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

Adventurous Foodie Geographer's Diary with 70 million+ reads 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com

Johor Kaki Imposters • Please Stop


I just found out that some people have been impersonating Johor Kaki on social media.

There is only one Johor Kaki.

Who Invented Lou Hei Yu Sheng? History of Chinese Prosperity Raw Fish Toss 好运鱼生• 什锦鱼生• 十感鱼生

How did the annual Chinese New Year ritual of lou hei yee sang or prosperity toss of raw fish and salad come about?

Its roots go back to the dawn of Chinese civilisation. (But, we shall see that the custom of prosperity toss is a recent phenomenal and not from China 🤔 )

Why Chinese Eat Dumplings Jiaozi during Winter Solstice & Lunar New Year Day

Chinese celebrate Winter Solstice (21 or 22 Dec) with glutinous rice balls and dumplings.

The glutinous rice ball, Winter Solstice custom go back over 1000 years. I have an article on its origin here 👈

The custom of eating dumplings during Winter Solstice go even further back by a few centuries. How did the dumpling custom come about and why are Chinese dumplings or jiao zi 饺子 shaped like ears?

Lucky Her Kiao📍88 Horne Road • Third Generation Song Kee Hand Made Fish Dumpling & Ball ☏ 9830 1661

James_Chua_Lucky_Her_Kiao_Fish_Dumpling
Lucky Her Kiao📍88 Horne Rd, Singapore 209083 🚅 10 minutes walk from Lavender & Bendemeer stations ☏ 9830 1661 ⏰ 11am - 6pm (Weds off)
James Chua, third generation of Song Kee.

I am a long time fan of Song Kee and grew up with their fish balls and fish dumplings (her kiao 魚餃). Song Kee is today, one of the top fish ball brands in Singapore and still among my favourites.

I don't say this lightly. It's literally my hawker dish growing up - let me explain.

Sing Swee Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice & Zi Char 📍 Seah Street 新瑞记 佘街 ☏ 6337 7180

Sing Swee Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice and Zi Char 新瑞记📍34 - 35 Seah St, Singapore 188391 🚅 10 minute walk from City Hall station ☏ 6337 7180 ⏰ 11am - 9pm
First time visiting Sing Swee Kee 新瑞记 at Seah Street (near Raffles Hotel).

We Chew Gum, Bhutanese Chew Chugo 🧀 Chhurpi • Hard Yak Cheese


When you travel in Bhutan, you will find road side stops selling fruits, nuts and vegetables. You will also find bundles, like bouquets of white cubes tied together with strings.

Cat & Fiddle Westgate & Tampines 1 • Freshly Baked Basque Cheesecake & Italian Sandwich 🟢 Certified Halal ☎ 8879 6905

Cat & the Fiddle📍3 Gateway Dr, #01-11 Westgate, Singapore 608532 🚅 5 minute walk from Jurong East station ☎ 8879 6905 ⏰ 11am - 10pm 🟢 Certified Halal
A lot of excitement at Westgate Mall this morning 😄

History of Momo • Soul Food of Bhutan

When you are in Bhutan, you may be forgiven if you thought that momo could be the country's national dish 🤭

Chele La Pass • 3 Things People Do @ Bhutan's Highest Road Pass


On our way from Paro town to Haa town in the Haa Valley on a cold November day, we stopped a while at Chele La for its splendid mountain vista and a warm cup of butter tea at the Himalayan kingdom's highest motorable mountain pass.

Ani Marilyn Café📍Shechen Nunnery Phobjikha Valley Bhutan • Big Hearted Chef from Singapore Trains Bhutanese Nuns to Bake ❤️☕🥖

I was witness to so many firsts during this Bhutan trip:

• First time a Singapore based chef trains nuns to bake in Bhutan
• Launch of the first cafe operated by nuns in Bhutan
• First cafe honouring Britisher Marilyn Silverstone who dedicated her life to promoting understanding of Himalayan kingdoms.

OK Zhen Hao Wei 美味 HK 100% Cantonese Steamed Fish📍 Dunman Food Centre ☎️ 9434 0043


Went to OK 美味 at Dunman Food Centre for lunch today. (Thanks to kaki kaki Stanley for the suggestion.) It was a very satisfying meal at the right price.

Dochula Pass Stupas Bhutan • Come for Culture & Spiritual Journey, Stay for the Himalayan Vista.


Long before I visited Bhutan, I was drawn to media images of Dochula Pass - it has an air of mystic waiting to be uncovered. It's one of the places I hoped to visit in Bhutan.

Why are Bhutan & Singapore Both Called "Switzerland of Asia"? Same Same but Different


On my first night in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan we stayed in Swiss Boutique Hotel.

What is a Swiss boutique hotel doing in the heart of Bhutan, I wondered 🤔

Haa Valley Bhutan Buckwheat Momo • Hoentey • Dumplings📍Kuenphen Restaurant ☎️ +975-17889641 ☎️ +975-77307753


Ema datsi or chili cheese is the national dish (and best known Bhutanese dish to foreigners). Chili cheese is a side dish in most Bhutanese meals while momo, a dumpling dish less known outside Bhutan has a strong presence in the country as a staple dish. The dumpling dish is widely popular and momo joints are everywhere in Bhutan (in the same way chicken rice is ubiquitous in Singapore).