Stumbled upon this very popular fried kicap (soy sauce) chicken rice place within 10 minutes walking distance from CIQ.
Johor Kaki Adventurous Foodie Traveler with 77 million+ reads 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com
Showing posts with label JB Food on Foot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JB Food on Foot. Show all posts
Nepalese Food in Johor Bahru ● Review of Restoran Sunset Meadow
Restaurant name: Restoran Sunset Meadow
Address: Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000
Tel: +607 222 3176
Hours: 11:00am - 8:00pm
Ah Ma Teochew Kuih @ Jalan Trus JB · Reviving the Flavours of Kuala Sangga 阿嬷潮州糕 · 老港的滋味
Stall name: Ah Ma Teochew Kuih 阿嬷潮州糕
Address: No.13, Jalan Trus, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia (15 minutes walk from JB CIQ)
Tel: +6017 767 2199
Hours: 7:30am - 5:00pm (Mon off)
Soft Serve Ice Cream in Johor Bahru - Koone and By Grace, Trus JK1350
Henna by Koone at Jalan Dhoby. Chocolate soft serve, lava molten cake, bits of brownie, crushed nuts, coco cookies soils, passionfruit puree, royal hazelnut feulletine, red velvet donuts.
Soft serve ice cream is the latest food fad to sweep across the globe and arrive in Johor Bahru's oldest streets.
Soft serve ice cream is really exactly the same as regular ice cream, but softer. The ice cream machine is simply set to put more air in the ice cream to make it soft. (That's all really, except for new twists which we shall see later :-D )
Nasi Padang Qin Garden in Johor Bahru JB Old Downtown 沁园咖啡馆
The Nasi Padang stall at Qin Garden coffee shop along Jalan
Toddy Coconut Wine Shop in Johor Bahru JB 椰花酒
Tody or toddy is fermented sap from the flower of coconut palm - an alcoholic treat which I enjoy whenever it is available. Toddy is banned in Singapore but we can get it at the tody shop here in old JB town, near the JB CIQ 😄 The tody shop is actually just across Jalan Wong Ah Fook from Komtar JB (where the Angry Bird theme park is).
CLOSED EHHE Art Cafe - Old Johor Bahru Tan Hiok Nee Cultural Street on Foot 中間旁邊陈旭年文化街
In a few days, Johor Kaki blog will be entering it's fifth year. Not surprisingly, the first Johor Kaki posts were about the eateries around the Jalan Tan Hiok Nee cultural district as these are interesting and nearest to Singapore. Though, Johor Kaki blog is basically the same, there are many changes. The same can be said of Johor Bahru's cultural district.
WaWa Chicken KFC Korean Fried Chicken City Square Johor Bahru JK1242
I was invited to try the newly opened WaWa Korean Fried Chicken stall in Johor Bahru's City Square Mall. I was happy to try it as I have never tasted Korean fried chicken before even though it had been the rage for a while now in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
EH HE Gallery | Ink Brew Cafe by JWC 墨跡手沖館 in Johor Bahru JK1124
Uncle Martin was very excited to show us Eh HE, his new discovery in JB old town, 10 minutes walk from the JB CIQ. EH HE is a brand new cafe sporting the theme of old JB cultural history.
In all honesty, I just tagged along with Uncle Martin with no great expectations of new cafes as they try to outdo each other with more of the same old creative decor - "same old creative", is an oxymoron I know.
But, a visit to EH HE changed my mind. It is still possible to have interesting concept cafes in an industry which once gave me the impression that it was already saturated and squeezed dry of ideas.
This is the entrance to EH HE at the historic Jalan Tan Hiok Nee side. EH HE is just beside Hiap Joo 协裕 Bakery and right opposite Kin Wah 锦华餐室 kopitiam.
EH HE is made up of 7 (seven) pre-War shop lots, so it's a huge space.
The quaint name EH HE is derived from the phrase EartH HEart. The word art is highlighted by it's absence (yeah, that's a bit beyond my old wooden head ;-p ).
Two large papier-mâché figures stood at the entrance from the Jalan Tan Hiok Nee side. As I gingerly skirted around the delicate looking figures while being led up the stairs by Uncle Martin, the first thought that came to my mind was "This is a cafe?".
Stepping into the first space upstairs, and greeted by these ancient China opera costumes in loud colours, a specialty coffee cafe was the furthest thing from my mind.
This is EH HE's Classic Accents Art House.
The Classic Accents Art House is a space for showcasing Chinese heritage artifacts. Many of the artifacts are on loan from other galleries in Malaysia and regularly rotated, so that there are always new old artifacts to behold at EH HE's Classic Accents Art House.
The theme during our visit was Chinese operatic arts.
Pauline, one of the artist-owner of EH HE sharing with us the fascinating stories behind Classic Accents Art House and the artifacts.
We next stepped into the large adjacent room (from the Art House).
The space is very bright as the roof is elevated to allow natural light to flood the interior. As much as possible, the original red brick walls of the heritage building are preserved, giving the space a rustic charm.
This is a very comfortable, open space to chill out with friends.
Pauline was full of passion and enthusiasm as she explained the inspirations behind EH HE Gallery | Ink Brew Cafe.
In yet another room upstairs, there is a giant fantasy mural on the wall of a little long haired girl in a red dress, giant ducks, ducklings, whales and forests.
Pauline, the artist who created this mural which she named "Temptation" explains the inspirations behind her hand drawn masterpiece which took 2 weeks to complete.
We can also chill in this comfortable fantasy room.
Next, we stepped down these steep ancient stairs with creaky old wooden floor boards and hand railing.
The space at the bottom of the stairs is in sharp contrast with the spaces upstairs. Ink Brew is a contemporary hipster cafe by Just Want Coffee (JWC), one of the leading coffee roasters and brewers in Johor Bahru.
Even the music here switched from Chinese opera upstairs to easy listening Spanish pop music down here at Ink Brew.
This reflects the modern youth in Johor Bahru who are comfortable with their heritage and are open to the modern world at the same time - switching comfortably, effortlessly, almost unconsciously between the two different Worlds.
This trait is an asset in our very small global village.
Ink Brew serves the full range of specialty coffees from espresso, syphon to hand brews. The food and beverages at Ink Brew are specially created by JWC as tributes honouring the rich heritage of old Johor Bahru.
Barista Windy is a picture of concentration and focus.
The food and coffee are generally good as one would expect from Just One Coffee (JWC).
Garden Pizza RM15.90+. A thin pizza crust topped with fresh greens and dressed with tofu sauce.
The Forest Waffle RM16.50+. Savoury waffle, not really appealing to my taste buds.
Balloon Waffle RM17.90+. Waffle with traditional ice cream topping was more to my taste ;-D
Tan Hiok Nee Coffee 陈旭年咖啡 RM16.80+.
This coffee commemorates Tan Hiok Nee 陳旭年, the Major China of Johor in the 1870s. There is a ritual to drinking this coffee to appreciate it's meaning which the friendly staff will gladly explain to you ;-D
When you drink the coffee you would first taste a blend of citrusy bitterness, then tartness from the caramelised orange before sweetness from the icing sugar. This taste profile represents 苦尽甘来, a Chinese saying that when one swallows bitterness to the end, one will be rewarded with sweetness. This represents the spirit of the ancestors of Johor Bahru in building the city.
Irish Coffee RM26+
Chingay Coffee 游神 - 五帮共和 RM16.50+.
The idea behind this coffee is interesting. It is a blend of 5 Arabica beans representing the 5 Chinese clans (Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka, Hainanese and Cantonese) at the annual Chingay in Johor Bahru. I must admit that my tongue is not well tuned enough to discern the five beans. Still the cold brew is likable and the idea of celebrating the harmony among the five, once warring Chinese clans has already won me over.
View of EH HE | Ink Brew Cafe from along Jalan Ibrahim.
I am touched by the sincerity of Classic Accents Art House and Just Want Coffee towards preserving and showcasing the Chinese heritage of Johor Bahru.
Now we have one more nice, comfortable place to cool our heels as we explore the dusty JB old town on foot. Actually, I can stay here happily the whole day ;-D
Restaurant name: EH HE Gallery | Ink Brew by JWC Cafe 墨跡手沖館
Address: No. 1, Jalan Trus, Bandar Johor Bahru 80000, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Junction of Jalan Trus and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee (just beside Hiap Joo Bakery)
Map: http://bit.ly/EHHEGallery
GPS: 1.456477, 103.764608
Hours: 12:00 noon to 11:00 pm daily
Non Halal
Date visited: 5 May 2015
Return to Johor Kaki homepage.
In all honesty, I just tagged along with Uncle Martin with no great expectations of new cafes as they try to outdo each other with more of the same old creative decor - "same old creative", is an oxymoron I know.
But, a visit to EH HE changed my mind. It is still possible to have interesting concept cafes in an industry which once gave me the impression that it was already saturated and squeezed dry of ideas.
This is the entrance to EH HE at the historic Jalan Tan Hiok Nee side. EH HE is just beside Hiap Joo 协裕 Bakery and right opposite Kin Wah 锦华餐室 kopitiam.
EH HE is made up of 7 (seven) pre-War shop lots, so it's a huge space.
The quaint name EH HE is derived from the phrase EartH HEart. The word art is highlighted by it's absence (yeah, that's a bit beyond my old wooden head ;-p ).
Two large papier-mâché figures stood at the entrance from the Jalan Tan Hiok Nee side. As I gingerly skirted around the delicate looking figures while being led up the stairs by Uncle Martin, the first thought that came to my mind was "This is a cafe?".
Stepping into the first space upstairs, and greeted by these ancient China opera costumes in loud colours, a specialty coffee cafe was the furthest thing from my mind.
This is EH HE's Classic Accents Art House.
The Classic Accents Art House is a space for showcasing Chinese heritage artifacts. Many of the artifacts are on loan from other galleries in Malaysia and regularly rotated, so that there are always new old artifacts to behold at EH HE's Classic Accents Art House.
The theme during our visit was Chinese operatic arts.
Pauline, one of the artist-owner of EH HE sharing with us the fascinating stories behind Classic Accents Art House and the artifacts.
We next stepped into the large adjacent room (from the Art House).
The space is very bright as the roof is elevated to allow natural light to flood the interior. As much as possible, the original red brick walls of the heritage building are preserved, giving the space a rustic charm.
This is a very comfortable, open space to chill out with friends.
Pauline was full of passion and enthusiasm as she explained the inspirations behind EH HE Gallery | Ink Brew Cafe.
In yet another room upstairs, there is a giant fantasy mural on the wall of a little long haired girl in a red dress, giant ducks, ducklings, whales and forests.
Pauline, the artist who created this mural which she named "Temptation" explains the inspirations behind her hand drawn masterpiece which took 2 weeks to complete.
We can also chill in this comfortable fantasy room.
Next, we stepped down these steep ancient stairs with creaky old wooden floor boards and hand railing.
The space at the bottom of the stairs is in sharp contrast with the spaces upstairs. Ink Brew is a contemporary hipster cafe by Just Want Coffee (JWC), one of the leading coffee roasters and brewers in Johor Bahru.
Even the music here switched from Chinese opera upstairs to easy listening Spanish pop music down here at Ink Brew.
This reflects the modern youth in Johor Bahru who are comfortable with their heritage and are open to the modern world at the same time - switching comfortably, effortlessly, almost unconsciously between the two different Worlds.
This trait is an asset in our very small global village.
Ink Brew serves the full range of specialty coffees from espresso, syphon to hand brews. The food and beverages at Ink Brew are specially created by JWC as tributes honouring the rich heritage of old Johor Bahru.
Barista Windy is a picture of concentration and focus.
The food and coffee are generally good as one would expect from Just One Coffee (JWC).
Garden Pizza RM15.90+. A thin pizza crust topped with fresh greens and dressed with tofu sauce.
The Forest Waffle RM16.50+. Savoury waffle, not really appealing to my taste buds.
Balloon Waffle RM17.90+. Waffle with traditional ice cream topping was more to my taste ;-D
Tan Hiok Nee Coffee 陈旭年咖啡 RM16.80+.
This coffee commemorates Tan Hiok Nee 陳旭年, the Major China of Johor in the 1870s. There is a ritual to drinking this coffee to appreciate it's meaning which the friendly staff will gladly explain to you ;-D
When you drink the coffee you would first taste a blend of citrusy bitterness, then tartness from the caramelised orange before sweetness from the icing sugar. This taste profile represents 苦尽甘来, a Chinese saying that when one swallows bitterness to the end, one will be rewarded with sweetness. This represents the spirit of the ancestors of Johor Bahru in building the city.
Irish Coffee RM26+
Chingay Coffee 游神 - 五帮共和 RM16.50+.
The idea behind this coffee is interesting. It is a blend of 5 Arabica beans representing the 5 Chinese clans (Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka, Hainanese and Cantonese) at the annual Chingay in Johor Bahru. I must admit that my tongue is not well tuned enough to discern the five beans. Still the cold brew is likable and the idea of celebrating the harmony among the five, once warring Chinese clans has already won me over.
View of EH HE | Ink Brew Cafe from along Jalan Ibrahim.
I am touched by the sincerity of Classic Accents Art House and Just Want Coffee towards preserving and showcasing the Chinese heritage of Johor Bahru.
Now we have one more nice, comfortable place to cool our heels as we explore the dusty JB old town on foot. Actually, I can stay here happily the whole day ;-D
Restaurant name: EH HE Gallery | Ink Brew by JWC Cafe 墨跡手沖館
Address: No. 1, Jalan Trus, Bandar Johor Bahru 80000, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Junction of Jalan Trus and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee (just beside Hiap Joo Bakery)
Map: http://bit.ly/EHHEGallery
GPS: 1.456477, 103.764608
Hours: 12:00 noon to 11:00 pm daily
Non Halal
Date visited: 5 May 2015
Return to Johor Kaki homepage.
Kam Long Ah Zai Restaurant 金龙咖喱鱼头 • One of the Best Fish Head Curry in JB Johor Bahru
Today, I came to Kam Long Ah Zai Restaurant in Johor Bahru old town 亚福街金龙阿仔咖喱鱼头 with a group of makan kakis (foodie buddies). We were checking out makan places in JB old town which are 5 to 10 minutes walk from JB CIQ or City Square Mall.
JB Food on Foot - Old School Teochew Noodles in Downtown Johor Bahru
As many of Johor Bahru's Chinese residents are Teochews, the Malaysian city is often referred to as "Little Swatow 小汕头". Swatow in China is the hometown of many of Johor Bahru's early Teochew settlers.
Teochew noodle soup is a favourite everyday comfort meal among Teochews. Today, in Johor Bahru there are many Teochew noodle stalls sprinkled throughout the city.
In old downtown Johor Bahru, there are still shops that serve old school Teochew noodle soup dishes, the way it is prepared in the days of our grandfathers.
Jalan Siu Nam, Johor Bahru Town
A short walk from the modern City Square Mall in the direction of Singapore is Lau Tee Teochew Kway Teow Soup 老弟潮州粿条汤 at old Jalan Siu Nam, just next to the Esso petrol station. Lau Tee is a stall inside Hock Chiang Hin Kopitiam 福振兴餐室.
Lau Tee 老弟 who founded the stall back in 1942 is the father of the current owner, Mr Er.
Lau Tee's Teochew noodles is served in an old well used plastic bowl with sauce, our choice of noodles (mee pok, mee kia, bee hoon or kway teow), topped with minced pork, lean pork slices, fish cake, fish ball, small shrimps, fried shallot and lard crackles. We can have chili sauce, if we like our noodles spicy.
My bowl of mee kia after a good toss in the sauce.
The sauce is a fragrant blend of lard, shallot oil and light soy sauce. Mr Er cooks the crunchy noodles just right and the ingredients are all fresh. Teochews are particular about the freshness of their food and like to taste the natural flavours inherent in the ingredients.
The noodles come with a small bowl of cloudy broth which has good body, smooth mouth feel and a robust savoury prawny flavour.
Lau Tee's Teochew noodles is served in an old well used plastic bowl with sauce, our choice of noodles (mee pok, mee kia, bee hoon or kway teow), topped with minced pork, lean pork slices, fish cake, fish ball, small shrimps, fried shallot and lard crackles. We can have chili sauce, if we like our noodles spicy.
My bowl of mee kia after a good toss in the sauce.
The sauce is a fragrant blend of lard, shallot oil and light soy sauce. Mr Er cooks the crunchy noodles just right and the ingredients are all fresh. Teochews are particular about the freshness of their food and like to taste the natural flavours inherent in the ingredients.
The noodles come with a small bowl of cloudy broth which has good body, smooth mouth feel and a robust savoury prawny flavour.
7 Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Johor Bahru Town
A short walk across Jalan Wong Ah Fook, is Mr Er's uncle Ah Seng's shop Sang Heng 甡兴茶餐室 at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. Locals refer to it as the "noodle shop beside OCBC" as it is located next to the bank in downtown JB.
Ah Seng (who is Lau Tee's brother) is probably Johor's most senior hawker today.
Sang Heng's Teochew noodle soup is similar to Lau Tee's.
Both Lau Tee and Sang Heng have their loyal following of fans for their delicious old style Teochew noodles.
Ah Seng (who is Lau Tee's brother) is probably Johor's most senior hawker today.
Sang Heng's Teochew noodle soup is similar to Lau Tee's.
Both Lau Tee and Sang Heng have their loyal following of fans for their delicious old style Teochew noodles.
30 Jalan Segget, Johor Baru Town
The third old school noodle shop is Ah Hua 亚华粿条 in Sekee kopitiam 司機餐室 at Jalan Segget. Ah Hua kway teow soup started as a push cart stall along Jalan Tan Hiok Nee in 1957.
Ah Hua's noodles served with pork broth differs from that of Lau Tee and Sang Heng which use prawns to make their broth.
Ah Hua's noodles served with pork broth differs from that of Lau Tee and Sang Heng which use prawns to make their broth.
Ah Hua 亚华 is the only kway teow soup shop that I have seen in Malaysia that still uses charcoal fire to boil the broth.
The key to Ah Hua's Teochew kway teow soup is, of course, the broth which is made by boiling big pork bones.
The other key is fresh ingredients, be it the pork, shell fish or kway teow noodles. All must be of the highest quality as the clear broth will show up any inferior ingredients.
The other key is fresh ingredients, be it the pork, shell fish or kway teow noodles. All must be of the highest quality as the clear broth will show up any inferior ingredients.
At Ah Hua, you can have the basic kway teow soup which comes with slices of pork and liver, or the luxury versions where we can add kidney, fish maw, oysters and even abalone.
Most of these old noodle shop's customers are regulars who like this old style taste and flavours. They also have a growing clientele who are discovering the charms of old style noodle soup.
Through these three old noodle shops, we can still taste the old flavours and heritage of Johor Bahru.
Return to Johor Kaki homepage.
Most of these old noodle shop's customers are regulars who like this old style taste and flavours. They also have a growing clientele who are discovering the charms of old style noodle soup.
Through these three old noodle shops, we can still taste the old flavours and heritage of Johor Bahru.
Return to Johor Kaki homepage.
ONE63 European Bistro & Bar in Downtown Johor Bahru
I was thrilled when Mandy from ONE63 European Bistro & Bar invited me to visit as I am happy to see more and more higher end restaurants enter the increasingly exciting Johor food scene. So, soon after ONE63 opened for business, I popped by for a simple lunch.
ONE63 bistro is located in a pair of refurbished heritage shop houses along the historic Jalan Ngee Heng.
Singaporean foodies would be happy to note that ONE63 is just 5-7 minutes walk from City Square Mall - just head north along Jalan Wong Ah Fook, once you exited City Square. ONE63 bistro is easy to locate as it is right next to the prominent Hotel Tropical Inn building.
Inside, ONE63 is well appointed though neither lavish nor pretentious - contemporary European chic, I would say. This is the drinks section on the ground floor. Also on the ground floor, ONE63 has an al fresco dining area. Upstairs, ONE63 has a large dining room as well as an alcova (sheltered balcony) area.
ONE63 bistro also has a cosy private dining room that comfortably seats 10 people.
ONE63 European Bistro & Bar specialises in Italian and French cuisine.
Smoked Duck Salad Appetiser RM23
As I an a fan of smoked duck, I asked for this Smoked Duck Salad appetiser. Tossed with slices of house smoked duck, mix mesclun (leafy greens) salad, caramelised shallot rings, marinated cherry tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar.
ONE63 bistro is the only restaurant in Johor I know that house smoked their ducks. The thin slices of smoked duck were tender, smooth and savoury. The savoury smooth duck blends well with the refreshing greens bathed in tangy balsamic vinegar.
Squid Ink Vongole RM28
I wanted something interesting and yet not too heavy, so I picked Squid Ink Vongole. This a popular spaghetti dish made with linguine pasta, fresh squid ink, white wine reduction sauce, little neck clams, chili, and parsley
Ahh.. I love those al dente spaghetti enveloped in that exquisitely savoury squid ink and clam gravy. Delicious, delicious. hehehe.... I order squid ink spaghetti whenever a restaurant offers this dish :)
Tiramisu RM16.30
To wrap up the simple lunch, I had ONE63 bistro's tiramisu for dessert. I was expecting the usual frumpy, chunky slice of cake but was pleasantly surprised that ONE63 serves the classic dessert creatively in an elegant cocktail glass. Made with Italian mascarpone cream and coffee, and lightly blanketed with cocoa powder. Sweet and lovely as good tiramisu should be, and Mandy confirmed that it is alcohol free :)
Sangria Smooth RM13
For drinks, I had this Sangria Smooth suggested by Mandy. It's a pulpy, icy blend of blueberry, strawberry, orange juice, apple juice, and lime with finely crushed ice. I love it.
After lunch, Mandy introduced me to ONE63 bistro's Executive Chef Kelvin Lee. Beneath Kelvin's friendly and warm demeanour is an eye popping résumé.
Kelvin, originally from Kuala Lumpur, has experience in not one but two 3 Michelin Star restaurants in France. They are Le Jardin Des Sens in Montpellier and Michel Bra in Laguiole. Kelvin was also the Group Executive Chef / Chef Consultant of Gusttimo World and was the Head Chef of San Marco at The Lighthouse, Fullerton Hotel, Singapore before coming to Johor Bahru.
Kelvin graciously made me a dessert :)
Food? Art? Food artistry by Executive Chef Kelvin Lee.
Delectable chocolate mousse with house made ice cream. Oh my, since when did I developed a sweet tooth?!
hehe I already made appointments with Mandy to come back for ONE63's set lunch and dinner :)
Restaurant name: ONE63 European Bistro & Bar
Address: 163, Jalan Ngee Heng, Johor bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/lg22W
GPS: 1.465643,103.760075
Hours: 11:00am to 12:00 midnight daily
No pork, no lard, alcohol served
Date visited: 28 Jun 2013
Return to Johor Kaki homepage.
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