觀世音素菜餐廳 Kuan Shih Yin Su Shih. Taiwan's Oldest Vegetarian Restaurant

On and off, I have a secret wish to go vegetarian for a more healthy lifestyle 😄 But, so far, it has only been a nice thought 😝 Anyway, when I saw on the Taipei itinerary that we were going to visit 觀世音素菜餐廳, one of the top vegetarian restaurants in Taiwan, I was very excited. It turned out to be a memorable experience with exquisitely delicious healthful vegetarian dishes.

Nasi Kukus Skudai. People Come Here to Queue for 4 Hours!

During the last couple of months, this home based nasi kukus stall at Jalan Hang Jebat 5 in Skudai has been the rage in JB social media.

World's Largest Bak Kut Teh Brand Opens 19th Outlet in Eco Botanic Nusajaya Johor

Had lunch today at the newest Shoon Huat bak kut teh 顺发肉骨茶 outlet at Eco Botanic City in Iskandar Puteri (Nusajaya), Johor. This is Shoon Huat's nineteenth outlet. So, that actually makes this homegrown JB brand, the largest BKT chain in the world. Amazing, am I right?

Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club Golf Terrace, Nusajaya, Johor JB

I am glad my golfing days are long over - I never enjoyed it. The ponds seemed to have magnets that suck my golf balls in, swallow and eat them like popcorns. The greens seemed to be protected by invisible force fields that prevent my balls from going near. 

In the middle of obligatory games under the blazing sun, my constant thought was always "when is this going to be over 😂" But, I did enjoy the icy beers and makan times with golf kakis at the club house and golf terrace 😄

Dining Place by Chef Heman. Mandarin Gallery Orchard Road

Lunch today was at the newly launched Dining Place by Chef Heman at level 4 of Mandarin Gallery at Singapore's Orchard Road.

(Dining Place has been completely revamped with new chef since Nov 2017 👈 click)

Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle 158 Ang Mo Kio Hong Kong Street Zhen Ji

I stumbled upon these bronzed beauties at the Hong Kong Street Zhen Ji 香港街珍記 at Blk 158 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4. But, I already had two other food stalls in mind this morning, so I just snapped this picture to remind myself to come back another day.

Alexandra Village Depot Road Claypot Laksa 德普路砂煲叻沙

Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Laksa | 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1, stall #01-75 Alexandra Village Food Centre, Singapore 151120 🚆 10 minutes walk from Queenstown station ☎ 9088 9203 🕛 9am - 3pm (Weds & Sun off)

✍23 Oct 2024. Buddy wanted to try the Depot Road Claypot Laksa stall at Alexandra Village Food Centre. I was keen to try it too as I haven't had it for a very long time. I remember it was nice enough that I wrote an article about it nearly 10 years ago. 

Yin Yih Silver Wings Restaurant Taipei 銀翼餐廳

This dish used to be eaten to rancorous shouts of "Bomb Tokyo! Bomb Tokyo!". 

We were at Yin Yih 銀翼餐廳 or "Silver Wings" restaurant in Taipei which started life in 1928 as the dining hall serving pilots and officers at the Republic of China Airforce Academy in Nanjing.

Chiou Hwa Restaurant.Taipei 九華樓.華泰王子大飯店.台北

Chiou Hwa Restaurant 九華樓 at Gloria Prince Hotel 華泰王子大飯店 is one of the go to places in Taipei for Peking Duck and Cantonese cuisine 粵菜.

Chen Family Restaurant. Taipei 成家小館.木柵店.台北

The Chen Family Restaurant 成家小館 is a humble little eatery in Taipei that serves a good Manchurian style "sour hotpot" and an extensive range of solidly executed traditional dishes.

Kanpai Yakiniku. Founding Shop. Taipei 乾杯本店.台北

We visited Kanpai Yakiniku in Taipei and had a really great time. The beef and pork are top notch, service is excellent, the decor is cosy and the crowd here is infectiously happy. It feels really good here - full of positive vibes. I wanna be back 😄

Taichung Fengjia Night Market & 溪小蝦創始店.逢甲夜市

Almost everyone who has been to Taiwan will fall in love with the night markets here. It is so full of life and youthful energy. There are hundreds of stalls, many owned and run by enthusiastic young hawkers. Night markets are where many successful F & B entrepreneurs in Taiwan cut their teeth.

Memories of Legendary Chef Tham Yew Kai Dishes @ Singapore Chinatown Hawker Centre

I met up with YJ at the little stall #02-83 at Chinatown Hawker Centre. He wanted to share with me a lo mai kai / lou mai gai 糯米鸡 dish rarely seen, and soon to disappear from Singapore hawker centres. I was excited to try it - the last time I had this style of lo mai kai was in Scarborough, Canada.

One Day Good Food Trail in Kluang. Johor

😄😄😄 Don't panic, this list is just a guide. This was compiled with recommendations from Johor Kaki readers. Of course, we won't be able to eat everything here in one day but it is a helpful reference. Thank you for all your recommendations 😃

All the Best Kluang food 👈 click

Best Zhi Cha in JB List. Lai Hing in Taman Perling 利興坊海鲜小厨

Buddy Steven suggested that we have dinner at Lai Hing zhi cha in JB after our day long food trail in Kluang. I thought it was a great idea as our Kluang food trail began at day break, and eating dinner in Kluang meant driving back late at night - it would be a little taxing for my vintage chassis 😜 I was also keen to visit Steven's favourite JB zhi cha place as I have not been to Lai Hing before 😋

Restoran Dwi Lapan Char Kway Teow Stall in Skudai. 88 美食阁

Foodie buddy Jeff has been sharing about his favourite char kway teow stall in Restoran Dwi Lapan kopitiam 88 美食阁 in Taman Tun Aminah. Anak Johor Jeff knows the best eats in town.

Yong Kee Sam Kan Chong Pork Ball Noodles. Taman Tun Aminah. 勇记三间庄猪肉丸粉.王后

I am a big fan of KL style pork ball noodles - they are among my best memories of my years in Kuala Lumpur nearly 20 years ago.

No Pork, No Lard, Duck Egg Char Kway Teow. Stall 61 Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre JB ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Char kway teow is a very popular dish in Singapore and Malaysia, so CKT stalls are found everywhere here. Anthony Bourdain called this humble stir fried noodle dish, the "tastiest ugliest mess". But, good CKT stalls are actually rare as CKT is a very hard dish to master. 

Teochew Kuih pop up stand at Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre 潮州粿.大马小贩中心

I stumbled upon Ms Chuah 蔡's pop up stand selling Teochew Kueh in front of stall 47 "Gerai Mee Ayam. Laksa. Johor". Her trays of freshly made Teochew kueh are simply laid and sold on folding tables in front of the closed stall 47.

Dong Hong Traditional Kueh. Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre 东鸿糕粿.大马小贩中心

Dong Hong at Stall 62 of the Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre is popular among JB locals for traditional Teochew kueh. The moment they open for business at 4pm from Saturday to Tuesday, regulars descend on the stall to take away bags of their favourite Teochew kueh 😄

Crystal Bakuuteh (Bak Cheng) • Sutera Sentosa Johor Bahru 水晶肉骨茶

Crystal Bakuuteh was one of the first blogs I posted on Johor Kaki back in 2012. It was at the corner shop in the now demolished Lion Hotel building. A brand new hotel now stand in its place. (I am glad that I have some photos and simple notes about the old shop.)

Grand Views of Wuhan @ Yellow Crane Tower 黄鹤楼

A visit to the historic and culturally significant Yellow Crane Tower 黄鹤楼 is a must for any tourist to Wuhan. The tower is at the Taoist spiritual and cultural heart of many Chinese.

Tomahawk Steak at Tosca Doubletree by Hilton Johor Bahru

Doubletree by Hilton Johor Bahru Executive Chef Jaffery invited me try out their Grilled Tomahawk steak which is available from now till Sept 2017 at the hotel's Tosca Trattoria Italiana.

Black Vinegar Pork & Fish Head Yam Soup. Onn Kee Jaya. Tampoi ⭐⭐⭐⭐✱

JK reader, anak Johor Lena said I should try the 猪脚醋 pork cooked in black vinegar at Onn Kee Jaya in Tampoi. I've been to Onn Kee before a couple of times and liked their fish head in yam soup. They are also famed for their steamed fish. But, I have not tried their black vinegar pork so far.

Tomb of Marquis Yi & BianZhong Musical Bells @ Hubei Museum in Wuhan

Any trip to Wuhan city would be incomplete if it does not include a visit to the Hubei Museum 湖北省博物馆, one of the top museums in China, if not the world.

Zengji Hainanese Chicken Rice in Kaki Bukit Food Centre, Bedok

One thing about Singapore food is, good chicken rice are found all over the island and at very reasonable prices too. Singapore is truly the chicken rice capital of the world. Every town in Singapore, from Woodlands to Tiong Bahru, from Pasir Ris to Jurong West all have their top chicken rice stalls. For Bedok, Zeng Ji is among the best here.

Zhi Yin Hao 知音号. Amazing Wuhan Yangtze River Cruise

When we arrived at the jetty to board the Zhi Yin Hao 知音号 for a cruise on the Yangtze River, I was expecting the usual nice dinner on the boat and a grand view of the Wuhan skyline as the boat glides down China's longest river. It turned out to be that - and more, a lot more.

Kedai Kopi Malaysian Bak Kut Teh • Hidden Gem in Johor Bahru 馬來西亞人民茶室 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

While on a public bus on the way to JB CIQ (to go back to Singapore) this morning, traffic was at a standstill at Jalan Jim Quee due to construction work. Remembering that buddy Melvin once suggested that I try the old school bak kut teh at Kedai Kopi Malaysian, I decided to get off the bus right there. When I asked the driver in my limited Malay if I could get off the bus there, he gladly opened the door immediately - I love the easy going flexibility 😄

Best Food near KSL. Cantonese Porridge at Sun Yau Kee 新友記茶餐室

Friends mentioned a good chicken porridge shop along Jalan Harimau before but it was only today that we stumbled upon it while exploring food stalls around KSL Mall.

Bake N Frost Cafe in Adda Height Johor JB

I enjoyed a nice lunch at Bake N Frost cafe in Taman Adda Height, Johor Bahru today 😃

Nitro Brewery at Jalan Serampang Johor JB. Vamos Coffee Roastery

Thanks to buddy Corinne for showing me Vamos Coffee Roastery in Sri Tebrau, JB - it's a most fascinating place 😄 Vamos is no ordinary cafe - that is too mainstream 😄

Legendary Old JB Style of Bak Kut Teh @ Sri Tebrau 老新山.木清肉骨茶 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ CLOSED

Bak Cheng Bak Kut Teh 木清肉骨茶 is a JB brand of BKT most "old JB folks" or 老新山 know, and which many love. Founded by the late Bak Cheng in the 1950s, his wife and children now continue the legacy of Bak Cheng bak kut teh. Bak Cheng's father was also a bak kut teh hawker.

Yunlong Crevice Scenic Area in Enshi, Hubei 云龙地缝景区

Arriving in Enshi from Wuhan after a comfortable 4-hour high speed rail ride, the first place we visited was Yunlong Crevice Scenic Area 云龙地缝景区 - a beautiful natural wonder near the Enshi Grand Canyon.

Lemang Seri Balas in Johor Bahru

Every year for a month after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, lemang stalls appear along road sides throughout Malaysia.

AlleyLab Coffee Roastery Cafe. Craft Coffee Geek Haven in Johor Bahru JB

Updated 14 Aug 2019. AlleyLab Coffee Roastery at Citrine Hub in Sunway Iskander Nusajaya is where coffee lovers and coffee geeks in the know go for their cuppa Arabica in Johor Bahru.

Moonlight Cake House's Seri Alam outlet. Prettiest Cafe in Johor now

We met for dinner at the spanking new Moonlight Cake House outlet in Bandar Seri Alam in Masai, Johor (opened in Jun 2017).