Tony Johor Kaki Travels for Food · Heritage · Culture · History

Adventurous Culinary Traveler's Blog with 65 million+ reads 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com

Citrawarna @ Kuala Lumpur 2015

Citrawarna-Kuala-Lumpur-2015

I was in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN Media Bloggers Tourism Hunt 2015 and we were treated to an enthralling evening at Citrawarna @ Kuala Lumpur :-D

ASEAN Media Bloggers Tourism Hunt 2015 Hosted by Tourism Malaysia

ASEAN-Media-Bloggers-Tourism-Hunt-Tourism-Malaysia

Tourism Malaysia organised the inaugural ASEAN Media Bloggers Tourism Hunt 2015 from 16 to 21 Oct to promote Malaysia to regional travellers and to encourage visitors to explore Malaysia through self-driving holidays. The theme of the Treasure Hunt is "Fun and Enjoyable Drive to Experience Malaysia".

Agape Sin Bee Hiang Chicken Rice Pelangi Johor Bahru 愛加倍新味香雞飯

Poached Kampung Chicken Rice

Dropped in this morning at one of my favourite chicken rice stalls - Sin Bee Hiang 新味香雞飯 at Agape coffee shop in Taman Pelangi Johor Bahru.

Legendary Cart Noodles from Hong Kong to Singapore

Legendary-Cart-Noodles-Hong-Kong-Singapore

I was invited to a tasting at the newly opened Legendary Cart Noodles 傳奇車仔面 at Jurong Point at Boon Lay MRT station. The iconic cart noodles is to Hong Kongers what bak chor mee is to Singaporeans. (Unlike cart noodles which first appeared in 1950s Hong Kong, the other popular HK dish wanton noodles has it's origins in Guangzhou.)

My Little Spanish Place Restaurant @ Boat Quay Singapore

My-Little-Spanish-Place-Boat-Quay-Singapore

I was invited to a tasting at My Little Spanish Place at Boat Quay in Singapore. I like checking out tourist traps like Boat Quay so that I can pick out the good restaurants here :-D Tourist traps are OK as long as we know where to eat at :-D

CLOSED Good Year Local Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball Toa Payoh 庆丰年海南鸡饭团

Good-Year-Local-Hainanese-Chicken-Rice-Ball-庆丰年海南鸡饭团

CLOSED The first chicken rice seller in Singapore, Mr Wong Yi Guan 王义元 peddled his chicken rice balls from two baskets on a bamboo pole slung across his shoulders. Mr Wong plied his trade in Singapore's Hainanese enclave in the Middle Road, Purvis Street and Seah Street area in the 1940s.

The History of Hainanese Chicken Rice is the Story of Singapore

Hainan-Chicken-Rice-Singapore-Short-History

Updated: ✍13 May 2020. The humble Hainanese chicken rice is arguably Singapore's unofficial national dish, much more so than the more glamorous chili crab. Chicken rice stalls are everywhere in Singapore and standards are so high, you need to be really unlucky to hit a bad one.

Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice Balls at Jalan Besar / Dickson Road Shing Boon Hwa 海南鸡饭粒

Singapore-Hainanese-Chicken-Rice-Balls-Jalan-Besar-Shing-Boon-Hwa-海南鸡饭粒

Singapore is arguably the chicken rice capital of the world and there must be over 1000 chicken rice stalls/ shops/ restaurants carpeting every corner of this little sunny island. Yet, stalls still serving chicken rice balls number only 2, perhaps 3.

Best Instant Ramen Noodle Reviews



Most of us don't eat instant noodles or instant ramen by choice. But, when we have to, why not choose the best? I taste test all instant noodles, good and bad, so that you eat only the best 😄

Korea Samyang Extremely Spicy Fried Chicken Flavor Instant Ramen Noodle

Samyang-Extremely-Spicy-Chicken-Flavor-Ramen

I haven't been blogging instant noodles for a while but Gwen's post about Samyang's Extremely Spicy Chicken Flavor Ramen got me excited about them again. If it can set Gwen, who is an Indian cuisine enthusiast on fire, I Must Try it :-D

Old Airport Road Food Centre Fu Xin Teochew Kueh. Everything is Handmade at the Stall 福兴熟食

Old-Airport-Road-Food-Centre-Fu-Xin-Teochew-Kueh-福兴熟食

We stumbled upon this little stall at the far end of Old Airport Road Food Centre, where a couple was hand making Teochew kueh. Well..., anything handmade stops me in my tracks, especially in high cost Singapore where mass production is increasingly the main survival strategy.

Curious Palette Prinsep Street Singapore CLOSED

Curious-Palette-Princep-Street-Singapore

When I reached Curious Palette at 64 Prinsep Street, I spent 5 minutes walking around here and could not find the cafe. I then called Benson (my host) for help and he emerged from that white shop lot on the left.

Johor Kaki in National Geographic Traveler

Johor-Kaki-National-Geographic-Traveler

Johor Kaki was very honoured to be involved in the May 2015 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

Best Roast Pork Char Siew @ Old Airport Road Food Centre

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I said yesterday that I will be back soon at Roast Paradise. Well, so here I am today :-D

To-Ricos Guo Shi Blanco Court Kway Chap Old Airport Road Food Centre Singapore

To-Ricos-Guo-Shi-Blanco-Court-Kway-Chap-Old-Airport-Road-Food-Centre-Singapore

To-Ricos Guo Shi also known as Blanco Court Food Centre kway chap is perhaps the most famous name in Singapore traditional braised pork innards. It's now located at the sprawling Old Airport Road Food Centre and there is always a long queue at the stall.

(There are other unrelated kway chap stalls bearing the "Blanco Court" name which I shall visit and share soon :-D )

Sunrise Bistro & Bar Big Splash East Coast Park Singapore JK1264

Sunrise-Bistro-Bar-Big-Splash-East-Coast-Park-Singapore

Think fine dining and what comes to mind is exclusivity and inaccessibility to most people. So, I was glad to hear that owner-chef Vincent aims to make fine dining dishes available to more people at Sunrise Bistro & Bar at Big Splash East Coast Park.

Roast Paradise Char Siew. In the Beginning @ Old Airport Road Food Centre Singapore 烧味天堂

Roast-Paradise-Char-Siew-Old-Airport-Road-Food-Centre-Singapore

When I bumped into my friend Andrew in Johor Bahru, he enthused about Roast Paradise at Old Airport Road Food Centre, his new found favourite char siew stall in Singapore. Andrew said Roast Paradise serves Kuala Lumpur style char siew. Having been a fan of KL style roasts after living there for several years, I was really excited to check out Roast Paradise.

Return of Li Yuan Japanese Mee Pok @ Kimly Coffee Shop, Tradehub 21, 18 Boon Lay Way 栗原ミーポック

Ah-Hoe-Mee-Pok-Singapore-Clementi-阿和面薄

Mee pok is to Singaporeans like ramen to Japanese. In Singapore, it's common to see a coffee shop or food centre with more than one or even two mee pok stalls. We eat so much mee pok - we love it to bits yet it's so overly familiar that I rarely feel inspired to write about this everyday pleasure.

Li Yuan Ah Hoe's Mee Pok has a little twist that excites me more.

Mak's Noodle @ Westgate Jurong East Singapore 麥奀記

Mak's-Noodle-Westgate-Jurong-East-Singapore

This morning, early shoppers at Westgate in Jurong were greeted by thundering drums, crashing cymbals and prancing lions. Today heralds the official opening of the Mak's Noodle outlet at Westgate. (Their first Singapore outlet is at Centrepoint on Orchard Road.)

Nanyin Music, Food and Tea Appreciation - Multi-sensory Liyuan Banquet

Nanyin-Music-Food-Tea-Appreciation-Liyuan-Banquet

Nanyin 南音 (Southern Music) is an ancient but thriving Chinese music art form dating back over 2000 years to the Han dynasty. Nanyin was originally palace music and dance performed for the Han emperors' pleasure. Today, Nanyin is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Singapore Food Culture - Behind the Scenes of China Southeast TV Show JK1256

Singapore-Food-Culture-China-Southeast-TV-Show

Once in a while, I was given the opportunity to support overseas journalists and production teams to help produce programmes or articles about Singapore food culture. My main tasks include planning the work schedule, performing introductions and providing information regarding Singapore food. It's a heavy responsibility and privilege which I take very seriously.

Sin Tao Yuan Grill Fish Pekan Nanas Johor 兴桃源铁板烧鱼

Tao-Yuan-Grill-Fish-Pekan-Nanas-Johor-桃源铁板烧鱼

The famous Tao Yuan grill fish stall 桃源铁板烧鱼 in Pekan Nanas was one of the stops of our 2 Day/ 1 Night food trail in Johor.

Hilton Worldwide Food & Beverage Masters - DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru Round JK1254

Hilton-Worldwide-Food-Beverage-Masters-DoubleTree-Hilton-Hotel-Johor-Bahru

The Hilton Worldwide Food & Beverage Masters is such a big, brilliant idea.

Every year, all Hilton Worldwide teams vie for the top title in the five challenges - Barista Cup, Bar Cup, Sommelier Cup, Pastry Cup and Culinary Cup.

Tenkaichi Japanese Yakiniku BBQ Singapore Marina Square Shopping Mall

Tenkaichi-Japanese-Yakiniku-BBQ-Singapore-Marina-Square-Shopping-Mall

Those in the know have already heard of Tenkaichi's value-for-money all-you-can-eat Wagyu beef Japanese BBQ. Tenkaichi was previously located in a dingy shop (in Keypoint Building on Beach Road) and when it moved to it's present location in Marina Square, it's fans thought that it would mean the end of best value-for-money Wagyu in Singapore.

Well, I got good news.