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

I heard a lot about a popular kampung chicken rice stall in Taman Sri Tebrau and finally tracked down Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭 today.

Taroko Teppanyaki Grill near Sutera Mall in Johor Bahru

I always liked teppanyaki because I love to watch chefs in action. The sometimes random, sometimes rhythmic clanging, clinking and clapping of the teppanyaki trowels sound like music to my ears.

Today, I had the opportunity to watch the chefs in action when Thomas invited me to visit his newly opened Taroko Teppanyaki Grill. Thomas is an old hand in teppanyaki cooking. Actually, Thomas has many years of experience in operating teppanyaki grills as he used to run the popular teppanyaki stall in City Square Mall food court in downtown Johor Bahru.



I wasted no time in making my way to the front row seat to watch the action at the griddle. These inviting prawns were sizzling on the griddle, glowing like red hot charcoal.



Taroko Teppanyaki customers can choose to sit inside the aircon comfort of Bangkok Village Thai food restaurant which also belongs to the same boss i.e. Thomas. In fact, the Thai dishes like Tom Yam from Bangkok Village go along well with the teppanyaki dishes.



Our first order was Taroko Teppanyaki's popular Seafood Fried Rice. The chef mixing and tossing the rice and seafood in the hot griddle while we watched.



I like this Seafood Fried Rice (RM7.90). The savoury rice was fluffy, not overly greasy, and the shrimps and squid were nicely done too. There were fried eggs and also crunchy chopped long beans in the rice.



We also had this Mixed Seafood Set at RM35.90 which is a combination of large and thick USA scallops, prawns and cod fish fillet.



Close up of the succulent prawns in the Mixed Seafood Set.



We had a serving of Australian Wagyu beef which the chef expertly cuts up into bite sized cubes at dazzling speed on the griddle.



I like to sit at the al fresco area near the griddle because you never know when you will be entertained by spectacular fireworks. Here the chef doused the Wagyu beef with whisky and then torched it in a spectacular plume.



Our freshly cooked Australian Wagyu (200 grams) at RM88.90.



Wagyu beef comes with smokey fat which can be eaten guilt free as it is high in artery friendly omega oils - according to health experts, no kidding :)) 



Tender and juicy Wagyu beef, no marinade, great beefy flavour on it's own.

Taroko Teppanyaki Grill offers a wide range of teppanyaki dishes. Teppanyaki fans, check it out :)



Taroko Teppanyaki Grill is just beside Bangkok Village.

Restaurant name: Taroko Teppanyaki Grill
Address: 99, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/2, Taman Sutera Utama. Skudai
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/F3MvO
GPS: 1.515040,103.667732
Hours: 12:00noon to 11:00pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal Cert

Date visited: 29 May 2013

Grill Bar Steakhouse in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

This is my second visit to Grill Bar Steakhouse in Taman Pelangi. Gary, the boss, has a gathering for family and friends to celebrate his sister-in-law's birthday and I am honoured that he invited me to join in. I am also glad to visit Grill Bar Steakhouse again because during my last visit, I missed the chance to chat with Gary and to photograph him in action.



Grill Bar Steakhouse was full house during our visit (it was a Sunday lunch). Grill Bar Steakhouse is so popular and is the favourite of so many that I was surprised to learn that it will only be its third anniversary this coming July :)


Gary was going to present this surprise dessert to a regular customer who has become a friend.

But after meeting Gary and his wife Eva, it is not hard to understand the success of Grill Bar Steakhouse. Grill Bar Steakhouse is brimming with energy and passion for good American style food. Customers also enjoy the warm service of the attentive Grill Bar Steakhouse folks.  



I noticed that Gary is very customer and service focused. Gary enjoys mingling and interacting with customers. Whenever he has the time, he will "sneak out" from his kitchen and chat with customers. Here Gary was helping to cut our steak.


Where did that passion for good food come from? Well, making and serving good food is literally in Gary's blood. You see, Gary's father and grandfather were the owners of the legendary Ah Yong Nasi Padang in old town Johor Bahru. To their fans, Ah Yong Nasi Padang defines good food in Johor Bahru during it's days.

How did Gary jump from nasi padang warung to American grill and steakhouse? Gary's first job about 15 years ago was with the restaurant at the American Club in Singapore and then he moved on to Morton's Steakhouse Singapore, and other grill houses. Over 2 years ago, Gary suddenly decided to start his own grill bar, and since then, it was no turning back :) 

Here's all the good stuff we had during our visit :)



Our first dish was an appetiser which Gary calls his "Well Dressed Sloppy Joe". Well, this appetiser is certainly no sloth in taste. The crispy, crunchy oven dried toast is eaten with Ozzy's rich beefy chili dip. (Ozzy is Gary's nickname. I forgot to ask him how that came about :P )


Wild Mushroom Soup RM14

The "Sloppy Joe" was followed by another appetiser, the "Wild Mushroom Soup". Made with fresh chopped mushrooms with a touch of truffle oil luxury, this mushroom soup is creamy, wholesome goodness.


Manhattan Seafood Soup RM14 per serving

There were 9 of us in the party, so we had room to try another appetiser. This time the Manhattan Seafood Soup. Slipper lobsters and calamari cooked in tomato soup - full bodied, savoury and sweet with a touch of tangy.


USA Sea Scallop with Spaghetti RM22

My share of the USA Sea Scallop wrapped with turkey bacon served with a mouthful of spaghetti. I love this spaghetti cooked with lobster bisque gravy - that umami (savoury) flavour from the lobster is especially addictive.


Hardcore Solo Jerk Cheese Burger RM39

Gary calls this his "Hardcore Solo Jerk Cheese Burger". I took only a small bite of the patty to taste as I am not a big burger fan. The patty was chunky, beefy, juicy and wholesome. That deep fried chicken sausage perched on top looked like the crowning glory of this burger. I enjoyed the small bite that I took of this bouncy meaty sausage. The younger folks at the party were raving about this burger but I didn't pay enough attention to recall their exact words (sorry :P ). I was busy composing my photos :P This happens also to be my first outing with my new camera and the dim lighting was a challenge :)


Leather Jacket Short Ribs RM55

I am crazy about any kind of braised meats, so this huge "Leather Jacket Short Ribs" really got me excited. Gary slow braised this chunky short beef rib in low heat for over 10 hours before serving. Pardon the overused cliche "melt in your mouth" but this short rib was super tender and the fatty and gelatinous parts literally melted into savoury jelly. Good braised meat melts my heart, again.


Prime Filet Mignon RM50 (5 Oz)

Another tender steak, this Prime Filet Mignon had a slight savoury crust and the inside was thick and moist with that nice beefy flavour.  

After all that scrumptious meal, it was time for dessert.



We were all really stuffed and Gary wanted us to try this Danish Waffle.



Stuffed as we were, some dainty ladies in the party asked for this Chocolate Lava Cake - "Must Have"  they say. I was a little hesitant but have to admit that they were right :P Sweet and slightly bitter, warm and cold, soft and crusty - Grill Bar Steakhouse's chocolate lava cake is an interesting blend of flavours, mouth feel and temperatures. No wonder it is so irresistible.



Grill Bar Steakhouse serves many different interesting hot and cold drinks as well as beer. For today, I just have ice water to cut back on cream and sugar. This was one of the pretty drinks ordered by one of ladies :)

I am always happy to be back at Grill Bar Steakhouse. Great passionate folks, delicious food, lovely ambiance. 





Restaurant name: Grill Bar Steakhouse
Address: 202, Jalan Sri Pelangi, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/WUYzl
GPS: 1.480602,103.773548
Hours: Mon: 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm | Wed - Fri: 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm | Sat - Sun: 12:00 noon - 10:30 pm

No pork, no lard, alcohol (beer only) served




Date visited: 2 May 2013

Return to Johor Kaki home page.

Dizi - A Traditional Iranian Dish at Parsia Restaurant in Taman Universiti, Johor Bahru CLOSED

One of the greatest joys of food hunting for Johor Kaki blog is to stumble upon unique dishes that I would have otherwise never have a chance to try. Today, I want to share with you, Dizi - a unique traditional Iranian staple available at Parsia Restaurant in Taman Universiti in Skudai, Johor.

Homemade Bak Kut Teh with A1 Soup Spices by A.K. Koh Enterprise

I had a sachet of A1 Soup Spices tucked away in a kitchen drawer, given to me by Jonathan during my visit to A.K. Koh Enterprise, the makers of A1 products. I had told myself that I would make Bak Kut Teh with it, one day. So, since today is a chilly and rainy day, and I wanted to stay indoors, I decided that today is the right day for homemade Bak Kut Teh.

Nan Bei Restoran 南北 in Taman Gaya, Johor Bahru

Allan from Nan Bei 南北 restaurant messaged me inviting me to drop by his parents' shop to try their Hainanese mutton soup which they had just added to their menu. I was excited to try Nan Bei's Chinese style mutton soup as I love this dish that is rarely found in restaurants in Johor. I was also keen to enjoy Nan Bei's Tung Po Rou which I blogged about earlier this year.

I dropped by with blogging kaki Semi Han, creator of Bonding Tool, one of my favourite food blogs. Semi's good friend Tyng also joined us.

Allan and his parents whom I have met earlier this year received us warmly. We had an impromptu party and got a chance to try most of the food served at Nan Bei 南北 restaurant.



Semi is a very serious food blogger and Tyng a very supportive friend.



Semi is very meticulous and I learnt a lot about food photography from her today. We even roped in Allan to help in the food photography.


Hainanese Mutton Soup RM15

This is Nan Bei's Hainanese mutton soup. The soup is mildly herbal and it did well to balance the characteristic gaminess of mutton. Following the Hainanese tradition, black woodear fungus and fried beancurd sheets are used in the soup. The chunks of white radish added sweetness to the broth while soaking up the flavours. The crunchy chunks of radish are coveted pieces in the pot as they are loaded with flavours. 



The mutton was tender with smokey fatty streaks and only had mild hints of that distinct mutton flavour. We all liked Nan Bei's Hainanese mutton soup. For me, I liked it that the tastes and flavours of Nan Bei's mutton soup are mild with nothing overpowering.


Cabbage with Roast Pork in Claypot RM10



The Nappa Cabbage with Roast Pork in Claypot is another new dish at Nan Bei restoran. The soup is a tasty blend of savouriness from the roast pork and the refreshing sweetness from the fresh cabbage. I love the juicy cabbage as it sponged up the delicious soup and had a tender yet crunchy mouth feel. The Cabbage with Roast Pork won the hearts of the ladies through their stomachs.



We like the Tung Po Rou 东坡肉 or braised belly pork. Those layers of fat are to be enjoyed either fearlessly or recklessly. Today, the fatty layers weren't as thick as that during my previous visit, which would make this dish appealing to more health conscious people.



For me, I prefer my Tung Po Rou to have a thicker layer of savoury, sweet giggly fat since I indulge in this treat only once in a while.


Pig Trotters with Ginger and Vinegar RM7

The braised pig trotters with ginger and vinegar 猪脚姜醋 was quite mild in taste and flavour, so it would appeal to more people. I haven't eaten this dish for a long time and I always had the home made version which is more robust and more herbal.

All of Nan Bei's dishes are eaten with boiled rice. Semi and Tyng both finished their bowls of rice, which is pretty unusual these days especially for calorie counting ladies. When I commented about them finishing the rice, they mumbled something intelligible through their food but their expressions said that Nan Bei's dishes hit all the right notes with them.

Nan Bei restoran is a simple, basic shop serving delicious food at reasonable prices - definitely worth a visit.



Restaurant name: Nan Bei Restoran 南北
Address: 68, Jalan Gaya 1, Taman Gaya
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/sfGrT
GPS: 1.563158,103.800834
Hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 16 Jan 2013, 21 May 2013

Restaurant is Closed. Arab and Iranian Food at Shahrzad Restaurant in Taman Abad, Johor Bahru

 

Shahrzad Restaurant opened for business just a month ago along Jalan Dato Sulaiman in Taman Abad, Johor Bahru. Mohammad, the boss invited me to try out Shahrzad's authentic Iranian and Arabian food.

Chicken and Char Siew Rice at Chang Man 常满 Dim Sum in Taman Nusa Bestari, Johor Bahru

When I was at Chang Man to try out their Hong Kong dim sum, besides being impressed with their dim sum, I also enjoyed their chicken and char siew rice. Today, I went back to Chang Man 常满 again, specially for their chicken and char siew rice.



Chang Man included chicken and char siew in their menu to appeal to a wider customer base. Furthermore, Kok Weng, one of the partners is skillful in roast meats as he had worked in one of Kuala Lumpur's top roast meat restaurants for nearly 20 years.

Chicken Mandi at Parsia Restaurant (Arab and Iranian) at Taman Universiti, Skudai, Johor CLOSED

Chicken Mandi (RM18) at Parsia Restaurant in Taman Universiti, Skudai, Johor (2013 price)

I love the Chicken Mandi at Parsia Restaurant. The grilled chicken is fragrant with the skin outside slightly crispy and the flesh inside still moist. The chicken is served on a bed of aromatic Basmati rice and eaten with savoury yogurt and tangy vegetable dips. I enjoyed the chicken mandi so much that I asked the boss, Amin, how this delicious dish is made.

Teck Sing & San Low Seafood - Johor Food Trail by FoodieFC - A Guest Post

Whenever I look for Singapore food, FoodieFC is one of the blogs I refer to. As FoodieFC occasionally visits Johor Bahru for food, I invited him to share his JB favourites with us, which he graciously accepted. Here is FoodieFC's guest post in Johor Kaki. Thank you, FoodieFC for sharing. Tony.

When I received Tony’s invitation to write a guest post on Johor Kaki blog, I agreed immediately! As a Singaporean, I am one of the many who would love to travel across the Causeway for food. As such opportunities do not come often, I always plan in advance what I want to eat in Johor Bahru (JB). Each time, I will make full use of the trip by eating 3 meals; Lunch, Tea and Dinner.

Through this post, I would share the "must order" dishes at two of my favourite eating places in JB. Both eateries are located less than 15 minutes drive away from the Causeway.




Teck Sing Restaurant 德星茶餐室 is located at Taman Sentosa along Jalan Sutera Satu, behind Plaza Sentosa shopping mall. The restaurant serves Chinese cuisine and is well-known for their Paper Wrapped Chicken.



Teck Sing's signature Paper Wrapped Chicken (RM18) consists of kampong chicken baked for several hours with herbs. The whiff of herbal aroma as the paper was being tore apart enticed us and heightened our eagerness to dig into it. The chicken was cooked till the meat was incredibly flavourful, succulent and tender.



The Drunken Prawn in Claypot (RM20) served in herbal broth is another must try at Teck Sing.



The drunken prawns were fresh and big. It was well worth the cholesterol, indulging in its delectable meat. The herbal broth deserves a mention too as it was packed with herbal flavor. Yummy!



During our visit, the Soup of the Day was Peanuts with Chicken Feet Soup (RM5). The execution of this soup was perfect. The peanuts were soft and its flavours were well extracted into the soup. The chicken feet were soft and tender too. We did not regret ordering this as the soup was robust and nourishing. Full of collagen!



Another of my favourite eatery is San Low Seafood Restaurant 三楼海鲜园. Their San Low Fried Bee Hoon and Chilli Crabs are top notch. You would need to take a cab or drive over as San Low restaurant is located in a private residential estate in Taman Pelangi.


Look at that charred and caramelised outside!

The signature San Low Fried Bee Hoon (RM9) which looked ordinary, tasted extraordinary. The unique frying technique (i.e. press fry the bee hoon under high heat just before serving) resulted in a crispy exterior and moist interior. Although it was fried, it was not oily. Simple ingredients with excellent technique resulted in such a delicious bee hoon.



The two Chilli Crabs (1kg) cost RM98. The crabs though not big, were meaty and fresh. The meat easily separated from the shells and the chilli gravy was surprisingly good with the right balance of thickness, sweetness and spiciness. I personally thought that this was one of the best chilli crab gravy that I've had. We also ordered the Man Tou (buns) to polish off the gravy.

It was great savouring all these great food from JB! Can’t wait to explore more food in JB!

Restaurant name: Restaurant Teck Sing 德星
Address: 3 & 5, Jalan Sutera Satu, Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru
Map: http://g.co/maps/hhhkw
GPS: 1.490356,103.767789
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm daily
Non Halal

Restaurant name: San Low Seafood 三楼海鲜
Address: Jalan Biru, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru
Map: http://g.co/maps/tzfjp
GPS: 1.472252,103.774795
Hours: Daily 4:30pm to 1:00am
Non Halal