Rachel from Niniq Bistro and Bakery invited me to visit their outlet at Taman Setia Tropika. (Niniq's first outlet is at Taman Pelangi which opened in 2002.)
Inside Niniq Bistro and Bakery at Setia Tropika, the décor is simple yet elegant. The wood and marble furniture are heavy and of classic design - the type seen in well appointed Indonesian homes. The comfortable environment is very clean and air conditioned.
Niniq's owner Angela's mum is from Surabaya, Indonesia and hence we can see many Indonesian touches in the bistro.
The name Niniq comes from the word ninik, the endearing Indonesian term for "little girl".
As Christmas Day was around the corner, Christmas trees and Yuletide decorations were up in Niniq along with heart warming Christmas songs about winter and snow playing softly in the background.
This is the café at the ground floor level. There is a second level which is for private parties hosted at Niniq.
At Niniq, they pay attention to even the small details like the menu cover. The custom hand carved wood inlays on the menu cover is a nice, elegant touch.
In this post, we shall focus on Niniq's popular cakes. We had just tasted Niniq's Christmas turkey in the morning, so we only had stomach space for cakes and coffee. Which was great because we enjoyed chatting with Angela for over 2 hours :D (Niniq also serves Indonesian dishes which I look forward to coming back for).
Chocolate Decadence RM6.20
This is Niniq's top selling cake, their unique CCTV. Niniq actually named it Chocolate Decadence but customers called it CCTV because of the way it looked, and the name stuck. Deep rich chocolate mousse on a spongy base to indulge the decadent in you :P
Durian Strudel RM6.40
This is a Must Try - Niniq's durian strudel using Angela's mum's recipe. Made with fresh D24 durians with no preservatives.
Creamy chilled fresh D24 durian between fluffy flaky crispy crust sprinkled with fine sugar crystals. Just RM6.40 for a little bit of durian and strudel heaven.
L'opera RM5.80
I love this L'opera because I like foods with a mix of flavours and textures. Niniq's L'opera is a blend of sweet-bitter flavour with interesting mouth feel of fluffy sponge, creamy chocolate and nutty almond bits.
American Apple Pie RM6.80
My friends know how much I love apple pies, especially freshly baked ones with buttery crust and chunky cut apples :D
Matcha Indulgence RM6.80
For matcha (Japanese green tea) lovers.
The following are other almost too-beautiful-to-eat cakes at Niniq :D It's always a struggle admiring how lovely the cakes look and chomping down on them to enjoy the inviting taste.
Niniq's famous tiramisu which I didn't taste because I have no more stomach space. Will come back for this.
Smile inducing cupcakes - just looking at these cupcakes makes me happy :D
Niniq has a good range of coffees, teas and juices to complement their cakes.
My usual order of cappuccino.
This is the interesting tasting Niniq Earl Grey Tea Latte (RM8.80). Earl Grey Tea lovers, give this aromatic latte a try :D
Niniq Bistro and Bakery is a nice place to enjoy excellent cakes, good coffee and tea at reasonable prices. Niniq also serves Indonesian dishes which I must come back for :D
Restaurant name: Niniq (Taman Setia Tropika)
Address: 52, Jalan Setia Tropika 1/24. Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YQ7Il
GPS: 1.545787,103.713547
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Restaurant name: Niniq (Taman Pelangi)
Address: 65, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/zv6a0
GPS: 1.482152,103.774914
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 25 Nov 2013
The night before I went down to Taman Setia Tropika for an appointment, I requested for breakfast suggestions from Johor Kakis. Zaiha, Kheng Boon, Halim, Khairul, Nir Ali, and Syairi suggested that I try the roti jala stall at Restoran Mak Tok.
I took up their suggestion and enjoyed a delicious traditional breakfast. Thank you Johor Kakis :D
Budi from West Java (Indonesia) runs the roti jala stall at Restoran Mak Tok for 3 years now.
Budi makes the roti jala batter at the stall. The batter is mainly made from flour, eggs, water and a little turmeric powder.
Budi makes the roti jala on the spot when there is an order. So at Mak Tok, all the roti jala are freshly made. From this picture, it is easy to see why this dish is called roti jala or "net bread".
The roti jala are rolled and served hot, straight from the frying griddle.
The roti jala is served with a small bowl of chicken curry.
The roti jala has a soft and bouncy mouth feel. The roti was slightly sweet and was complemented well by the savoury and mildly spicy curry. The 4 roti jala rolls didn't felt enough for me :D
I love this roti jala so much that I ordered a second set before finishing the first. The staff asked "bungkus? (packet?)". I replied "Bukan. Makan sini. (No. Eating here.)" The staff was surprised but quickly regained his composure and smiled :D
If you are looking for a delicious traditional light breakfast or tea at Setia Tropika, the roti jala at Mak Tok is a good option.
Restaurant name: Restoran Mak Tok
Address: Jalan Setia Tropika 28 (next to Domino's Pizza), Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Ue2cK
GPS: 1.54391,103.710347
Hours: 7:00am to 7:00pm
Halal
Date visited: 25 Nov 2013
Johor Kaki was invited to visit the Vivo American Pizza & Panini outlet at Bukit Indah. I have seen Vivo outlets around JB but have never stepped in before because there are so many choices in town and I tend to go for local businesses.
I was happy and surprised to find out that Vivo is actually the brainchild of passionate Johoreans whose love for food led them to partner a Chicago (USA) traditional pizza house to bring specialty pizzas into our region.
A note: For my first visit, we focussed on Vivo's chicken dishes as we did not have sufficient stomach space for pizzas on that day. It was our third food tasting of the day. I make it a point to eat all the food served at the table and get a real feel for the food during invited food tastings. I actually eat all the food instead of just taste test a few sample pieces. The disadvantage of my approach is that I cannot review so many dishes in one sitting, and so would need to return for additional sessions.
These were the dishes we tried at Vivo.
Garlic Bread RM5.50
Vivo executed this basic item very well. The airy, fluffy bread had a good thickness and the garlic butter spread was savoury without being overly greasy. If you like garlic bread, you are likely to be pleased with Vivo's rendition.
Honey Baked Chicken Wings RM15.90
The honey baked chicken wings were well marinated with Vivo's house blend savoury sweetish sauce. Made with chilled chicken, the marinade penetrated right through the chicken fibres. Well done, every part was evenly cooked yet still fairy tender and slightly moist. This baked chicken wings will appeal to people who like deep strong flavours.
Baked Chicken Chop RM16.90
Vivo is proud of their baked chicken chop which has a crisp layer outside with the juicy more tender flesh inside. Deeply marinated with a mainly savoury, slightly sweet sauce.
The grilled chicken chop is served with this buttered rice with a nice savoury flavour and not overly greasy. The good quality grains were fluffy and separate easily.
Tropical BBQ Chicken Chop RM17.90
The chunky tropical BBQ chicken chop is also well marinated with Vivo's own BBQ sauce. Grilled till the savoury sweet outer layer is caramelised with some charred bits. Underneath that wrinkly caramelised skin was the still juicy tender chicken meat. The sweet and robust savoury flavour will appeal to people who like stronger flavours.
Seafood Spaghetti Aglio Olio RM19.80
This seafood spaghetti aglio olio actually wowed me and was my favourite of the evening. The well executed al dente pasta had good mouth feel and was infused with a rich seafood broth of distinct savoury flavour. Lightly stir fried in garlic and olive oil making the pasta fragrant and slick without tacky greasiness. It was lovely. And, it had a generous shower of spicy chili flakes that gave the whole dish an interesting zing. The NZ mussels, fresh shrimps and small cubes of salmon completed the whole dish.
The staff kept wanting to take away this plate of spaghetti to make room for other dishes which Vivo wanted to showcase. I kept holding onto this spaghetti until I ate it up all up completely. I love it.
If you like savoury and spicy seafood spaghetti, this is for you too. I certainly would be happy to eat this again and again.
I enjoyed the tasting at Vivo today and am looking forward to try out the other dishes, especially the pizzas in their menu.
Restaurant name: Vivo American Pizza & Panini (Bukit Indah outlet)
Address: AEON JUSCO Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru (Vivo has a total of 12 outlets in Johor Bahru, Segamat, Malacca, KL and Singapore)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/1sXlc
GPS: 1.480958,103.6545
Hours: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Certified Halal
Date visited: 25 Nov 2013
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Niniq Christmas Traditional Roast Turkey RM268 (10% early bird discount before 30 Nov 2013)
I can feel Chistmas Day coming :D
Rachael from Niniq invited me to visit their outlet in Taman Setia Tropika (Niniq has another outlet in Taman Pelangi). She wanted us to try Niniq's traditional Christmas turkey.
Niniq's roasted golden brown plump turkey is made with 4.5kg to 5.2kg USA Halal certified birds.
Angela, Niniq's owner, carving the juicy big bird.
I had one of the huge roast turkey drumsticks :D
The surprisingly juicy carved roast turkey breast.
The secret of Niniq's sweet and juicy turkey revealed :P Instead of the traditional bread crumb stuffing which tends to leech out the natural juices from the turkey, making it fibrous and dry, Niniq uses chopped unions, carrots, celery and other juicy vegetables. The juicy vegetables release their natural sweet juices during roasting and blend with the turkey's juices.
The result is a tender and juicy turkey breast that has that unique turkey flavour brought out by the vegetable juices. I love it :D
Roasted chunky potato wedges.
I love Niniq's cranberry jam which is made from scratch with real cranberries. I can taste the cranberries and feel the fleshy pulp of the berries. Naturally sweet and mildly tangy without the sugariness of factory jams. Goes really well with the turkey.
Aiyoh.... the brown sauce was soo.... good, I was slurping spoonfuls of it neat. Made with drippings from roasting the turkey, it has the body and full flavoured savoury goodness of the bird's natural juices plus the juices from the vegetable stuffing. Savoury, sweet and not overly salty at all. Love it.
Niniq is offering this roast turkey with roast potatoes, garden salad with cranberry and brown sauces at RM268 each.
Niniq also has a "Blissful Package" that includes pasta, salad, soup, log cake and turkey at RM520 per package.
To order, you can call Niniq at +607-333-4800 or +607-237-4800. (10% early bird discount for orders before 30 Nov 2013.)
Restaurant name: Niniq (Setia Tropika)
Address: 52, Jalan Setia Tropika 1/24. Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru (Niniq has another outlet at Taman Pelangi)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YQ7Il
GPS: 1.545787,103.713547
Tel: +6073334800(Pelangi) | +6072374800(Setia Tropika) | +6073524800(Molek)
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 25 Nov 2013
Our early morning food hunt took us to this corner chicken rice shop in the rustic back streets of Kulai (off Jalan Besar, the main street).
This no name fish ball and tofu stall beside Kulai Centre Point is a classic stumble upon good food find.
Yesterday, we drove all the way from JB to Kulai with the plan to try out the famous Yeen Lai 云来 tim sum at their home base in Kulai. When we walked towards Yeen Lai, not surprisingly there was already a big crowd of customers at the famous street side kopitiam. When we got closer and looked at the tables, we realised that besides the tim sum, most of the customers were having fish balls and tofu soup.
Seeing how the customers were enjoying their fish ball noodles, I asked the nearest uncle about it. "Been eating this for 40 years", the friendly uncle replied with a satisfied grin.
So, I walked up to the busy boss, put on my best smile, and asked "Good morning boss, do you make these fish balls and tofu yourself?" "Yes, early in the morning everyday" the friendly boss replied through a wall of steam from the boiling pot of broth. "What is the name of your stall?" The boss paused a moment, and gave me a puzzled look as nobody ever asked him this question before. "We haven't thought of a name for 50 years", he finally replied.
We had a quick discussion and decided to adjust our plans and give this fish balls a try first. So we sat down and ordered the normal RM4 set which comes with noodles and a bowl of fish balls and tofu. For the noodles, we opted for "mouse tails" 老鼠粉.
Our idea was to taste test this fish ball noodles and then carry on with our original plan to try out the famous Yeen Lai tim sum.
The fish balls were not perfectly round as they were handmade. They were tender and only slightly springy as they were made with 100% fish meat. They don't have the ping pong bounce of factory fish+starch balls. The flavours were gently sweet from the fresh fish and very slightly salty from the salt added. I love these fish balls.
I love this slice of tofu. It has that lovely soya bean aroma when I bite into the tender, smooth yet slightly grainy pearly tofu. The tofu skin has a nice texture and the savoury minced pork adds to the flavour of this simple, humble staple.
The regular tofu with minced pork fillings, cut to bite size pieces.
The noodles and sauce were adequate but not particularly memorable.
But, we loved the fish balls and tofu so much that we decided to ditch our plans to taste test Yeen Lai, and instead ordered another bowl - this time the RM6 fish ball and tofu soup without noodles.
They were just wonderful to me!
We will surely be back for this no name fish ball and tofu, and also to claim our rain check for the famous Yeen Lai tim sum.
Restaurant name: No name fish ball and tofu noodle stall (inside Yeen Lai 云来 tim sum shop)
Address: Jalan Besar (beside Kulai Centre Point), Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/vcGsk
GPS: 1.661937,103.60168
Hours: 6:30am till sold out (usually by 1:00pm)
Non Halal
Date visited: 22 Nov 2013
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