Cakes in Johor Bahru at Niniq Bistro and Bakery

Rachel from Niniq Bistro and Bakery invited me to visit their outlet at Taman Setia Tropika. (Niniq's first outlet is at Taman Pelangi which opened in 2002.)



Inside Niniq Bistro and Bakery at Setia Tropika, the décor is simple yet elegant. The wood and marble furniture are heavy and of classic design - the type seen in well appointed Indonesian homes. The comfortable environment is very clean and air conditioned.

Niniq's owner Angela's mum is from Surabaya, Indonesia and hence we can see many Indonesian touches in the bistro.

The name Niniq comes from the word ninik, the endearing Indonesian term for "little girl".

As Christmas Day was around the corner, Christmas trees and Yuletide decorations were up in Niniq along with heart warming Christmas songs about winter and snow playing softly in the background.



This is the café at the ground floor level. There is a second level which is for private parties hosted at Niniq. 



At Niniq, they pay attention to even the small details like the menu cover. The custom hand carved wood inlays on the menu cover is a nice, elegant touch.

In this post, we shall focus on Niniq's popular cakes. We had just tasted Niniq's Christmas turkey in the morning, so we only had stomach space for cakes and coffee. Which was great because we enjoyed chatting with Angela for over 2 hours :D (Niniq also serves Indonesian dishes which I look forward to coming back for).


Chocolate Decadence RM6.20

This is Niniq's top selling cake, their unique CCTV. Niniq actually named it Chocolate Decadence but customers called it CCTV because of the way it looked, and the name stuck. Deep rich chocolate mousse on a spongy base to indulge the decadent in you :P


Durian Strudel RM6.40

This is a Must Try - Niniq's durian strudel using Angela's mum's recipe. Made with fresh D24 durians with no preservatives.



Creamy chilled fresh D24 durian between fluffy flaky crispy crust sprinkled with fine sugar crystals. Just RM6.40 for a little bit of durian and strudel heaven. 


L'opera RM5.80

I love this L'opera because I like foods with a mix of flavours and textures. Niniq's L'opera is a blend of sweet-bitter flavour with interesting mouth feel of fluffy sponge, creamy chocolate and nutty almond bits.  


American Apple Pie RM6.80

My friends know how much I love apple pies, especially freshly baked ones with buttery crust and chunky cut apples :D


Matcha Indulgence RM6.80

For matcha (Japanese green tea) lovers.

The following are other almost too-beautiful-to-eat cakes at Niniq :D It's always a struggle admiring how lovely the cakes look and chomping down on them to enjoy the inviting taste.









Niniq's famous tiramisu which I didn't taste because I have no more stomach space. Will come back for this.



Smile inducing cupcakes - just looking at these cupcakes makes me happy :D

Niniq has a good range of coffees, teas and juices to complement their cakes.



My usual order of cappuccino.



This is the interesting tasting Niniq Earl Grey Tea Latte (RM8.80). Earl Grey Tea lovers, give this aromatic latte a try :D

Niniq Bistro and Bakery is a nice place to enjoy excellent cakes, good coffee and tea at reasonable prices. Niniq also serves Indonesian dishes which I must come back for :D 



Restaurant name: Niniq (Taman Setia Tropika)
Address: 52, Jalan Setia Tropika 1/24. Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YQ7Il
GPS: 1.545787,103.713547
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Restaurant name: Niniq (Taman Pelangi)
Address: 65, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/zv6a0
GPS: 1.482152,103.774914
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 25 Nov 2013

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Roti Jala in Johor Bahru at Restoran Mak Tok

The night before I went down to Taman Setia Tropika for an appointment, I requested for breakfast suggestions from Johor Kakis. Zaiha, Kheng Boon, Halim, Khairul, Nir Ali, and Syairi suggested that I try the roti jala stall at Restoran Mak Tok. 

I took up their suggestion and enjoyed a delicious traditional breakfast. Thank you Johor Kakis :D



Budi from West Java (Indonesia) runs the roti jala stall at Restoran Mak Tok for 3 years now.




Budi makes the roti jala batter at the stall. The batter is mainly made from flour, eggs, water and a little turmeric powder.



Budi makes the roti jala on the spot when there is an order. So at Mak Tok, all the roti jala are freshly made. From this picture, it is easy to see why this dish is called roti jala or "net bread".



The roti jala are rolled and served hot, straight from the frying griddle.



The roti jala is served with a small bowl of chicken curry.



The roti jala has a soft and bouncy mouth feel. The roti was slightly sweet and was complemented well by the savoury and mildly spicy curry. The 4 roti jala rolls didn't felt enough for me :D



I love this roti jala so much that I ordered a second set before finishing the first. The staff asked "bungkus? (packet?)". I replied "Bukan. Makan sini. (No. Eating here.)" The staff was surprised but quickly regained his composure and smiled :D

If you are looking for a delicious traditional light breakfast or tea at Setia Tropika, the roti jala at Mak Tok is a good option.



Restaurant name: Restoran Mak Tok
Address: Jalan Setia Tropika 28 (next to Domino's Pizza), Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Ue2cK
GPS: 1.54391,103.710347
Hours: 7:00am to 7:00pm
Halal

Date visited: 25 Nov 2013

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I'm Thankful

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving!

We're beginning our holiday with a much needed visit to see family, and I'm wishing everyone a very happy, healthy Thanksgiving.

This year has brought our family many ups and downs, and we've learned from every single experience.  We've gained and identified true friends, made difficult decisions and worked day and night to adjust our family to our new life in Pennsylvania.

After seven months here, I can say we've been successful on that front.  The kids are happy, and when the kids are happy I'm happy.  Trust me there were days I wondered if we did the right thing moving our oldest.  While the other kids were settling in and excited about all the "new-ness" around them, he was struggling to feel at home.  He was missing friends and family.  He wanted to be back in his old house, with his old routines and everything else he knew. 

I can say with confidence he feels at home now.  And for that I'm extremely thankful.

Remember to be thankful in all things; we grow and learn most in difficult times.  Count your blessings, and not everything you wish you had.  Even on trying days I can look around me and see how abundantly wonderful my life is. When Hubby came home several weeks ago with the news he was no longer employed, I saw myself in all those Oprah shows I watched over the years.  This time, it wasn't someone else sharing their story.  I wasn't watching it on television.

It was us.

But here we are, trucking along.  I put my trust in God, and knew there was a reason.  I looked around me and remembered what my dad said.  You have everything you need.  You and the kids are healthy.  A job can be replaced.  This CAN BE worse.  He was right, and we made it through.  I've learned more about my family and friends in these past few weeks than I have in a long time.

There is so much to be thankful for every day, and I'm wishing all of you a wonderful weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving, and happy official start of the holiday season!

Much Love,
Jodie

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Vivo American Pizza & Panini at AEON JUSCO Mall Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru

Johor Kaki was invited to visit the Vivo American Pizza & Panini outlet at Bukit Indah. I have seen Vivo outlets around JB but have never stepped in before because there are so many choices in town and I tend to go for local businesses.

I was happy and surprised to find out that Vivo is actually the brainchild of passionate Johoreans whose love for food led them to partner a Chicago (USA) traditional pizza house to bring specialty pizzas into our region.

A note: For my first visit, we focussed on Vivo's chicken dishes as we did not have sufficient stomach space for pizzas on that day. It was our third food tasting of the day. I make it a point to eat all the food served at the table and get a real feel for the food during invited food tastings. I actually eat all the food instead of just taste test a few sample pieces. The disadvantage of my approach is that I cannot review so many dishes in one sitting, and so would need to return for additional sessions.

These were the dishes we tried at Vivo.


Garlic Bread RM5.50

Vivo executed this basic item very well. The airy, fluffy bread had a good thickness and the garlic butter spread was savoury without being overly greasy. If you like garlic bread, you are likely to be pleased with Vivo's rendition.


Honey Baked Chicken Wings RM15.90

The honey baked chicken wings were well marinated with Vivo's house blend savoury sweetish sauce. Made with chilled chicken, the marinade penetrated right through the chicken fibres. Well done, every part was evenly cooked yet still fairy tender and slightly moist. This baked chicken wings will appeal to people who like deep strong flavours.


Baked Chicken Chop RM16.90

Vivo is proud of their baked chicken chop which has a crisp layer outside with the juicy more tender flesh inside. Deeply marinated with a mainly savoury, slightly sweet sauce.



The grilled chicken chop is served with this buttered rice with a nice savoury flavour and not overly greasy. The good quality grains were fluffy and separate easily.


Tropical BBQ Chicken Chop RM17.90

The chunky tropical BBQ chicken chop is also well marinated with Vivo's own BBQ sauce. Grilled till the savoury sweet outer layer is caramelised with some charred bits. Underneath that wrinkly caramelised skin was the still juicy tender chicken meat. The sweet and robust savoury flavour will appeal to people who like stronger flavours.


Seafood Spaghetti Aglio Olio RM19.80

This seafood spaghetti aglio olio actually wowed me and was my favourite of the evening. The well executed al dente pasta had good mouth feel and was infused with a rich seafood broth of distinct savoury flavour. Lightly stir fried in garlic and olive oil making the pasta fragrant and slick without tacky greasiness. It was lovely. And, it had a generous shower of spicy chili flakes that gave the whole dish an interesting zing. The NZ mussels, fresh shrimps and small cubes of salmon completed the whole dish.

The staff kept wanting to take away this plate of spaghetti to make room for other dishes which Vivo wanted to showcase. I kept holding onto this spaghetti until I ate it up all up completely. I love it.

If you like savoury and spicy seafood spaghetti, this is for you too. I certainly would be happy to eat this again and again.

I enjoyed the tasting at Vivo today and am looking forward to try out the other dishes, especially the pizzas in their menu.  

Restaurant name: Vivo American Pizza & Panini (Bukit Indah outlet)
Address: AEON JUSCO Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru (Vivo has a total of 12 outlets in Johor Bahru, Segamat, Malacca, KL and Singapore)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/1sXlc
GPS: 1.480958,103.6545
Hours: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Certified Halal

Date visited: 25 Nov 2013

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Christmas Turkey in Johor from Niniq

Niniq Christmas Traditional Roast Turkey RM268 (10% early bird discount before 30 Nov 2013)

I can feel Chistmas Day coming :D

Rachael from Niniq invited me to visit their outlet in Taman Setia Tropika (Niniq has another outlet in Taman Pelangi). She wanted us to try Niniq's traditional Christmas turkey.



Niniq's roasted golden brown plump turkey is made with 4.5kg to 5.2kg USA Halal certified birds.



Angela, Niniq's owner, carving the juicy big bird.



I had one of the huge roast turkey drumsticks :D



The surprisingly juicy carved roast turkey breast.



The secret of Niniq's sweet and juicy turkey revealed :P Instead of the traditional bread crumb stuffing which tends to leech out the natural juices from the turkey, making it fibrous and dry, Niniq uses chopped unions, carrots, celery and other juicy vegetables. The juicy vegetables release their natural sweet juices during roasting and blend with the turkey's juices. 



The result is a tender and juicy turkey breast that has that unique turkey flavour brought out by the vegetable juices. I love it :D



Roasted chunky potato wedges.




I love Niniq's cranberry jam which is made from scratch with real cranberries. I can taste the cranberries and feel the fleshy pulp of the berries. Naturally sweet and mildly tangy without the sugariness of factory jams. Goes really well with the turkey.



Aiyoh.... the brown sauce was soo.... good, I was slurping spoonfuls of it neat. Made with drippings from roasting the turkey, it has the body and full flavoured savoury goodness of the bird's natural juices plus the juices from the vegetable stuffing. Savoury, sweet and not overly salty at all. Love it.

Niniq is offering this roast turkey with roast potatoes, garden salad with cranberry and brown sauces at RM268 each.

Niniq also has a "Blissful Package" that includes pasta, salad, soup, log cake and turkey at RM520 per package.

To order, you can call Niniq at +607-333-4800 or +607-237-4800. (10% early bird discount for orders before 30 Nov 2013.)



Restaurant name: Niniq (Setia Tropika)
Address: 52, Jalan Setia Tropika 1/24. Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru (Niniq has another outlet at Taman Pelangi)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YQ7Il
GPS: 1.545787,103.713547
Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date visited: 25 Nov 2013

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What the H*ll Happened to Black Friday?

Holiday shopping isn't what it used to be.  I remember my parents getting a babysitter and heading to Bradlees (do these stores even exist anymore?) for their all night sale on toys and gadgets.

Just a few years ago I was getting up on Friday morning after Thanksgiving at 3am to hit up all the sales at Kohls, Target and Barnes and Noble.  I went to bed early Thursday with a tummy full of turkey and woke up in the dark of night on Friday morning to grab all my "must haves" at great prices.

Sadly, the world has gone mad.  When I was at Best Buy this weekend the cashier informed us they were opening at 5pm on Thanksgiving.  5pm!  I remember being disgusted a few years ago when stores were opening at 10pm.  And then it was 8pm.  And now, 5pm.

I am a HUGE Black Friday shopper.  I love it.  With four kids, I need the good prices.  I also love the idea of waking up and having absolutely every reason to go shopping and have fun. I get coffee, listen to music and spend, spend, spend.

I'm a mom of four, its therapeutic, trust me.

I'm thinking it's about time there is a law passed that no one can open on Thanksgiving.  Growing up in New Jersey there were Blue Laws, no stores opened on Sunday.  All year long.  How is it that not one state has thought to pass a law giving retail workers back their holiday?  Workers and shoppers would breathe a HUGE sigh of relief.  It would be called, "YES, I can be home on Thursday and deal with the madness Friday..."  I'll be the first to inform anyone who doesn't know that if you work retail, you are most definitely required to work Black Friday.

Pick your shift, you have to be there.  And now this means you'll have to work Thanksgiving one day because the world is going mad.

I know there are some people who don't mind the extra pay, and they don't mind working the hours because maybe they don't have a huge holiday planned.

Then they can be the ones opening the registers at 11:59pm on Thursday. 

Give everyone working retail (managers and all) back Thanksgiving, and give Black Friday shoppers the ability to get up ON FRIDAY.  The past few years I've shopped Black Friday at 6am and the stores are empty.  By 8am?  Everyone else has already gone home to sleep.

And truthfully, many of the deals are picked through. 

I'm feeling my time honored tradition of turkey on Thursday and shopping on Friday slipping through the cracks.  Trust me I'm still shopping, but it won't be Thursday afternoon into Friday.  It will be (mostly) on Friday.  I have to admit that this year, I'm going  to one store Thursday night to score a HUGE item my daughter wants for Christmas.

It's awful, and if there wasn't such a great deal on it I would stay the heck home.  I don't have the money to spend on big ticket items (x4), so I do what I can to make Christmas wishes possible.  It angers me I'm being forced from my traditional Black Friday routine into a Thursday night line outside Target.  Which, for the record, I would rather be doing ON FRIDAY.  I think the rest of America feels the same.  Stop offering the best deals on Thanksgiving.

And for everyone with the stance of  "if no one shops on Thanksgiving the stores won't open" I completely agree.  Unfortunately, society won't force that to happen.  If the stores open, and offer phenomenal deals, people will go.  Which forces me out of my jammies into line IF there is something I need at a deal I can afford.  Ugh and ugh.

Save the horrible comments, I know it's awful to shop on Thanksgiving.  I just won't lie to any of my readers because I'm a mom, I'm human and I do what I can for my kids when I can do it.  My munchkins get "big items" twice a year, birthday and Christmas.  It takes the pressure off the rest of the year but the pressure is on right about now.

Maybe one day I will tire of the madness, because there will never be a day I shop all day on Thanksgiving.  The only reason the store is getting me this year is because my turkey will already be digesting.

At least there will always be pajama shopping.

Tis' the season.

Along with Black Friday deals, here are a few more tricks to my Christmas shopping trade....

1.  Start shopping early.  I emphasize early.  This means before Thanksgiving.  You'll be thanking me when you have the expensive purchases set aside by December.  Money seems to fly out of the wallet after Thanksgiving.

Even better?  You have time to shop around and find the best price.  If the price drops you can get a price adjustment or return and re-buy.

2.  Use your smartphone.  Make lists and download shopping apps for your favorite stores.  I downloaded Target Cartwheel two months ago and I've saved over $70.00 already.  Saving 5% on a bag of apples adds up when you buy 20 bags of apples.

3.  To take the edge off big ticket items, trade in older gadgets on sites such as Gazelle.  You won't get a ton of money, but every little bit helps.  And if you have gadgets laying around unused, trade them in for some cash.

4.  Stick to a budget.  Use cash only, or set money aside to pay the credit card.  Avoid impulse buys and gag gifts.  Gag gifts may seem fun, but once the laugh is over the item most likely won't get any use.  This equals money wasted in the long run, and I hate money wasted.

5.  Remember the season is about giving.  Keep things in perspective.  If you are spending on a special high tech gadget, save on other gifts by going the homemade route. 

Happy shopping! 

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Pumpkin Spice Muddy Buddies

I saw a recipe for these over a year ago on Pinterest, and I pinned it, thinking I would make them LAST year.

Well, all of the recipes that I found contained Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses.

So, for one second, allow me to vent about the fact that after Halloween, there is NOTHING fall in the candy aisle. EVERYTHING is Christmas.

It really chaps my chicken that we skip right over Thanksgiving anymore.

Maybe I don't WANT green and red M&M's for Thanksgiving??

Okay...I'll stop.

The guy that manages the grocery section at my Super Target did make me feel a tad bit better when he told me that they haven't been shipped Pumpkin Spice Kisses for a year.

Time to improvise.

I picked out the yellow, brown and orange M&M's from a regular package. 

(I guess because I am just that stubborn!)

I used about 1/4-1/2 cup was all, merely for color, they were so good, I didn't think it needed anything else!!

Pumpkin Spice Muddy Buddies

8 cups of Cinnamon Chex Cereal

6 squares of vanilla flavored Almond bark

4 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups powdered sugar

3-4 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (I used 4)

M&M's (optional)

Pour cereal in a big bowl.

In another bowl combine sugar and spices with a fork.

Melt almond bark in oil, in 30 second intervals, in your microwave. Stirring until smooth.

Pour over cereal and stir (gently) but well until completely covered.

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Hainanese Chicken Rice in Johor at Heng Heng 兴兴, Kulai

Our early morning food hunt took us to this corner chicken rice shop in the rustic back streets of Kulai (off Jalan Besar, the main street).



These fried chicken hanging enticingly in the window caught my attention as I passed. On checking with the boss, my suspicion that these chicken were charcoal roasted before they were deep fried were confirmed. Yipee! I love roast-then-fry chicken because of their superior flavour and texture, so we decided to stop and check this out.



Inside Heng Heng, it is bright, airy and clean. The bare bones décor and laid back atmosphere inside made me feel like I am back in the good old 1970s. The friendly staff was attentive and service was very efficient.



This old style hand carved wooden plaque hanging high and prominently in the shop stated that Heng Heng Hainanese chicken rice was founded in 1977. 



Heng Heng has 4 outlets scattered across Kulai town and the second generation boss, Ah Kang 亚康 is here helming the founder's shop. Ah Kang's family is related to the family that runs Tian Tian chicken rice in Singapore.



The roast-then-fry chicken was juicy, sweet and tender inside. The fried skin outside was so tasty, I just ate it together with the meat, throwing cholesterol wariness to the wind :D



The fragrant rice is tender yet firm, and the grains separate easily. The grains are coated with chicken broth, yet they are not greasy.



Drizzle a dribble of dark soy sauce - an old habit of mine when I was addicted to strong flavouring - a habit I need to kick.



Heng Heng's freshly ground ginger sauce is a winner. Only mildly spicy, creamy and full bodied, it's so good, I ate a few spoonfuls on its own. 

Heng Heng's founder (Ah Kang's dad) said we must come back to try their siew yok (roast belly pork) and char siew (roast pork) as Heng Heng's claim to fame includes their Hong Kong roasts. I shall definitely be back.



Restaurant: Heng Heng 兴兴 Hainanese Chicken Rice
Address: Junction of Jalan Ibrahim and Jalan Ismail, Kulai, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/HYhlp
GPS: 1.660393,103.603354
Hours: 6:30am to 3:30pm (closed on alternate Thursdays)
Non Halal

Date visited: 22 Nov 2013

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