Johor Famous Food in Foodie Blogger 爱食客 Series Hosted by Coby Chong 庄可比 on NTV 7

Last Christmas was a special and memorable one for me. And, that was a Christmas I spent away from all my family and friends. I spent it all working very hard and with perfect strangers. But, it was one of my best Christmas :)

 

You see, I was together with popular, award winning artiste Coby Chong and the crew of NTV 7, filming the premiere episode of the TV series Foodie Blogger 爱食客.

 

NTV 7 producer Kuan went through my Johor Kaki blog and picked four representative stalls for the Foodie Blogger premiere episode featuring Johor. We spent Christmas Eve, Christmas and Boxing Day filming this episode. (I waited till now before posting about this for confidentiality reasons.)

 

Coby and crew drove from KL to JB on Christmas Eve, arriving at about 2:00pm.

 

 

Without a break, we went straight to Ah Kiang's 亚坚 mee pok tah 面薄干 shop in Permas Jaya.

 

 

Ah Kiang's mee pok tah had the same untidy look with sauce spluttered all over the bowl even though it was going on TV. But, hey, it was that same old style taste for the past decades that brought Ah Kiang fame, life long customers and the TV crew, all the way from KL.

 

 

After completing filming at Ah Kiang's, we drove to Stulang Laut to film the opening sequence of the Foodie Blogger series. The Customs jetty, Causeway and Singapore Woodlands Checkpoint are in the background.

 

 

The next day, Christmas day, we got up early and by 9:00am we were at the famous kway teow kia 果条仔 stall in Taman Tasek. This is the stall owner, Mr Lee, with Coby.

 

 

Coby Chong interviewing customers having breakfast at Taman Tasek kway teow kia, asking what keeps them coming back for more for so many years.

 

 

The gentleman on the left and his friend from KL have been enjoying Taman Tasek kway teow kia for over twenty years.

 

 

Next, we drove to Taman Ungku Tun Aminah to film Wah Cai's famous durian puff stall. This is Wah Cai and his mum with Coby.

 

 

The awesome tasting durian puffs that made Wah Cai famous.

 

 

On Boxing Day, we were at Hiap Joo Bakery at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee in downtown JB. This is Coby trying his hand with Hiap Joo's famous 90 year old wood fired oven. Coby is a quick study and quite deft actually.

 

 

Hiap Joo's oh.. so.. soft and spongy, sweet, all natural banana cake.

 

 

Hiap Joo's hottest seller, their coconut bun. Moist sweet coconut fibres wrapped in a sweet fluffy soft bun with smokey tasting browned skin. No wonder, this hot cake sells!

 

The hectic three days of filming went very well, without a hitch. The weather was good, perfect for filming throughout. I was worried about getting vertigo attacks during those three crucial days (I am prone to vertigo lately) and thank goodness, I was well and fresh throughout :)

 

The premiere episode featuring Johor hawkers was telecasted in Mandarin on 17 Mar 2013 at 6:00pm on Malaysia NTV 7.

 

 

Watch Johor hawkers on national TV by clicking on the above picture.

 

Click on the links below, if you like to read more about the featured hawkers:

1. Ah Kiang's mee pok tah
2. Taman Tasek kway teow kia
3. Wah Cai's durian puff
4. Hiap Joo Bakery.

BUSINESS CLOSED Thai Food at Bangkok Village 泰美味花園 in Taman Desa Tebrau, Johor Bahru

I've been to Bangkok Village twice at the invitation of owners Edwin and Thomas. I like Bangkok Village because of its ambiance and the good food. I also like Bangkok Village's easy accessibility via the EDL and ample fuss free, free parking.



Bangkok Village is set in a tropical garden with fish ponds, water features, mangrove and hanging vines.



It's like an idyllic oasis just off the busy Kota Tinggi highway.

Guess what's this?



This is actually the entrance to the toilets. So "back to nature" when answering nature's call.



And, this very interesting water feature is actually the wash basin.



As our visits were during the Chinese New Year period, we found Bangkok Village prettily decked out with red lanterns and festive decorations.

Bangkok Village scored high on it's environment and in my opinion was also good in the food department. Here's what we tried during our visits.

I am not a big fan of Ikan Siakap because of past encounters with muddy tasting fish, when it was not fresh. Recently, I changed my mind about IKan Siakap after I tried the Siakap Tiga Rasa at Sutera Village and now, at Bangkok Village.



Fresh Ikan Siakap when well prepared like this popular Thai Lemon Steamed Siakap at Bangkok Village was delicious (RM35).



The tangy, savoury sauce brought out the sweetness of the tender Siakap flesh. There was no hint of muddy taste at all as the fish was fresh. 



I actually prefer to eat my Siakap deep fried. So, I really enjoyed this crispy fried Siakap drenched in spicy Thai style gravy. The tangy, sweet and spicy gravy complemented well the crispy meat that still retained a little softness.



When I saw Stir Fried Sotong with Sambal and Petai (RM24.80) on the menu, I couldn't resist asking for it. The sambal and petai were great, and what impressed me most was the springy, "lively" soft sotong. The Chef did a good job in retaining the bounciness of the sotong flesh. This is one dish that I will definitely come back for.
 

I love glass noodles because it does such a good job of sponging up the tastes and flavours of the gravy that it is cooked in.





We had both the glass noodles cooked with crabs (RM95.00 per kilo) and with prawns (RM28.80) served in claypots. Both were yummy, especially the glass noodles which soaked up the savoury flavours of the crabs and prawns.



This delicious claw was a nice bonus.



Massaman Curry was ranked the most delicious food in the world by CNNGo in 2011. Bangkok Village serves this Massaman Curry Beef at RM20.80. The spicy curry was thick and grainy as it was full of ingredients and I remembered the unusual things like groundnuts and pamelo leaves.



Thai Green Curry Chicken, sweet and flavourful, very mild spiciness, easy to like. RM19.80 for a small serving. Creamy green curry is one of my favourite Thai dish.



Most people would want a Tom Yam Seafood Soup to go with their Thai meal. At Bangkok Village, it's served in a steamboat pot with burning charcoal at RM22.80. Got to scoop out the seafood fast as the hot charcoal overcooks the ingredients and dries out the bubbling spicy soup pretty quick. 



The tasty Pineapple Rice was nicely executed and would have been more charming had it been served in a hollowed out pineapple shell :P  RM7.80 for a small serving.



The sour and spicy Thai salad with mango was crunchy but a tad too salty for my liking. RM12.80 a serving.

->> If you are looking for Thai cuisine, and want to enjoy it in a garden ambiance, Bangkok Village is the best option that I know of in JB.

Bangkok Village is very accessible from downtown JB or JB Immigration via the EDL or Eastern Dispersal Link. It's less than 30 minutes of very leisurely driving once you clear JB Immigration. Parking is also easy - ample lots, free of charge with traffic marshals to guide you.



Restaurant name: Bangkok Village 泰美味花園主题餐馆
Address: Jalan Harmonium 3, Taman Desa Tebrau, Off Kota Tinggi highway
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/UvQHt
GPS: 1.555168,103.801188
Hours: 12:00 noon to 11:30pm
No pork no lard served, no Halal cert

Dates visited: 4 Feb 2013, 14 Feb 2013

Local Favourite Breakfast at Sunshine Kopitiam in Taman Puteri Wangsa, Ulu Tiram, Johor 新东升

I've heard a lot of good things about the old Sunshine 新东升 kopitiam in Taman Puteri Wangsa, in Ulu Tiram and so decided to pay the local favourite a visit on a Sunday morning.



Exactly as I was told, Sunshine was very popular, indeed. Customers, some whom come in entire 2 or 3-generation families, were already waiting early in the morning before the kopitiam opened for breakfast.

Half an hour into opening time and every table was already taken.


I've been warned that service can be slow during peak hours, but my experience was a good one. Sunshine had additional staff on weekends and some staff started to take orders even while other staff were getting out the tables and chairs. Everything was very orderly and organised. Our orders came fast and even an additional order mid way through our meal came promptly, without fuss.

So how was the food?



The Hainanese kopi was deep, robust and smooth. Clearly nicer than the kopi at the average kopitiam. I love it.



The sambal toast bread looked slightly anaemic in my opinion, though others found it just nice. I personally like my toast browner.



The mildly spicy sambal with anchovies was a little dry and thin for my liking. I like my sambal laid on thick and juicy, spicier and with a more robust anchovy flavour.



I wished the soft boiled eggs that I had were cooked a little longer.



The nasi lemak had simple ingredients and very slight flavours and coconut fragrance. The rice grains were nicely separate (not stuck together in lumps).

So, all the food were lighter in flavour than what my palate is tuned to. This is a personal preference as my companion and the other customers visibly enjoyed Sunshine's somewhat bland (to me) servings.



The chee cheong fun stall here has its fans who spoke well of it. So we ordered a couple to try, one kosong and one with shrimps. The "fun" was thin and very smooth, and the soupy sauce was quite sweet.



While the shrimps were not premium, ocean fresh quality, they were equal to any kopitiam chee cheong fun that I have tried so far.



Seeing that many people ordered the wanton mee, I also ordered one for ourselves. The wanton mee was quite good really, meeting all the criteria for good wanton mee, in my opinion.



The noodles were crunchy, springy and smooth. The soy, sesame and lard based sauce was aromatic giving the noodles their tasty flavours and smoothness.



The char siew and wantons were good.

Sunshine kopitiam is an old brand in Taman Puteri Wangsa. To the local residents, Sunshine has "everything" for breakfast, with something for everyone. The kopi was good and the food was equal to or better than any in the same neighbourhood.

Sunshine is a good breakfast pit stop on the way further north to Desaru or Kuantan, off the Kota Tinggi highway. Next time, I shall try their famous teh C, and butter and sugar toast bread which I missed this time.

->> Come to Sunshine and experience a Malaysian style kopitiam breakfast. Sunshine is a favourite of local folk and there are lots of popular food choices here like sambal toast, chee cheong fun and nasi lemak.



Restaurant name: Restoran Sunshine 新东升
Address: 20, Jalan Baladau 14, Taman Puteri Wangsa, Ulu Tiram, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/aFGJQ
GPS: 1.589359,103.807668 / 1°35'21.7"N 103°48'27.6"E
Hours: 07:30am to 5:30pm Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat | 07:30am to 12:30pm on Sun | Chee Cheong Fun usually closes by 3.30pm on weekdays | Rest day is Weds

Non Halal



Date visited: 20 Jan 2013

Return to Johor Kaki homepage.

Ikan Siakap Tiga Rasa at Sutera Village near Sutera Mall in Johor Bahru CLOSED

 

Awww... I love this Ikan Siakap Tiga Rasa from Restoran Sutera Village (near Sutera Mall).

Lobsters in Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, the Lobster Town of Johor

 

Spiny lobsters thrive off the rocky shorelines of Pengerang. The flesh of the spiny lobster is priced for its sweetness and bouncy mouth feel.

 

 

Naturally, seafood restaurants serving live lobsters sprout like mushrooms in small, laid back Sungai Rengit town which is aptly nicknamed Lobster Town.

 

 

I love eating lobsters and had been trying out the seafood restaurants in Sungai Rengit, one by one.

 

 

Jade Garden 翡翠园 is probably the best known one in Sungai Rengit. Like any good restaurant, Jade Garden does lobster in a variety of ways, but their claim to fame is their Lobster in "Superior  Broth" 上湯.

 

Jade Garden's "superior broth" is a savoury, rich buttery runny gravy with wolf berries that works well to bring out the natural sweetness of the lobster flesh. As the "premier" restaurant in Sungai Rengit, prices are at a premium in Jade Garden.

 

 

Yoou Kee 佑记 has been in Sungai Rengit for over 20 years, operating just beside Jade Garden. When asking the Sungai Rengit town folk for recommendations, they will point you to the likes of Yoou Kee for the food quality and the competitive pricing.

 

 

We tried Yoou Kee's Butter Lobsters. The buttery batter though thin, kept the lobster's natural juices intact while bringing out well the flavours of the lobster flesh.

 

 

The fairly new (opened Jun 2012) Straits View 海景轩 does a similar version of Jade Garden's Lobster in "Superior Broth" 上湯. However, the gravy here is thicker, more syrupy in texture and more buttery in flavour.

 

Straits View's Butter Lobsters 牛油龙虾. Juicy lobster meat encased in buttery crisp crust.



The newest seafood restaurant in Sungai Rengit is Hai Zhi Lian 海之恋. This is their Lotus Root Fried Lobster. The lobster was encased in a thick layer of crumbly batter.



The batter did a good job of keeping the lobster juicy and sweet. Here, the batter itself was interesting. Made with a blend of 5 types of flour and butter,the batter was feathery light and fluffy. The batter crumbled easily and literally melted in the mouth. I found myself indulging in the batter like people enjoying greasy popcorn.



At Hai Zhi Lian 海之恋 we also tried their lobster sashimi.



The translucent slices of lobster flesh looked and had mouth feel that felt like refreshing pamelo fruit, except that it was firmer.



We could dip the lobster in the savoury house blended sauce or wasabi.

So, there you are, a quick survey of the lobsters of Sungai Rengit. I will be adding to this list as I try more lobsters in Sungai Rengit, one by one. You may like to have your own lobster adventures too in seafood paradise, just one and a half hour's drive from downtown JB  :)



Restaurant name: Jade Garden Seafood Corner 翡翠园海鲜酒家
Address: 54, Jalan Kerisi, Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/mUkH
GPS: 1.350967,104.224076
Hours: 11:00am to 10:30pm
Not certified Halal - no pork, no lard served

Restaurant name: Straits View Seafood Restaurant 海景轩海鲜酒家

Address: 84, Jalan Besar, Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/XojAs

GPS: 1.350667,104.220868
Hours: 11:00am to 11:00pm
Non Halal

 

Restaurant name: Hai Zhi Lian Restaurant 海之恋海鲜楼Address: 2, Jalan Ramunia Jaya 1, Taman Ramunia Jaya, Pengerang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/M0cEd
GPS: 1.359344,104.231500
Hours: 10:30am to 10:30pm
Not certified Halal - no pork, no lard served



Restaurant name: Restoran Makanan Laut Yoou Kee 佑记
Address: 55, Jalan Pantai, Sungai Rengit, Pengerang
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/v4CU8
GPS: 1.351032,104.224258
Hours: 11:00am to 10:30pm
Not certified Halal - no pork, no lard served