Johor Steamboat - Sedapnya Steamboat 好食火涡 in Taman Impian Emas, Skudai, Johor

Ck Pang, the boss of Sedapnya Steamboat  好食火涡 in Taman Impian Emas invited me to visit his restaurant.

I've known Ck as a fellow foodie who is active in Johor foodie social media circles. Ck and his wife, Joyce, are in the clothing retail business and they like to combine their food hunt with their overseas business trips.

Last year, Ck started to help his father-in-law run Sedapnya Steamboat  好食火涡.

Sedapnya is the type of place I will pick when I am with family and bosom buddies - the kind of people with whom we are comfortable, as we are. Sedapnya offers just darned good food minus all the pretences or the need to impress with plush wallpaper, candlelight or chandeliers.

This is the type of steamboat place I used to take my hungry kids to after swimming lessons.

Inside, the decor is basic. The plywood top round tables laid with thin pink disposable plastic sheets. After the meal, the workers just fold and bungle up the plastic sheet with the leftovers inside. No need to wipe :)



Ck gave us the herbal soup and Sichuan spicy 麻辣 soup. Sedapnya's soups are like the premium soups of Hong Kong steamboat restaurants - MSG-free and made with loads of stock bones. Only difference is, at Sedapnya, prices are much more pocket friendly. The herbal soup and Sichuan soup costs just RM3 each with free top-ups.

Sedapnya's herbal bone soup is one of the best that I've tasted at a steamboat restaurant. The herbal flavours were clearly present yet it does not taste "medicinal" - it was just nice!



Sedapnya's Sichuan spicy 麻辣 soup is made with chili which Ck specially imported from Sichuan. Ck chose the hottest grade for the extra kick. But, the soup is served just mild and we can add as much extra special Sichuan chili as our taste buds can handle.

On our way home, my friend Mandy mentioned that she wanted to stop me many times as I was drinking the spicy soup, scoop after scoop, top up after top up. She was worried that it would burn my throat and also my stomach lining. Now that she mentioned it, it did get me a little worried. But, in the end, I had no after-effects at all :) I also had no "MSG thirst" - so, well done Sedapnya :)



We had this RM49.80 serving for 2-3 people. This set normally comes with a flower crab but it was not available today.



Sedapnya is a small operation and so Ck has focused most of his energies on getting the best supplies. Ck has suppliers for his fish, prawns and handmade fish balls based in the nearby fishing town of Pontian. So, Sedapnya's supplies are literary from sea to hot pot within a day.



Chunky slice of Barramundi (wild Sea Bass). Totally different (much tastier) than the farmed version. It has none of the muddy taste of farm raised Sea Bass (Siakap).




Sedapnya serves fresh wild sea prawns sourced from nearby Pontian.




Pacific Pink Scallop 半壳带子.



More scallops.



Sliced belly pork.




Fresh Aussie beef slices.



Premium New Zealand lamb.



Swipe the tissue thin slice of lamb 7 times in the boiling broth, and Voila! Perfectly done lamb. Lovely, creamy, delicate aroma of lamb - my favourite meat.



Stir fried belly pork slices. Now I know Ck is an accomplished chef!



Look at that charred fringe and bits. This is so good! Sweet and savoury. Tender and smokey. Ck got it spot on. Must Try!




Grilled Black Pepper Smoked Duck Breast 烟熏黑胡椒鸭肉.



The spongy fish paste noodles.




Cheese filled fish ball - a very interesting idea. Unfortunately, I overcooked mine and the cheese melted into the soup :P Shall try again at the next visit :)



See how fresh and clean this tomato is?



Good quality fried tofu skin.



Our foodie friends Chee Siong, Li Mean, Jason, Po Po, Mandy and others joined us. Po Po asked for this crispy fried squid head, which is one of her favourites. Nice crunchy, crispy, gummy mouth feel with savoury flavours.



Sedapnya has nice old school touches like this freshly fried shallots. One of my favourite toppings to add flavour to soups and soupy noodles.

I will definitely be back at Sedapnya - I love this place. Top quality food at very reasonable prices in a clean, free and easy environment. Perfect for T-shirt, casual, laid back makan gatherings where we can knock down beers straight from the bottle or can (without glass). Priceless fun.

Cheers!

Restaurant name: Sedapnya Steamboat 好食火涡
Address: 21, Jalan Impian Emas 5/6, Taman Impian Emas, Skudai, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/kIMSz
GPS: 1.542081,103.687309
Hours: 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Non Halal

Date visited: 13 Sep 2013

Ck Pang, the boss of Sedapnya Steamboat  好食火涡 in Taman Impian Emas invited me to visit his restaurant.

I've known Ck as a fellow foodie who is active in Johor foodie social media circles. Ck and his wife, Joyce, are in the clothing retail business and they like to combine their food hunt with their overseas business trips.

Last year, Ck started to help his father-in-law run Sedapnya Steamboat  好食火涡.

Sedapnya is the type of place I will pick when I am with family and bosom buddies - the kind of people with whom we are comfortable, as we are. Sedapnya offers just darned good food minus all the pretences or the need to impress with plush wallpaper, candlelight or chandeliers.

This is the type of steamboat place I used to take my hungry kids to after swimming lessons.

Inside, the decor is basic. The plywood top round tables laid with thin pink disposable plastic sheets. After the meal, the workers just fold and bungle up the plastic sheet with the leftovers inside. No need to wipe :)



Ck gave us the herbal soup and Sichuan spicy 麻辣 soup. Sedapnya's soups are like the premium soups of Hong Kong steamboat restaurants - MSG-free and made with loads of stock bones. Only difference is, at Sedapnya, prices are much more pocket friendly. The herbal soup and Sichuan soup costs just RM3 each with free top-ups.

Sedapnya's herbal bone soup is one of the best that I've tasted at a steamboat restaurant. The herbal flavours were clearly present yet it does not taste "medicinal" - it was just nice!



Sedapnya's Sichuan spicy 麻辣 soup is made with chili which Ck specially imported from Sichuan. Ck chose the hottest grade for the extra kick. But, the soup is served just mild and we can add as much extra special Sichuan chili as our taste buds can handle.

On our way home, my friend Mandy mentioned that she wanted to stop me many times as I was drinking the spicy soup, scoop after scoop, top up after top up. She was worried that it would burn my throat and also my stomach lining. Now that she mentioned it, it did get me a little worried. But, in the end, I had no after-effects at all :) I also had no "MSG thirst" - so, well done Sedapnya :)



We had this RM49.80 serving for 2-3 people. This set normally comes with a flower crab but it was not available today.



Sedapnya is a small operation and so Ck has focused most of his energies on getting the best supplies. Ck has suppliers for his fish, prawns and handmade fish balls based in the nearby fishing town of Pontian. So, Sedapnya's supplies are literary from sea to hot pot within a day.



Chunky slice of Barramundi (wild Sea Bass). Totally different (much tastier) than the farmed version. It has none of the muddy taste of farm raised Sea Bass (Siakap).




Sedapnya serves fresh wild sea prawns sourced from nearby Pontian.




Pacific Pink Scallop 半壳带子.



More scallops.



Sliced belly pork.




Fresh Aussie beef slices.



Premium New Zealand lamb.



Swipe the tissue thin slice of lamb 7 times in the boiling broth, and Voila! Perfectly done lamb. Lovely, creamy, delicate aroma of lamb - my favourite meat.



Stir fried belly pork slices. Now I know Ck is an accomplished chef!



Look at that charred fringe and bits. This is so good! Sweet and savoury. Tender and smokey. Ck got it spot on. Must Try!




Grilled Black Pepper Smoked Duck Breast 烟熏黑胡椒鸭肉.



The spongy fish paste noodles.




Cheese filled fish ball - a very interesting idea. Unfortunately, I overcooked mine and the cheese melted into the soup :P Shall try again at the next visit :)



See how fresh and clean this tomato is?



Good quality fried tofu skin.



Our foodie friends Chee Siong, Li Mean, Jason, Po Po, Mandy and others joined us. Po Po asked for this crispy fried squid head, which is one of her favourites. Nice crunchy, crispy, gummy mouth feel with savoury flavours.



Sedapnya has nice old school touches like this freshly fried shallots. One of my favourite toppings to add flavour to soups and soupy noodles.

I will definitely be back at Sedapnya - I love this place. Top quality food at very reasonable prices in a clean, free and easy environment. Perfect for T-shirt, casual, laid back makan gatherings where we can knock down beers straight from the bottle or can (without glass). Priceless fun.

Cheers!

Restaurant name: Sedapnya Steamboat 好食火涡
Address: 21, Jalan Impian Emas 5/6, Taman Impian Emas, Skudai, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/kIMSz
GPS: 1.542081,103.687309
Hours: 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Non Halal

Date visited: 13 Sep 2013

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Penang Char Kway Teow and Chai Tow Kway at 7 Baker Cafe in Taman Impian Emas, Johor Bahru

I have been on the constant look out for good Penang Char Kway Teow and Chai Tow Kway because there ain't many in Johor Bahru. I am so glad that my friends Edey and Marco brought me to their regular lunch hangout, 7 Baker Cafe in Taman Impian Emas, to try out their fried carrot cake or chai tow kway.



I was delighted with the mouth feel and taste of 7 Baker cafe's chai tow kway. The kway (carrot cake) was tender and each bite releases the subtle flavour of radish in the cake. At 7 Baker, the chai tow kway is fried with crunchy taugeh or bean sprouts and a savoury sauce. I have tried several other chai tow kway stalls across Johor but most were let down by the poor quality of the kway used - they were mostly stiff and tasteless as very little radish was used. 7 Baker's chai tow kway is definitely worth trying.



I chatted with Mr. Ng, the owner and asked him why is his shop named "7 Baker". Mr Ng shared that it is because "7" is his lucky number. Mr. Ng also told me that his family is originally from Penang, hence, there is a selection of traditional Penang dishes in 7 Baker's menu. As we were leaving, Mr. Ng invited us to come back soon to try his Penang char kway teow. "Our Penang char kway teow is very good" he said with visible pride.

I was so impressed with 7 Baker Cafe's chai tow kway that I returned to the cafe 2 days later, eager to try out their char kway teow.



7 Baker cafe's Penang char kway teow was indeed excellent, just as Mr. Ng had said. The kway teow was tender, not overly oily and coated with a savoury, subtly prawny sauce. The plump beansprouts were done just right and were juicy and crunchy. I am glad that I found another good fried kway teow in JB that I would recommend.



Mr. Ng said that good char kway teow has to be fried plate by plate, one at a time - there can be no short cuts. I agree with Mr. Ng wholeheartedly. As 7 Baker Cafe is run by just Mr. and Mrs. Ng, and as Mrs. Ng fries the char kway teow one plate at a time, waiting time may be a little longer during peak hours. 



We also tried 7 Baker's fried prawn mee. This dish is a unique 7 Baker Cafe creation - it is actually the usual Penang prawn mee soup but fried with the same prawny broth. Personally, I found it good though I was not bowled over. Edey enjoyed it a lot more than me because he likes the flavour of the prawny gravy :))



I must mention 7 Baker cafe's sambal chili. Made at the shop with shrimps, dried shrimps and chili, the sambal is used in all their Penang dishes. 7 Baker's sambal has just the right spiciness and a rich umami flavour from the shrimps. 7 Baker's sambal chili makes every dish better.

All these dishes, the Penang char kway teow, chai tow kway and fried prawn mee, all costs RM6 each.  

If you are a char kway teow or chai tow kway fan, I suggest giving 7 Baker a try :) 7 Baker also serves coffee and a wide range of breads and cakes which I would like to try at my next visit.



Restaurant name: 7 Baker Cafeteria
Address: 45, Jalan Impian Emas 5/1, Taman Impian Emas, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/NJ1S2
GPS: 1.542545,103.687114
Hours: 10:00am to 9:00pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date  visited: 10 May 2013, 13 May 2013

I have been on the constant look out for good Penang Char Kway Teow and Chai Tow Kway because there ain't many in Johor Bahru. I am so glad that my friends Edey and Marco brought me to their regular lunch hangout, 7 Baker Cafe in Taman Impian Emas, to try out their fried carrot cake or chai tow kway.



I was delighted with the mouth feel and taste of 7 Baker cafe's chai tow kway. The kway (carrot cake) was tender and each bite releases the subtle flavour of radish in the cake. At 7 Baker, the chai tow kway is fried with crunchy taugeh or bean sprouts and a savoury sauce. I have tried several other chai tow kway stalls across Johor but most were let down by the poor quality of the kway used - they were mostly stiff and tasteless as very little radish was used. 7 Baker's chai tow kway is definitely worth trying.



I chatted with Mr. Ng, the owner and asked him why is his shop named "7 Baker". Mr Ng shared that it is because "7" is his lucky number. Mr. Ng also told me that his family is originally from Penang, hence, there is a selection of traditional Penang dishes in 7 Baker's menu. As we were leaving, Mr. Ng invited us to come back soon to try his Penang char kway teow. "Our Penang char kway teow is very good" he said with visible pride.

I was so impressed with 7 Baker Cafe's chai tow kway that I returned to the cafe 2 days later, eager to try out their char kway teow.



7 Baker cafe's Penang char kway teow was indeed excellent, just as Mr. Ng had said. The kway teow was tender, not overly oily and coated with a savoury, subtly prawny sauce. The plump beansprouts were done just right and were juicy and crunchy. I am glad that I found another good fried kway teow in JB that I would recommend.



Mr. Ng said that good char kway teow has to be fried plate by plate, one at a time - there can be no short cuts. I agree with Mr. Ng wholeheartedly. As 7 Baker Cafe is run by just Mr. and Mrs. Ng, and as Mrs. Ng fries the char kway teow one plate at a time, waiting time may be a little longer during peak hours. 



We also tried 7 Baker's fried prawn mee. This dish is a unique 7 Baker Cafe creation - it is actually the usual Penang prawn mee soup but fried with the same prawny broth. Personally, I found it good though I was not bowled over. Edey enjoyed it a lot more than me because he likes the flavour of the prawny gravy :))



I must mention 7 Baker cafe's sambal chili. Made at the shop with shrimps, dried shrimps and chili, the sambal is used in all their Penang dishes. 7 Baker's sambal has just the right spiciness and a rich umami flavour from the shrimps. 7 Baker's sambal chili makes every dish better.

All these dishes, the Penang char kway teow, chai tow kway and fried prawn mee, all costs RM6 each.  

If you are a char kway teow or chai tow kway fan, I suggest giving 7 Baker a try :) 7 Baker also serves coffee and a wide range of breads and cakes which I would like to try at my next visit.



Restaurant name: 7 Baker Cafeteria
Address: 45, Jalan Impian Emas 5/1, Taman Impian Emas, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/NJ1S2
GPS: 1.542545,103.687114
Hours: 10:00am to 9:00pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

Date  visited: 10 May 2013, 13 May 2013

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LJ Noodle House Kway Teow Thng (Soup) 老江粿条 in Taman Impian Emas, Skudai. Johor, Malaysia

Teochew kway teow thng or soup is everywhere in Johor Bahru, so it is very difficult to stand out in this crowded field. LJ Noodle House has done so well that it has three outlets, in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Taman Pelangi and the mother shop in Taman Impian Emas.

 

We stumbled upon LJ Noodle House while driving around and searching for a good brunch in Taman Impian Emas. We were attracted by the large crowd in LJ Noodle House and decided to check out what the buzz was about on a Monday mid morning.

At first sight, LJ Noodle House was like any other popular Teochew kway teow thng shop. Same arrangements, same clientele profile and the same menu.

At the kitchen out in front, an Indonesian lady was doing the cooking whereas in other top kway teow thng shops, it was invariably the boss personally handling this critical station. The boss Lau Ciang was at the shop, making sure that everything was running smoothly and well.

 

 

 

We made our orders anyway, each of us in a party of four ordering a different combination of soup and noodles.

 

 

The ingredients looked ordinary, little different from what we would find in similar famous kway teow thng shops. Fresh prawns, canned abalone, fish balls, fish cake, slices of pork, fish and bits of pork innards. 

 

But, the first sip of that cloudy soup woke up our sleeping taste buds from the Monday doldrums! Wow, it's a delightful difference.

Whereas in other famous kway teow thng soups, where the fresh fish is usually the dominant flavour, here in LJ Noodle House, it was a good balance of fresh fish and pork flavours.

The tasty soup had good body, smooth yet not oily and addictively lovely.

How good?

 

Well, it was good to the very last drop.

After we were done with the impressive kway teow soup, I observed the Indonesian kak kak at work to spot the difference that made the difference at LJ Noodle House.

 

Kak kak was really efficient and skillful, and had command of the kitchen in a calm and cheerful style despite the capacity crowd. Amazing grace.

 

Then I realised that, here in LJ Noodle House, kak kak cooked each bowl of soup separately. It's not the usual way like in other stalls where the fresh ingredients were merely blanched in soup.

 

 

 

In LJ Noodle House, kak kak actually made the soup, one by one. It's amazing that despite this, none of the customers in the full house shop had to wait very long for their delicious kway teow soup.

The meal for 4 of us with drinks came to RM37.

I asked my kakis whether they would recommend LC Noodle House to their friends, and they all gave a strong affirmative.

LJ Noodle House is definitely a Must Try.

 

Restaurant name: LJ Noodle House 老江粿条
Address: 31, Jalan Impian Emas 2, Taman Impian Emas, Skudai, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/chb6c
GPS: 1.542625,103.683267
Hours: 7:00am to 5:30pm (Closed on Tuesday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 12 Nov 2012

Teochew kway teow thng or soup is everywhere in Johor Bahru, so it is very difficult to stand out in this crowded field. LJ Noodle House has done so well that it has three outlets, in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Taman Pelangi and the mother shop in Taman Impian Emas.

 

We stumbled upon LJ Noodle House while driving around and searching for a good brunch in Taman Impian Emas. We were attracted by the large crowd in LJ Noodle House and decided to check out what the buzz was about on a Monday mid morning.

At first sight, LJ Noodle House was like any other popular Teochew kway teow thng shop. Same arrangements, same clientele profile and the same menu.

At the kitchen out in front, an Indonesian lady was doing the cooking whereas in other top kway teow thng shops, it was invariably the boss personally handling this critical station. The boss Lau Ciang was at the shop, making sure that everything was running smoothly and well.

 

 

 

We made our orders anyway, each of us in a party of four ordering a different combination of soup and noodles.

 

 

The ingredients looked ordinary, little different from what we would find in similar famous kway teow thng shops. Fresh prawns, canned abalone, fish balls, fish cake, slices of pork, fish and bits of pork innards. 

 

But, the first sip of that cloudy soup woke up our sleeping taste buds from the Monday doldrums! Wow, it's a delightful difference.

Whereas in other famous kway teow thng soups, where the fresh fish is usually the dominant flavour, here in LJ Noodle House, it was a good balance of fresh fish and pork flavours.

The tasty soup had good body, smooth yet not oily and addictively lovely.

How good?

 

Well, it was good to the very last drop.

After we were done with the impressive kway teow soup, I observed the Indonesian kak kak at work to spot the difference that made the difference at LJ Noodle House.

 

Kak kak was really efficient and skillful, and had command of the kitchen in a calm and cheerful style despite the capacity crowd. Amazing grace.

 

Then I realised that, here in LJ Noodle House, kak kak cooked each bowl of soup separately. It's not the usual way like in other stalls where the fresh ingredients were merely blanched in soup.

 

 

 

In LJ Noodle House, kak kak actually made the soup, one by one. It's amazing that despite this, none of the customers in the full house shop had to wait very long for their delicious kway teow soup.

The meal for 4 of us with drinks came to RM37.

I asked my kakis whether they would recommend LC Noodle House to their friends, and they all gave a strong affirmative.

LJ Noodle House is definitely a Must Try.

 

Restaurant name: LJ Noodle House 老江粿条
Address: 31, Jalan Impian Emas 2, Taman Impian Emas, Skudai, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/chb6c
GPS: 1.542625,103.683267
Hours: 7:00am to 5:30pm (Closed on Tuesday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 12 Nov 2012

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