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

Adventurous Culinary Traveler's Blog with 66 million+ reads 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com

Mohinga @ Ye Yint Cafe in Peninsula Plaza Little Myanmar

Roaming around Little Myanmar in Peninsula Plaza, we got a little famished and decided to stop for a quick, light snack. Stumbled upon little Ye Yint Cafe which looked well patronised by Myanmese (though it was well past the lunch peak).

Restaurant name: Ye Yint Cafe


Address: #03-36, 111 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179098 (shop inside Peninsula Plaza)


Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from City Hall MRT station


Tel: 63392420


Hours: 10:30am - 9:00pm

Origin of Cambodian Fish Amok Trei ● Thai Hor Mok ● Lao Mok Pa ● Malay Otak Otak

Cambodians consider amok trei their national dish, Thais believe that hor mok was created in their Royal kitchen, Laos have their mok pa while the Malay archipelago has a similar dish called otak otak or "brain". So where did this dish come from and what is the relationship between Cambodian amok trei, Thai hor mok, Lao mok pa and Malay / Indonesian otak otak?

History of Vietnamese Coffee ● Tastes Better with Arabica

Coffee culture is a relatively recent phenomenon in Vietnam being brought here by the French only in the 1850s. But, today Vietnam is the world's second largest coffee bean exporter and have their own distinctive style of coffee.

Tong Sheng Cheese Bee Hoon Malacca vs Old World Singapore 东升园 vs 老世界


The first time I tried cheese bee hoon was at the Old World stalls in Singapore - first at their Hougang outlet, then again at their Yishun outlet. It was mind blowing as Old World overload the dish with umami and wok hei as a badge of honour.

Restaurant name: Restoran Tong Sheng


Address: 377 & 378, Jalan Melaka Raya 6, Taman Melaka Raya, Malacca, Malaysia


Tel: +6016 776 7811


Hours: 11:30 am - 2:00 pm | 5:30pm - 10 pm (Mon off)

History of Nanyue Kingdom (Nam Viet) 204 BC to 111 BC 南粵國

History_Nanyue_Kingdom_南粵國

Siu mei 燒味 or roast meats along with dim sum, wanton noodle, congee, hor fun, etc., are icons of Cantonese cuisine known around the world. Siu mei go back over 2,000 years, to the time when there was a "renegade" kingdom known as Nanyue 南粵.

History of Sticky Rice ● A National Dish of Laos

History_Sticky_Rice_National_Dish_Laos

The most famous sticky rice story is the story of loyal minister Qu Yuan whose suicide during China's Spring & Autumn period (770 - 476 BC) over 2000 years ago is still commemorated today by Chinese communities around the world by eating sticky rice dumplings on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

The Origin of Som Tum Papaya Salad May Surprise You

Go anywhere in Thailand or any Thai restaurant around the world and you will encounter som tum, the ubiquitous green papaya salad. Many of us assume som tum (or som tam) is a Thai dish - in the world's eyes som tum is as quintessentially Thai as tom yam and pad Thai.

Disputed History of Fish Sauce & A Surprising Twist 魚露

Umami, savoury, salty, amber tea colour fish sauce is used in the whole of Indochina and south coast of China as an ingredient, flavouring, seasoning, marinate and a dip. The versatile sauce is most popular, even essential in the dishes of Indochina and south China.

Makko Nyonya Restaurant in Malacca ● Peranakan Matriarch Still Charms


We walked around our hotel to check out what's for dinner. We tried Restoran Nyonya Makko and found that it serves tasty homely Peranakan dishes at competitive prices.

Restaurant name: Restoran Nyonya Makko


Address: 123, Jalan Merdeka, Taman Melaka Raya, Melaka, Malaysia


Tel: +606 284 0737


Hours: 11:30 am - 2:25 pm | 6:00pm - 8:45 pm (Tues off)

Mun Kee Steam Fish Head in Pudu Kuala Lumpur 文记鱼头王蒸鱼头

One of my favourite things to eat in Kuala Lumpur is steamed Song fish head. The dish is popular with oldies 🤭 and quite common in Kuala Lumpur. We came to Pudu, an old gritty section of KL, to look for it 😁 (Actually we went to Jalan Peel first but the place has completely transformed and all our old favourite steamed fish places are gone 🥹 )

Restaurant name: Restoran Mun Kee Steam Fish Head 文记鱼头王蒸鱼头


Address: 4926A, Jalan Seladang, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia


Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Pudu station


Tel: +603 9223 3091


Hours: 12:00 noon - 10:30pm (Tues off)

Hing Loong Taiwan Beef & Pork Chop Noodle in Malacca 兴隆台湾面馆

Driving into Malacca from Johor Bahru around mid day, the first order of business was to find something nice to eat 😬

Restaurant name: Hing Loong Taiwanese Noodle


Address: 11-J, Jalan Bachang, Kampung Enam, 75300 Melaka, Malaysia


Tel: +60 6284 2529


Hours: 7:30am - 5:00pm (Thurs off)

Ujong Pasir Nasi Lemak ● Coconut Rice Malacca Style


One of the top of my mind things to do on this trip to Malacca was to visit Ujong Pasir Nasi Lemak.

Stall name: Ujong Pasir Nasi Lemak 2


Address: 54, Jalan Ujong Pasir, 75050 Melaka, Malaysia


Tel: +6013 256 4784


Hours: 7:15 am - 3:30 pm | 6:15pm -10:00 pm

Rainbow Rice House @ 43 North Canal Road ● Wok Hei Zi Char Near Hong Lim Park

Buddy Jasmine organised the dinner makan session at Rainbow Rice House. Thank you 🙏

Restaurant name: Rainbow Rice House


Address: 43 North Canal Road, Singapore 059299


Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Clarke Quay station


Tel: 6534 3229


Hours: 7:00am - 9:30pm (Sun off) Zi char available only after 11am

Jiaji Duck of Qionghai Hainan 邮电新村嘉积鸭美味园

Many people have heard about Wenchang chicken of Hainan. Hainan is also known for its Jiaji duck from Qionghai county.

Restaurant name: 邮电新村嘉积鸭美味园


Address: China, Hainan, Qionghai, 33, 正南方向60米 邮政编码: 571499


Hours: Lunch & Dinner

White Cut Goose in Wenchang Hainan 海南鸿盛鵝馆●白切鹅


My topmost aim in coming to Wenchang county in Hainan island was to learn as much as possible about Wenchang chicken, the mother of Singapore Hainanese chicken rice.

I'm happy with my progress on that front 😊 🕺

But, one of my most memorable taste experiences from this ten day Hainan island trip was white cut goose 白切鹅 at 鸿盛鵝馆.

Restaurant name: 鸿盛鵝馆


Address: China, Hainan, Wenchang, 255, 东南方向120米 邮政编码: 571341


Tel: +8613307611817


Hours: 11:00am - 2:00pm | 5:00pm - 10:00pm

History of Phở ● National Dish of Vietnam ● From Red River Delta to Mekong Delta to the World

History_of_Pho_Vietnam

"The history of Vietnam lies in this bowl". Camila Gibb, The Beauty of Humanity Movement.

Sin Heng Kee Porridge @ Chong Pang Yishun ● Taste Nice, Good Portion, Price Right, Nice Environment

Sin Heng Kee Porridge in Yishun first caught my eye because it sported a longer queue than the Toto shop next door 😱 So, I earmarked it for a visit next time. Finally, made it after nearly two years 🤭

Anyway, Sin Heng Kee here is still as popular and the porridge is really good 👍

Restaurant name: Sin Heng Kee Porridge


Address: 101 Yishun Ave 5, #01-19/21, Singapore 760101 (Chong Pang Village)


Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Yishun station


Hours: 7:00am - 9:00pm (Tues & Thurs off)

Shinn Sato Okinawa Cuisine @ Orchard Plaza

Shinn Sato @ Orchard Plaza is one of those kind of eating places their regulars don't want you to know about and the owners don't actively market themselves on social media. 

Yet they are doing fine for years, thank you ☺️

Luckily, I got friends who know 🤭

Restaurant name: Shinn Sato Okinawa Cuisine


Address: 150 Orchard Road, #03-52/53/54 Orchard Plaza, Singapore 238841


Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Somerset station


Tel: 6735 1883


Hours: 11:30 am - 2:00 pm | 5:30pm - 10:00 pm (Sun off)