍 Gaysorn Tower Village Chidlom ☎ +66 63 045 0236

Go Bangkok eat ramen 🙄

When I travel, I don't so much count the number of days or nights, than by the limited numbers of meals I can fit into my tummy during the trip.

Then, go Bangkok eat ramen? 🤔

Kway Teow Kia 📍 Restoran Tong Seng Coffee Shop • Taman Ungku Tun Aminah 東成茶餐室 果条仔 ☎ +6011 6204 3695

Passed by Tong Seng coffee shop a few times before while stalking Taman Ungku Tun Aminah in Skudai, Johor for good eats. Small corner coffee shop, they have wanton mee, yong tau foo, chee cheong fun, lei cha, porridge, mee hoon kueh, KL fried Hokkien mee, chicken rice, and this kway teow kia stall. All little independent stalls with their own hawker bosses, so most put their heart and soul into their own businesses.

Erawan Shrine • How to Pray to Four Face Buddha 📍 Bangkok 曼谷四面佛 • 伊拉旺神坛 ☎ +66 2 252 8750

Every time I am in Bangkok, which is at least once a year since decades ago, a stop at Erawan Shrine is inevitable.

I mean the Chidlom area is the heart of Bangkok's tourist belt and Erawan Shrine is the megapolis' spiritual core for many Bangkokians and tourists.

Chidlom 1 Day & Night Foodie Tour Itinerary📍Bangkok • 2026 Update

I've been coming back to the Chidlom neighbourhood in Bangkok at least once a year for decades. Never tire or got bored with it as Chidlom and Bangkok keeps growing and refreshing itself, staying relevant. There are always new interesting things coming up and not-so-new hidden gems that I discover for myself with every new trip.

Rico Rico Mexican Bar & Grill📍Clarke Quay Singapore River • Menu & Review ☎ 6336 0212

I am a fan of Spanish food and its close relative, Mexican cuisine - so I was eager to visit Rico Rico, a Mexican bar and grill in Clarke Quay by the historic Singapore River.

Artisanal Black Cat Bakery Panettone📍Bangkok • Takes 3 Days to Make the Traditional Way📱LINE @blackcatbakery_th

Black Cat Bakery Panettone 🐈‍⬛

I love the taste and mouth feel of panettone, which is an Italian Christmas and New Year tradition. So, I was pleasantly surprised that I can get a classy rendition all year round at Black Cat Bakery in Bangkok.

Café DIOR Gold House Bangkok by Mauro Colagreco • Review ☎️+66 65 998 4633

We were finishing up seafood lunch at Savoey📍Mercury Ville and ready for dessert. But, Bangkok kaki Eddie suggested saving our tummy space and have dessert at a new cafe.

New Look Savoey Live Seafood📍Mercury Ville Chidlom • Menu & Review ☎ +66 66 095 5916

Savoey is one of my go-to seafood places in Thailand. The brand founded in 1972 as a street food cart in Patong (Phuket) now has over 10 outlets all over Thailand.

I have already been to the Savoey outlets in Terminal 21 (Asok BTS station) and Tha Maharaj (Chao Phraya riverside). Love them for the high quality ingredients, expert cooking, family friendly comfortable environment, huge menu, and competitive pricing.