Lamb Mandi at Restoran Parsia in Taman Universiti, Skudai, Johor CLOSED

I am a big fan of lamb. I especially love lamb that has rich smokey gamey flavours, tender bite and smooth mouth feel.

Crepe Signature Crispy Crepe at Johor Premium Outlets, Johor

This is embarrassing :P I have to admit that I fell in love with Crepe Signature's crispy crepes :) 



When Alex from Crepe Signature contacted me to try their crispy crepes at their Johor Premium Outlets branch, I was more curious than excited. After all, I am no teenybopper.


When I saw the bewildering choices of Crepe Signature's trendy colourful crepes, I wasn't sure how my taste buds will react to this faddish looking food. Might this not be just another food fab that comes and goes like morning mist?


Chocolate Banana Crispy Crepe RM4.90

When I took my first crispy, crunchy bite of my chocolate banana crepe, it was literary love at first bite :) Any scepticism I initially had just evaporated with that first bite.


The secret of Crepe Signature's crispy crepe is in its special batter. Every one of Crepe Signature's crispy crepes is made on the spot, made to order with natural ingredients.

This results in a rather thick crepe with a surprisingly crispy and refreshing mouth feel. The natural chocolate banana filling was also not overly sweet - it was just nice :)



The completed crispy crepe is best eaten straightaway, though I am told that it can be eaten two days later and it will still be as crispy.  



This Crepe Signature outlet at Johor Premium Outlets is the first Crepe Signature stall. Opened in 2011, it was so successful that now (just 2 years later), there are over 10 Crepe Signature outlets in Johor and the first outlet in Clementi Mall (Singapore) will be opening soon.

Obviously, I am not the only one bitten by the Crepe Signature bug. Try it and see if you can resist it :P



Restaurant name: Crepe Signature
Address: Johor Premium Outlets Branch (over ten branches in Johor)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/D0XQI
GPS: 1.604566,103.621888
Hours: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Halal cert in process

Date visited: 17 Jun 2013

Passionfood Café and Bakery in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

Chi Ling, the boss, invited me over to try out her new menu at Passionfood. This was my second visit to Passionfood at the invitation of Chi Ling, the owner. I was excited about this visit as I had a very good experience at Passionfood during my first visit.

Chi Ling is one of the new blood of Johor F and B entrepreneurs who are driven by passion. Chi Ling is a medical bioscience professional who couldn't resist dumping her white lab coat for her pink apron to pursue her passion for baking and cooking.

Oh, on that pink apron - pink is the theme of Passionfood, so you can see the feminine colour in their decor, furniture and even in their food.

I asked Chi Ling how the name Passionfood came about. Chi Ling said she was in Vietnam and the Vietnamese fruit passion fruit gave her the "ah ha moment". She liked the name because passion is what Passionfood Café and bakery is all about.

Creamy Ebiko Crab Meat Pasta RM18.90

First to arrive was the Creamy Ebiko Crab Meat Pasta. The thick el dente pasta was smothered in a homemade savoury white cabonara sauce with white wine and crab meat.

The tiny savoury ebiko (Japanese prawn eggs) popping in your mouth added an interesting mouth feel and flavour to the whole dish.

Cheese Chicken Burger RM17.90

Next was Passionfood's Cheese Chicken Burger. I heard my friend Bryan spoke highly of Passionfood's chicken burger before and was looking forward to try this.

The thick chicken patty was sitting of a bed of fresh tomato slices, cherry tomatoes and sauteed onions. The chicken patty is blanketed by a layer of soft melted cheese that flowed down the sides of the patty. And, everything is held together between Passionfood's own fluffy charcoal bun, made right here at the cafe from scratch.

This is no industrial mass produced patty at average hamburger joints. Passionfood's thick handmade patty is made with hand chopped chicken thigh and breast meat with some herbs and condiments mixed in. The meaty, tightly packed patty had little grease or fat. You will never find bits of bone or rubbery sinews in Passionfood's handmade patty. 

 

French fries with ketchup are always simply, special to me :P

Passionfood has many interesting drinks on their menu. This is the signature Passion Paradise (RM7.50) - passion fruit syrup with soda water and rainbow jelly.

The Mango Tango (RM7.50). Mango syrup with soda water and mango puree.

I will be coming back soon to try Passionfood's cakes and pastries from Chi Ling's passion for baking.



Restaurant name: Passionfood Café and Bakery
Address: 14, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SS9N3

GPS: 1.481626,103.773679
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Monday to Thursday); 11:00am to 11:00pm (Friday); 10:00am to 11:00pm (Saturday); 10:00am to 10:00pm (Sunday) Closed on Tuesday
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 16 Nov 2012, 12 Jun 2013

Return to Johor Kaki home page.

Lobsters at Jade Garden Seafood Corner at Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor - Second Visit 翡翠园海鲜酒家

Yesterday, I brought my high school schoolmates to Sungai Rengit for lobsters :) We were in high school together in the 1970s. This was a trip we had been talking about for a long time. So we came to Sungai Rengit excited - talking and laughing like children on a school excursion after the final exam :)

I picked Jade Garden for this special trip because this is by far the most popular seafood restaurant in Sungai Rengit. I've also tried Jade Garden before and I like their "Superior Broth" lobster. It was lunch time on a Friday, and as usual there was a good crowd of diners in the bright and spacious restaurant.

How fresh are lobsters in Sungai Rengit? Well, they come straight from the sea (a stone's throw away) in plastic bags with no water. Once they arrived, the flapping lobsters were immediately sorted according to species and size, and tossed into the display tanks.

We asked the staff who came to take our orders to recommend their signature lobster dishes. There were five of us, so we ordered one lobster for each person. These were the lobsters dishes recommended by Jade Garden to us :)

Lobster in Superior Broth

I had this "Superior Broth 上湯" lobster before during my last visit and this is my favourite style of cooking lobster. The savoury buttery broth brings out the exquisite flavour of the spiny lobster very well. 



Today's "Superior Broth" was slightly heavier on saltiness than my last experience. We all agreed that the thick lobster flesh was springy and refreshingly crunchy.

Fragrant Fried Lobsters

For our second dish, Jade Garden recommended this "Fragrant Fried Lobsters 香炒龙虾". After the slightly salty "Superior Broth", looking at this dish, we were initially wary that this dish might be a little too heavy on saltiness.



The "Fragrant Fried Lobsters 香炒龙虾" turned out not overly salty and we all liked this style, though it was slightly greasy. The herbs used to cook the lobsters indeed spiced up and perfumed the lobsters.



The gravy though a bit greasy was finger licking good :) The lobster meat was still bouncy though a little drier compared to the "Superior Broth 上湯 " version.


Marmite Lobsters

After our lunch, we noticed that the next table had these luscious looking lobsters. LOL as usual, I could not resist asking the customer if I could have permission to take a photo of it so that I could share it on this blog and also to come back again for it at my next visit.

The gracious customer who is a regular told me that this "Marmite Lobster" is Jade Garden's best lobster dish and is offered only to regular customers. LOL I will make sure I ask for "Marmite Lobster" at the my visit, though I am not sure if visiting them a third time qualifies me as a regular :P

I also noticed that some customers had a large bowl of interesting looking herbal chicken soup. (I didn't take a picture of this because the bowls were all nearly empty :P ) The regular customer told me that this special chicken soup is one of Jade Garden's best dishes and available only on Fridays and Saturdays. Again, it is only for regular customers. LOL I hope to have a chance to try this next time :)



This was our bill for our lunch at Jade Garden. We had 5 lobsters altogether :)

->> The most established seafood restaurant in lobster town.



Restaurant name: Jade Garden Seafood Corner 翡翠园海鲜酒家
Address: 54, Jalan Kerisi, Lorong Siakap 1, Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/mUkH
GPS: 1.350967,104.224076  1.347917, 104.223740
Hours: 11:00am to 10:30pm

No Pork, No Lard, No Halal cert

Date visited: 5 Jul 2012, 14 Jun 2013

Return to Johor Kaki homepage.

Soto Ayam at Hj Abu Soto Power in Kampung Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang, Johor

My friend Bryan has been raving about his favourite soto ayam place (near the famous Rahmat Ikan Siakap) for some time. I couldn't wait to visit Hj Abu Soto Power in Kampung Pasir and we finally did on Monday.



Haji Abu's warung is actually an extension of his house which is a stone's throw from the sea (yes, if you throw a stone, it will actually drop into the Straits of Johor :P  ). With the airy structure letting in the sea breeze and shade from the leafy trees ringing the warung, it feels cool and comfortable inside even though it was another blisteringly hot day in tropical Johor.  



Inside, the simple and well kept stall front at Hj Abu Soto Power.



Hj Abu and his wife have been running this popular warung for over 30 years. The recipe came from Hj Abu's mother-in-law who was from Surabaya, Indonesia.



This bee hoon soto ayam costs RM4 for a "regular" one and RM5 for a large one. Byran fixed his soto craving with "one big, one small".



The heart of soto ayam is in it's tender sweet slivers of pulled chicken meat. At Hj Abu's, the pulled chicken slivers are very fine. The fine chicken slivers sponge up the savoury soto chicken broth very well.



If the pulled chicken slivers are the heart of soto, then this savoury chicken broth is it's soul. Hj Abu's soto has a savoury, deep, rich chicken flavour.



The fragrant, spicy chicken broth is made by boiling whole chickens with many different spices in the pot for at least 4 hours.



Bee hoon (vermicelli) soto is eaten with home made blended kicap added to taste. Bryan likes his soto with plenty of Hj Abu's special kicap.



Home made sambal made with chili padi is also added to taste. I like my soto to have plenty of fresh sambal chili.



I also tried the rice cake (lontong) version - same spicy chicken broth eaten with traditional rice cakes. The rice cakes were tender with refreshing rice flavour.  This nasi version is a good option for people who like to have rice for lunch.



If you like, you can have chicken parts cut up and added to your soto.



This bowl with chicken feet added looked so enticing, I asked the friendly customer for permission to take a photo of it before he began to eat it :P

I have been looking for a good soto ayam in Johor to share. I am happy to recommend Hj Abu Soto Power :)

Hj Abu's son, Rujhan, has opened a Soto Power branch at Jalan Helang 2, in Taman Scientex. I look forward to paying Rujhan's shop a visit soon :)



Restaurant name: Hj Abu Soto Power
Address: 26, Jalan Pantai, Kampung Pasir Putih, Pasir Gudang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/i3W2X
GPS: 1.434510,103.931860
Hours: 12:00 noon to 9:00pm (closed on Friday)
Halal

Date visited: 10 Jun 2013

Return to Johor Kaki homepage.

Day Trip to Johor Bahru Town in Jun 1965 (Inspiring People I Met on a Trip Back in Time)

Photo Credit: Johor Bahru Hainanese Association

Johor Bahru, 2 Jun 1965. Today is my birthday - I am 5 years old :) To celebrate my birthday, Dad brought mum, my brother and sisters to Johor Bahru to eat and to buy our favourite cakes. We had a wonderful day :)

We boarded the bus at Queens Street (Singapore). We didn't have to pay for our bus ride as dad is a bus driver with the Singapore - Johor bus company. As we were getting up the bus, dad told the driver in Hokkien "我的人" or "my people".


Photo Credit: Wikipedia

It was a long bus ride, passing quiet rubber plantations with endless rows of neatly planted rubber trees in Nee Soon. I saw rubber tappers working hard and silently in the plantations, early in the morning. The rubber tappers inspire me with their discipline and hardworking nature.

Photo Credit: Construction site hoarding (source unknown)

After passing the lush forests of Woodlands, we arrived at the Causeway. I love crossing the Causeway. I was excited to see the sea to my left and right as our bus drove across it. A smoking train rumbled pass us on our right side as our bus was crossing.

 

When we arrived in JB, our first stop is always Sang Heng kway teow soup stall at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. Dad is a regular customer and friend of Uncle Seng. Uncle Seng has many customers. They say his Teochew kway teow soup has that captivating "prawny" flavour. I like Uncle Seng's soup too.

Dad ordered a bowl for everyone. I had mee pok dry which is my favourite. I am inspired by Uncle Seng's quiet pride and by his steadiness. Uncle Seng will carefully make each bowl of kway teow noodles one by one. Uncle Seng steadfastly wants to make the best kway teow soup, no matter how many customers are waiting. They all learnt to accept Uncle Seng's style and never complain :) I like the "musical" pinging notes Uncle Seng's ladle makes when it hits the porcelain bowls.

As we were eating, I spotted this customer leaving the coffee shop on his big Norton motorbike, making that loud throaty exhaust sound. I wish I could ride a bike like this when I grow up.

After our breakfast at Uncle Seng's place, dad took us for a short walk to Hua Mui coffee shop along Jalan Trus.



Dad likes the thick Hainanese coffee here. He would pour the coffee into the shallow saucer to let the coffee cool down quickly and he would hold up the saucer to sniff the coffee aroma before sipping it loudly. "好香" ("very aromatic") my dad would say in Cantonese. Mum would always remind dad to enjoy his kopi without making that slurping noise but it would fall on deaf ears as usual :P As for me, I like the sweet French toast here - white bread toasted with Planta margarine and sprinkled with sugar.



While daddy enjoyed his kopi (coffee), I watched the workers send food up and down stairs using a rope, a big tray and basket. Mum says this is a "dumb waiter". I wondered why she said that - I think this is a very clever idea :P  With this, the workers don't need to climb up and down the steep stairs anymore. I am inspired that sometimes, problems can be solved with simple solutions.



After coffee, we always walk up slope along Jalan Trus to stop by at the 50 year old Kok Yow Yong herbal tea shop. On our way to the old herbal tea shop, we passed by a red coloured arch on our left along Jalan Trus. Dad told us that Jalan Trus was the boundary separating the Hakka and Cantonese people of Johor Bahru during the old days. That red coloured arch leads to the houses where only Hakka people lived.



Kok Yow Yong is a hole in the wall type of herbal tea shop. People from all walks of life and all races stop by for quick relief from the blistering heat with a "cooling tea".



Sister was having a cough and cold, so mum asked the auntie at the herbal stall for an extra strong herbal tea. Fortunately, I didn't have to drink this very bitter and thick, grainy, gooey tea today :P


Photo Credit: Johor Tourist Information Centre

We then walked along Jalan Dhoby towards our next stop, Salahuddin Bakery - on the way we passed several laundry shops.

Dad stopped to chat with his friends Gopi and Muthu who work in one of the laundry shops along Jalan Dhoby. Gopi and Muthu are always cheerful, no matter how busy they were. Gopi always amazes me by how he is able to effortlessly straighten and flatten out wrinkly shirts and trousers with his hot iron in a matter of seconds. Gopi inspires me with his orderliness and systematic way of doing his work. I like the smell of freshly washed, starched and ironed clothes at Uncle Gopi's shop.



I love Salahuddin bakery - when we arrived we were greeted by a shop filled with the aroma and colours of freshly baked breads and cakes.



Enche Salahuddin uses this old wood fired oven to bake his popular breads and cakes.



Mum always buys bread from Enche Salahuddin whenever we come to Johor Bahru.



As for me, I always look forward to Enche Salahuddin's Bengali karipap (curry puff). Spicy mutton and potato with super crispy flaky crust that keeps falling off all over my clothes with every crunchy bite.


Photo Credit: Johor Bahru Hainanese Association

After buying our triangle shaped Bengali karipaps and bread, we crossed Jalan Dhoby towards IT Roo Cafe. I am inspired by the strength and toughness of the two small boys at IT Roo who were happily helping out at their parent's cafe after school. One of the boys was my age and another was slightly older.



IT Roo's chicken chop is our family's favourite. All of us love IT Roo's thick and chunky chicken chop in heavy crunchy batter. Since the chops were huge, we always just order 3 chops for all 6 of us to share. I also love IT Roo's potato wedges.

As we ate and chatted, I love the music they play in the background at IT Roo. The Righteous Brothers were crooning "Unchained Melody" - I think I will love this song for years to come.
  

As we walked down Jalan Pahang after IT Roo's chicken chops, we walked pass this huge house dressed in loud red paint - the largest house along these streets. Dad said that a rich Indian family lives in this towering mansion. I had to really crank and tilt my head till my neck aches to try and catch a glimpse of the people living inside. Mum would pull me along and tells me not to be such a busy body.

By the time we finished our chicken chops at IT Roo, it was already nearly 2pm. Dad hurried us up so that we could get to Hiap Joo bakery in time for their freshly baked banana cakes and coconut buns.

 

Like Salahuddin, Hiap Joo bakery also makes their breads and cakes using a large wood fired oven. I love to watch the frenzy inside the bakery. Sparks flew as the freshly baked bread and hot cakes were taken out of the oven.

 

Auntie May cuts the freshly baked banana cakes. I am always amazed by how Auntie May is able to cut the slabs of banana cake into 10 pieces of exactly the same size. Auntie May inspires me to focus on whatever I am doing and to do it with pride, in order to get the best results.



I love Hiap Joo's fluffy and soft banana cake. Real bananas are used to make this spongy cake, so it is not overly sweet. The skin is slightly charred from the wood fire while the inside is still moist.


Photo credit: Construction site hoarding (source unknown)

Our stomachs full and our hands carrying bagfuls of bread, karipap and cakes, we make our way happily back to Singapore by bus.

It was a very memorable fifth birthday trip for me :)

Epilogue - Hiap Joo's banana cakes never ever made it home with us - me and my siblings pinched it one piece at a time and finished it on the bus on the way home.

The 1960s were tumultuous yet inspiring times. As a 5 year old in 1965, obviously I could not understand what was happening around me. Yet, I could sense and feel that the earth was moving and great shifts were taking place in many spheres. The wounds of the horrific Second World War were still raw. Former colonies, newly independent, faced uncertain futures. The life and death struggle between Communism and the West was still unsettled and it was not at all clear who will turn out the winner.

With this backdrop, the common folks of whom I am one, got on with our lives. Tomorrow will be better - this simple, simplistic thought kept us going. The people's hardy spirit and society's ruggedness inspired unconsciously. Music, fashion, science and other creative endeavours flourished in this crucible. It's only years later that I become conscious of their influence in my own life.

Some of this heritage survived to this day. Our food and food ways among the treasures that survived, thanks to our hawkers - I am so glad that we made it through more or less intact, together.

In conclusion, the people who inspire me are not always rich, powerful or famous. Many people who leave a mark in my life and influence me are "ordinary" "everyday" folks we meet every day. Since I was small, I have a special fascination for hawkers. I spent many hours watching hawkers prepare and cook food. In the process, the traits and values of the best hawkers inspired and enriched me.

This post, indeed this entire blog, though focused on Johor is dedicated to street hawkers everywhere.

Note: This "1960s" trip is fictional because my family couldn't have afforded this. A trip like this in the lean 1960s would be considered a luxury, a "dream trip" few families could afford. Nonetheless, all the shops and food mentioned are real, and they are still here in JB today, at and around Jalan Tan Hiok Nee 陈旭年街. And, hawkers are the real inspiration for me and for this blog.

Click to view post on heritage food trail 2013

Click on the picture above to take a tour of these heritage shops as they are today (2013).

This 60s themed post is submitted for the Singapore Blog Awards 2013.