We were hunting for good food the whole morning at Permas Jaya. After three food stops, still no luck. Our stomachs were filling up without finding anything blog worthy yet.
Passing this humble no name stall in the corner, I glanced at the customers' bitter gourd soup 苦瓜汤 and they looked good. We made a quick decision to gamble our last remaining calories on this stall. If we lose this final round, we are going home empty handed. Stomachs full, wasted calories but nothing to share :P
Happily, it turned out to be a good food find :)
Bitter gourd soup - a Hakka comfort food - is quite common in Malaysia and it seems more so in Johor than elsewhere. In Singapore, bitter gourd soup is actually quite rare. For those who are unfamiliar with bitter gourd soup, this soup is more sweet and savoury than bitter. Fresh bitter gourd has some sweetness and it's bitterness is balanced by savouriness from the pork/ chicken bones.
Mr. Chin, the stall holder has been selling bitter gourd soup for nearly 20 years - according to his sifu's recipe, he said. He is a little reserved as he is unused to outside attention. All these years, Chin's main clientele are residents living around the area 老街方, 熟客.
Everything is small scale at the stall - quite typical of hawker fare in Johor. Starts at 8:30am and closes at 2:30pm after serving the lunch crowd. So it's pretty much "home cooked" - which in my humble opinion is the best. No big ambitions, just making enough for his own three meals 求三餐.
This stall is literary a "one-man show". Mr. Chin does everything from taking orders, food preparation, cooking, serving to cleaning and washing. So, a little patience is advised especially during lunch.
The bitter gourd is sliced only on order. And, Mr. Chin did a beautiful job of it that comes with years of practise.
Mr. Chin cooks the bitter gourd just right. The texture and colour of the bitter gourd reminds me of crunchy green apples, though it is not as sweet. But actually, the taste of bitter gourd complements the savouriness of bone stock and meat better than apple (in my opinion).
The pieces of minced pork in the soup. Cooked precisely right, tender and still have the natural light flavours of fresh pork.
We also had Mr Chin's kiam chye 咸菜 (salt preserved cabbage) pork organ soup. The soup is a blend of salty, sweet, tangy and savoury flavours. The flavours were mild and easy to like. Certainly not overly salty, and the soup has quite nice body too.
This soup is pretty familiar, like an old friend - just clean, simple and fresh but funny, I like it that way :P Maybe, it's because it is so "home made", it made me felt comforted and contented, at home.
This soup reminds me of those days when kiam chye was sold in wet markets from those dark chocolate coloured clay urns. The stall holder roughly fishing out a clump of limp kiam chye from the urn, and salt water flicking and dripping onto the wet market floor.
We can have either plain white rice or yam rice to go with the kiam chye or bitter gourd soup.
While at the stall, we bumped into Stephanie, our friend. She said the wanton mee at Kim Luan is not bad too. So, I've marked that down for our next food hunt in Permas Jaya :)
Restaurant name: No name bitter gourd soup stall in Kim Luan kopitiam
Address: 7, Jalan Permas 4/4, Permas Jaya, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/9V4y4
GPS: 1.505747,103.821246
Hours: 8:30am to 2:30pm (closed on Tuesday)
Non Halal
Date visited: 10 Jul 2013
Return to Johor Kaki homepage.
This year's Tourism Malaysia Johor's food trail goes to the historic riverine town of Muar or Bandar Maharani. (Tourism Malaysia Johor has a popular food trail based in Johor Bahru.) Tourism Malaysia Johor invited me to participate in the launch of the Muar Food Trail from 23 to 26 June 2013.
Day 1
We gathered in Johor Bahru and proceeded to our first stop - Nasuha Herbs and Spices Paradise off Jalan Muar-Pagoh. Nasuha is a herbs plantation offering restaurants, spa, accommodations, plantation tours and outdoor activities.
The second food trail stop was Norseha Ikan Baker at Medan Sabak Awor where we had dinner. Dinner was a sumptuous spread of fresh seafood such as fish, crabs, mussels and squids cooked the traditional way by Puan Norseha and her cheerful team.
Our tummies filled, we then proceeded to the Tanjung Emas jetty to board the ferry for the interesting firefly tour along Sungai Muar.
After seeing the fireflies, it was nearly midnight and we had stomach space for supper! The famous Muar Soup House was our supper. Well past midnight and Muar Soup House was still a hive of activity, many people were tucking in their soup with a teh tarik.
Day 2
The first event on the second day was the official launch ceremony of the Muar Food Trail hosted by Majlis Perbandaran Muar at the Muar Traders Hotel.
We were then back again at the Tamjung Emas jetty but this time the ferry took us out to the mouth of Sungai Muar to meet up with the sampans fishing for oysters. This was fascinating! The fishermen dived for oysters without diving gear. They fished for wild oysters the same way as was done long, long ago.
After watching oyster fishing, we went back to downtown Muar for Mee Bandung, an iconic local dish. One of the best examples is at Kedai Mee Bandung Abu Bakar.
Dinner was BBQ fare at Mann Chalet at Kampung Seri Pantai.
Day 3
We started the day with a sumptuous and scrumptious breakfast at the popular R&H Cafe Sate Maharani.
R&H Cafe is famous for their sate (satay) which, uniquely in Muar, is eaten during breakfast.
Besides the delicious sate we had mee rebus Jawa, lontong, tauhu lentok, nasi ambeng, and nasi lemak just to name a few.
We then took a drive to the Kopi 434 plantation and factory. We were shown the coffee production process from harvesting the coffee berries, to husking, roasting and packing. We sampled Kopi 434's premium quality Elephant Brand Liberica coffee and also dropped by at their outlet at Jalan Maharani.
Next stop was the famous Asam Pedas Mak Pon at Parit Jawa. Very fresh fish cooked in mildly spicy asam pedas.
After lunch, we proceeded to Homestay Parit Bugis and visited various traditional cottage industries in the village such as Tempe, Cakar Ayam, Kuih Bahulu and Gula Melaka production.
We spent the night at Homestay Parit Bugis. We were treated to a traditional nasi ambeng dinner where all the guests enjoyed mixing and sharing the delicious food together. This is a great traditional bonding experience not to be missed. Reminds me of the Chinese lou hei (toss raw fish salad) during Chinese New Year.
After-dinner entertainment were the amazing Kuda Kepang and Barongan performances.
The dancers swaying rhythmically to the hypnotic beat.
I was thrilled by the Barongan dance but some in the audience found it rather "scary".
Day 4
The next morning we bid farewell to our gracious hosts while having a breakfast of traditional kuih (sweet cakes) and nasi lemak.
It was a very interesting 4 days getting to know Muar and especially it's people, culture and traditional foods.
Tourism Malaysia Johor's Muar Food Trail 2013 is a very well thought out food tour itinerary that tourists will find very
helpful.
This is my second visit to Shahrzad at the invitation of Mohd the owner. Again, I was very impressed with the Persian and Arabian cuisine prepared by Chef Ahmad whom I met during my first visit to Shahrzad.
I visited my first Ramadan bazaar today at S'Mart Pandan (off Jalan Tebrau). I look forward to Ramadan Bazaars every year to try many traditional local dishes together, some of which are sold only during Ramadan. At Ramadan bazaars, I see people from every community looking for and enjoying delicious food together. It always makes me feel very happy :)
Let's take a walk through the many interesting stalls with me :)
When at Ramadan bazaars, I always look out for the ayam golek stall. It's very easy to spot the ayam golek stall - just look out for the bellowing smoke. The ayam golek is always the smokiest stall! It's a visual spectacle, and the charcoal roasted chicken is delicious too :)
Smoking BBQ chicken wings over hot charcoal.
Ayam Percik, the popular Kelantanese spicy BBQ chicken on bamboo skewers. Eaten with Nasi Kerabu - a Kelantanese style of bluish hued rice mixed with herbs.
Many people like to break fast with spicy Ikan Bakar.
Thick slabs of succulent stingray, laid on a banana leaf, topped with a thick blanket of spicy sambal, gently grilled on a large flat iron griddle - yummy!!
Happy chefs frying sambal udang (spicy prawns).
Fried cockles in sambal! Something I seldom see :)
One of the several murtabak (pan-fried bread with chicken or mutton stuffing) stalls.
Roast Duck.
Nasi Ambeng.
There were several Nasi Padang stalls.
Traditional Roti Jala or "net bread" eaten with curry.
Many stalls selling colourful cold drinks.
Katirha, the hottest cold drink this Ramadan.
There are many places to experience Ramadan bazaars in Johor Bahru:
- Bandar Baru Uda
- Bukit Indah (AEON Jusco)
- Kampung Melayu
- Pandan (S'mart, Map: http://goo.gl/maps/rWX0O, GPS: 1.533739,103.783121)
- Seri Alam
- Stadium Larkin
- Taman Perling (Perling Mall)
- Taman Universiti (Jalan Kemuliaan 4, Map: http://goo.gl/maps/uuWjl GPS: 1.529897,103.620249)
- Taman Dahlia
- Taman Johor
- Taman Suria (near Giant)
- Taman Ungku Tun Aminah (near Caltex petrol station)
- Taman Rinting (Jalan Sena)
- Taman Sri Pulai
- Tampoi (Plaza Angsana)
We wish our Muslim readers Selamat Berpuasa.
This is my second visit to Bluewave Bistro at the invitation of Sam the boss.
I like Bluewave Bistro because it is very clean and cosy inside, everything is very relaxed, and the food is simple and nice. Parking is free and often right at the doorstep or at worse very close by. It is just so easy to cool our heels in here in air con comfort after shopping in nearby AEON Jusco, Tesco or Giant.
We started off with the Pumpkin and Apple Cream Soup (RM8.90). I love the natural sweetness of pumpkins and anything sweetened with real apples - so, this soup is a sure hit for me. Sam made this soup very thick and creamy, almost like a gruel. Served with slices of savoury butter toasted garlic bread.
For main course, I ordered the French Chicken Cordon Bleu (RM22.00). Oh..., this is so rich and tender! This dish is made by deboning the chicken thigh and then stuffing the hollow with turkey ham and mozzarella cheese. The stuffed chicken thigh is then breaded and deep fried. It is then bathed in a creamy melted cheese sauce and served.
Tender, sweet, rich and savoury. Very smooth, very easy and relaxing meal to enjoy. Just nice for lunch - substantial and yet not overly filling.
To wash everything down, I had a Fresh Orange Papaya Honey Juice (RM9.90). Lovely, long cold drink.
During my previous visit to Bluewave (in Apr 2013), I enjoyed their signature Fried Chicken Platter, Seafood Aglio Olio Pasta and Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Bluewave's alcohol free tiramisu personally made by Sam is good too - smooth, creamy, soft, spongy, and not overly sweet.
Worthwhile dropping by if you are in the Bukit Indah/ Nusa Bestari area. Family friendly.
Restaurant name: Bluewave Bistro
Address: 9, Jalan Indah 15/2, Taman Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/orxQA
GPS: 1.481562,103.661724
Hours: 11:00am to 11:00pm (Sun to Thurs), 11:00am to midnight (Fri and Sat). Closed on alternate Thurs.
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 8 Apr 2013, 1 July 2013
