Charcoal Burgers at Johor Bahru City Square Mall Pizza Box

Charcoal burgers fascinate me and so when I realised that my friend Alan's new restaurant, Pizza Box in Johor Bahru City Square serves charcoal burgers, I quickly make a trip there. Alan invited me to try both his pizzas and charcoal burgers.

I tried both Pizza Box's pizzas and charcoal burgers but this post is dedicated to the charcoal burgers. (Another post will be on the pizzas :) )

After trying Pizza Box's charcoal burgers which sells for RM9.90 to RM19.90 nett, I am finding it much harder for me to go back to those giant franchise burger chains :P

Take a look with me at how each one of Pizza Box's "gourmet" burger is individually made, to see why they are different. 



The process starts with grilling the patty and charcoal buns on the griddle. See how thick that minced pork patty is? There are other flavours like chicken, egg and tuna, beef, bacon and salmon.



The chunky pork patty is grilled till it is slightly charred outside. Slices of Cheddar cheese are then laid on top of the sizzling pork patty.



Slices of fresh unions on the griddle. I love those caramelised, charred rings :)



The Cheddar cheese melts on the griddle, flows down and envelopes the sizzling, chunky patty.



Look at that molten cheese lava smothering the pork patty.



The ingredients at Pizza Box are of good quality, like these fresh tomatoes.



A slice of fresh juicy tomato goes on top of the cheese blanketed pork patty.



Raining ketchup from a squeeze bottle onto the burger.



The tower drenched in ketchup.



Spooning in generous dollops of Mozzarella cheese sauce.



Capping the patty, cheese and vege tower with a charcoal sesame bun.



Adding a heap of freshly fried potato fries.



Squeeze in a dash of ketchup.



Voila!! The completed 6-inch Volcano Cheesy Pork Burger at RM19.90 nett. I thought this is really value for money.



Juicy blend of savoury, sweet, tangy flavours in a bouncy slightly sweet charcoal sesame bun. Interesting mix of textures of tender minced meat, crunchy lettuce and onion, pulpy tomato and soft pillow-like bun. Nice!



There was no charcoal taste at all. Actually, the soft and bouncy charcoal bun was so goood, I can just happily eat it on it's own.



Pizza Box's charcoal burgers are definitely worth a try :)

Restaurant name: Pizza Box
Address: City Square Mall (Level 3, Inner City), Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Ex0Mz
GPS: 1.461570,103.763519
Hours: 10:00am to 10:00pm (last order 9:30pm)
Non Halal

Date visited: 4 Sep 2013

Charcoal burgers fascinate me and so when I realised that my friend Alan's new restaurant, Pizza Box in Johor Bahru City Square serves charcoal burgers, I quickly make a trip there. Alan invited me to try both his pizzas and charcoal burgers.

I tried both Pizza Box's pizzas and charcoal burgers but this post is dedicated to the charcoal burgers. (Another post will be on the pizzas :) )

After trying Pizza Box's charcoal burgers which sells for RM9.90 to RM19.90 nett, I am finding it much harder for me to go back to those giant franchise burger chains :P

Take a look with me at how each one of Pizza Box's "gourmet" burger is individually made, to see why they are different. 



The process starts with grilling the patty and charcoal buns on the griddle. See how thick that minced pork patty is? There are other flavours like chicken, egg and tuna, beef, bacon and salmon.



The chunky pork patty is grilled till it is slightly charred outside. Slices of Cheddar cheese are then laid on top of the sizzling pork patty.



Slices of fresh unions on the griddle. I love those caramelised, charred rings :)



The Cheddar cheese melts on the griddle, flows down and envelopes the sizzling, chunky patty.



Look at that molten cheese lava smothering the pork patty.



The ingredients at Pizza Box are of good quality, like these fresh tomatoes.



A slice of fresh juicy tomato goes on top of the cheese blanketed pork patty.



Raining ketchup from a squeeze bottle onto the burger.



The tower drenched in ketchup.



Spooning in generous dollops of Mozzarella cheese sauce.



Capping the patty, cheese and vege tower with a charcoal sesame bun.



Adding a heap of freshly fried potato fries.



Squeeze in a dash of ketchup.



Voila!! The completed 6-inch Volcano Cheesy Pork Burger at RM19.90 nett. I thought this is really value for money.



Juicy blend of savoury, sweet, tangy flavours in a bouncy slightly sweet charcoal sesame bun. Interesting mix of textures of tender minced meat, crunchy lettuce and onion, pulpy tomato and soft pillow-like bun. Nice!



There was no charcoal taste at all. Actually, the soft and bouncy charcoal bun was so goood, I can just happily eat it on it's own.



Pizza Box's charcoal burgers are definitely worth a try :)

Restaurant name: Pizza Box
Address: City Square Mall (Level 3, Inner City), Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Ex0Mz
GPS: 1.461570,103.763519
Hours: 10:00am to 10:00pm (last order 9:30pm)
Non Halal

Date visited: 4 Sep 2013

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Passionfood Café and Bakery in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

Chi Ling 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 like 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

Chi Ling 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 like 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

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Closed - Western Food at Jitterbug Café in Plentong, Masai near Tesco Extra in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

 

 

I received an email from Sharifah Mun, the owner of Jitterbug Café to visit her newly opened restaurant in Plentong, Johor Bahru. Checking out Jitterbug's Facebook page, I was excited to visit the hip looking restaurant and try the dishes in their interesting menu.

Jitterbug is run by Sharifah supported by her staff and Chef Chin.

Sharifah let me try a few of Jitterbug's popular dishes.



Sharifah started us off with Jitterbug's mushroom soup. Well, mushroom soups made with fresh mushroom are fairly common in good mid price restaurants but at Jitterbug, the soup had a certain body and taste that set it apart. Chef Chin added barley in the mushroom soup which gave it a refreshing, sweet twist that blended well with the fresh mushrooms. We liked it.

Sharifah was eager to let us try Jitterbug's Ugly Duckling (RM22). Jitterbug's Ugly Duckling was anything but ugly. Between the nice buns were slices of tender juicy savoury lean smoked duck. The orange juice in the sauce and the slice of fresh green apple made this burger a stand out for me. This is my favourite dish of the day :)



Pardon me as I indulge in another picture of Jitterbug's delectable, beautiful Ugly Duckling. A Must Try, definitely.

Meet Johnny Bravo, Jitterbug's version of Beef Sliders (RM25.90). The beef burger made with a thick chunky piece of fresh beef patty. Pleasant beefy flavour and not overly salty which is a common fault of average beef burgers. Jitterbug's Johnny Bravo was likable and similar to beef burgers of better mid price restaurants. Johnny Bravo is a good choice for people who like meaty beef.



I love Jitterbug's chicken chop (RM27). The chicken was crispy outside. Inside it was tender and juicy. The chicken chop was drenched with a gravy that was savoury and had a refreshing, subtly tangy twist. The pieces of chicken were drippy and redolent with generous amount of subtly perky gravy. My friends know my preference for drippy gravy. I recommend this chicken chop, if you are looking for a satisfying, tasty meal.



We had Truffle Fries (RM16) to go along with our meal. It's regular French fries drizzled with truffle oil to give it that subtle earthly aroma associated with truffles. Trendy and a minor craze in Singapore now. Personally, I am not a big fan of fries and truffles didn't change that for me :P 

After our meal, Jitterbug had a good stock of fresh fruits for freshly squeezed and blended fruit juices to wash it all down.

Jitterbug Café is a cool, well appointed place to chill with friends and family over soothing retro music and delicious food.



The walls at Jitterbug are adorned with cool pictures and art work. This picture I thought captures the spirit of Jitterbug well - hip, bold, innovative, energised yet relaxed, and welcoming. Sharifah welcome artists to showcase their work in Jitterbug by calling her at 019-906-3609.

Getting to Jitterbug Café from downtown JB or CIQ is a breeze with the EDL (Eastern Dispersal Link). Just 15 minutes driving, toll free! :)

Restaurant name: Jitterbug Café
Address: #G-33, Jalan Masai Jaya 1, Plentong, Masai, Johor Bahru (Next to Tesco Extra Plentong)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/0Jihw
GPS: 1.522122, 103.813650
Hours: 11:30am to 10:00pm (Closed on Monday)
Not certified Halal, no pork, no lard served

Date visited: 29 Nov 2012

 

 

I received an email from Sharifah Mun, the owner of Jitterbug Café to visit her newly opened restaurant in Plentong, Johor Bahru. Checking out Jitterbug's Facebook page, I was excited to visit the hip looking restaurant and try the dishes in their interesting menu.

Jitterbug is run by Sharifah supported by her staff and Chef Chin.

Sharifah let me try a few of Jitterbug's popular dishes.



Sharifah started us off with Jitterbug's mushroom soup. Well, mushroom soups made with fresh mushroom are fairly common in good mid price restaurants but at Jitterbug, the soup had a certain body and taste that set it apart. Chef Chin added barley in the mushroom soup which gave it a refreshing, sweet twist that blended well with the fresh mushrooms. We liked it.

Sharifah was eager to let us try Jitterbug's Ugly Duckling (RM22). Jitterbug's Ugly Duckling was anything but ugly. Between the nice buns were slices of tender juicy savoury lean smoked duck. The orange juice in the sauce and the slice of fresh green apple made this burger a stand out for me. This is my favourite dish of the day :)



Pardon me as I indulge in another picture of Jitterbug's delectable, beautiful Ugly Duckling. A Must Try, definitely.

Meet Johnny Bravo, Jitterbug's version of Beef Sliders (RM25.90). The beef burger made with a thick chunky piece of fresh beef patty. Pleasant beefy flavour and not overly salty which is a common fault of average beef burgers. Jitterbug's Johnny Bravo was likable and similar to beef burgers of better mid price restaurants. Johnny Bravo is a good choice for people who like meaty beef.



I love Jitterbug's chicken chop (RM27). The chicken was crispy outside. Inside it was tender and juicy. The chicken chop was drenched with a gravy that was savoury and had a refreshing, subtly tangy twist. The pieces of chicken were drippy and redolent with generous amount of subtly perky gravy. My friends know my preference for drippy gravy. I recommend this chicken chop, if you are looking for a satisfying, tasty meal.



We had Truffle Fries (RM16) to go along with our meal. It's regular French fries drizzled with truffle oil to give it that subtle earthly aroma associated with truffles. Trendy and a minor craze in Singapore now. Personally, I am not a big fan of fries and truffles didn't change that for me :P 

After our meal, Jitterbug had a good stock of fresh fruits for freshly squeezed and blended fruit juices to wash it all down.

Jitterbug Café is a cool, well appointed place to chill with friends and family over soothing retro music and delicious food.



The walls at Jitterbug are adorned with cool pictures and art work. This picture I thought captures the spirit of Jitterbug well - hip, bold, innovative, energised yet relaxed, and welcoming. Sharifah welcome artists to showcase their work in Jitterbug by calling her at 019-906-3609.

Getting to Jitterbug Café from downtown JB or CIQ is a breeze with the EDL (Eastern Dispersal Link). Just 15 minutes driving, toll free! :)

Restaurant name: Jitterbug Café
Address: #G-33, Jalan Masai Jaya 1, Plentong, Masai, Johor Bahru (Next to Tesco Extra Plentong)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/0Jihw
GPS: 1.522122, 103.813650
Hours: 11:30am to 10:00pm (Closed on Monday)
Not certified Halal, no pork, no lard served

Date visited: 29 Nov 2012

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Western Food at Food République in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

I had been wanting to pay a visit to Food République in Taman Pelangi because I heard a lot of good comments about its steaks, ribs, gourmet burgers and pasta. Co-incidentally, my blogger friends Kim Tan and Thomas asked me to join them at Food République at the gracious invitation of Benjamin, the boss and owner.

 

The first thing that struck me as I entered Food République was the simple, straight forward, unpretentious decor, which I liked. It was very cosy, informal and inviting - made me comfortable instantly.

 

The boss Benjamin (or Ben for short) who had been in the F and B line for over ten years working in big name Western food restaurants, launched Food République nearly three years ago. Ben is very passionate and particular about the food Food République serves, and so does the cooking himself, assisted by two kitchen helpers.

Ben graciously allowed me into his kitchen to photograph him in action. Ben is clearly passionate about his culinary art and was very meticulous in food preparation. The way Ben lovingly handled the food, I even got the feeling that Ben actually loves the pieces of food ingredients that he was preparing. I always love to watch passionate artists like Ben in action.

And, all these love gets reflected in the tastes and flavours in the food. Some foodies told me that without seeing the chef, they can tell his/ her personality and mood, just by tasting the food. I totally agree with this observation because I saw that today at Food République :)

All soups RM9.90

We started with creamy soups that were made from fresh ingredients. We had Chicken Clam Chowder and Real Mushroom Soups.


Ben then let us try two of his Italian appetisers - Bruschetta and fried Polenta. The traditional Italian Bruschetta appetiser (RM6.90) with toppings of chopped tomatoes, olives and herbs on crispy garlic toasts went very well with the creamy soups. 

This was my first time trying fried Polenta (RM8.90). It was like nuggets made with ground corn (maize). The outer crust was crunchy while the inside was soft and creamy corn. The main flavour was salty and the Polenta was dipped in Food République's own blended chili sauce for an added tangy, spicy taste. 

Who can resist this?!

First up was the Chargrilled Caramalized Burger (RM20.90). For a start, this burger does not even looked ordinary. This gourmet burger looked more like a piece of art meticulously made by Ben as compared to those mass produced assembly line buns and patties at those giant franchises.

 

Each patty individually seasoned according to customer's preferences

Ben talked lovingly to the patty a few times. Jokes aside, that's how closely Ben looked at the food.

 

Then Ben set the patty on fire

 

Melts and caramelises the cheese with a blow torch

I was cutting up the burger with fork and knife, and daintily eating the burger in separate little bits of patty, bun, lettuce, tomato and so on. Ben couldn't hold back any longer, watching his work of art desecrated in this way. Ben interrupted and said that the best (correct) way to eat a gourmet burger is to hold it up in both hands and bite a big mouthful containing the bun, juicy patty, lettuce, tomatoes and the other fillings. And, chew these all together. Only in this way can one truly savour the blend of tastes, flavours, and textures of the gourmet burger. I did as Ben said, and true enough, this was definitely one of the best burgers that I have ever tasted :)

  

Next up was the Salmon Ala' Carbonara Pasta. The pasta was thick with creamy cheese blended with the pleasant flavour of fresh salmon, sliced tomatoes and herbs. Personally, I am more a fan of very light pastas flavoured mostly with olives and olive oil. My companions, however, couldn't stop raving about this pasta. Thomas was still talking about how much he loved this pasta when we met again the following day.

The Pan Fried Milk Fish (RM23.90) was thick, tender, juicy and smooth with robust butter fragrance and taste. Kim was going "hmm..., hmm..., hmm..., good..., good..., good..." I didn't think I needed to ask her how she found this dish.

 

I don't really have a sweet tooth but Food République's Double Choc Fudge Brownie was simply awesome :)

The Fudge Brownie was dark, rich, warm, tender, soft, moist, smooth and not overly sweet. Softly chewing the warm juicy brownie with a scoop of cold sweet ice cream was a special pleasure, not to be missed. 

As usual, if I like a restaurant, I'll be planning my next trip by peeking at the other customers' orders. If you ever see someone hopping over to a stranger's table and asking for permission to photograph their food, chances are, that's Johor Kaki.

I am coming back to Food République for these.

 

 

 

Ben told me that he also cooks off menu Western food for customers. So if you have a craving for a particular authentic Western food, give Food République a call (+607 331 1718) and speak with Ben about it.

 

 

See also this lovely post on Food République by Allison of Fondue of Life blog.

 

 

This Mandarin post on Food République by my friend Kim of Test and Share blog.

 

Restaurant name: Food République
Address: 72, Jalan Kuning, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/TjWJ7
GPS: 1.484350,103.775015
Hours: 12:00 noon to 10:00pm
No pork, no lard

Date visited: 19 Oct 2012

I had been wanting to pay a visit to Food République in Taman Pelangi because I heard a lot of good comments about its steaks, ribs, gourmet burgers and pasta. Co-incidentally, my blogger friends Kim Tan and Thomas asked me to join them at Food République at the gracious invitation of Benjamin, the boss and owner.

 

The first thing that struck me as I entered Food République was the simple, straight forward, unpretentious decor, which I liked. It was very cosy, informal and inviting - made me comfortable instantly.

 

The boss Benjamin (or Ben for short) who had been in the F and B line for over ten years working in big name Western food restaurants, launched Food République nearly three years ago. Ben is very passionate and particular about the food Food République serves, and so does the cooking himself, assisted by two kitchen helpers.

Ben graciously allowed me into his kitchen to photograph him in action. Ben is clearly passionate about his culinary art and was very meticulous in food preparation. The way Ben lovingly handled the food, I even got the feeling that Ben actually loves the pieces of food ingredients that he was preparing. I always love to watch passionate artists like Ben in action.

And, all these love gets reflected in the tastes and flavours in the food. Some foodies told me that without seeing the chef, they can tell his/ her personality and mood, just by tasting the food. I totally agree with this observation because I saw that today at Food République :)

All soups RM9.90

We started with creamy soups that were made from fresh ingredients. We had Chicken Clam Chowder and Real Mushroom Soups.


Ben then let us try two of his Italian appetisers - Bruschetta and fried Polenta. The traditional Italian Bruschetta appetiser (RM6.90) with toppings of chopped tomatoes, olives and herbs on crispy garlic toasts went very well with the creamy soups. 

This was my first time trying fried Polenta (RM8.90). It was like nuggets made with ground corn (maize). The outer crust was crunchy while the inside was soft and creamy corn. The main flavour was salty and the Polenta was dipped in Food République's own blended chili sauce for an added tangy, spicy taste. 

Who can resist this?!

First up was the Chargrilled Caramalized Burger (RM20.90). For a start, this burger does not even looked ordinary. This gourmet burger looked more like a piece of art meticulously made by Ben as compared to those mass produced assembly line buns and patties at those giant franchises.

 

Each patty individually seasoned according to customer's preferences

Ben talked lovingly to the patty a few times. Jokes aside, that's how closely Ben looked at the food.

 

Then Ben set the patty on fire

 

Melts and caramelises the cheese with a blow torch

I was cutting up the burger with fork and knife, and daintily eating the burger in separate little bits of patty, bun, lettuce, tomato and so on. Ben couldn't hold back any longer, watching his work of art desecrated in this way. Ben interrupted and said that the best (correct) way to eat a gourmet burger is to hold it up in both hands and bite a big mouthful containing the bun, juicy patty, lettuce, tomatoes and the other fillings. And, chew these all together. Only in this way can one truly savour the blend of tastes, flavours, and textures of the gourmet burger. I did as Ben said, and true enough, this was definitely one of the best burgers that I have ever tasted :)

  

Next up was the Salmon Ala' Carbonara Pasta. The pasta was thick with creamy cheese blended with the pleasant flavour of fresh salmon, sliced tomatoes and herbs. Personally, I am more a fan of very light pastas flavoured mostly with olives and olive oil. My companions, however, couldn't stop raving about this pasta. Thomas was still talking about how much he loved this pasta when we met again the following day.

The Pan Fried Milk Fish (RM23.90) was thick, tender, juicy and smooth with robust butter fragrance and taste. Kim was going "hmm..., hmm..., hmm..., good..., good..., good..." I didn't think I needed to ask her how she found this dish.

 

I don't really have a sweet tooth but Food République's Double Choc Fudge Brownie was simply awesome :)

The Fudge Brownie was dark, rich, warm, tender, soft, moist, smooth and not overly sweet. Softly chewing the warm juicy brownie with a scoop of cold sweet ice cream was a special pleasure, not to be missed. 

As usual, if I like a restaurant, I'll be planning my next trip by peeking at the other customers' orders. If you ever see someone hopping over to a stranger's table and asking for permission to photograph their food, chances are, that's Johor Kaki.

I am coming back to Food République for these.

 

 

 

Ben told me that he also cooks off menu Western food for customers. So if you have a craving for a particular authentic Western food, give Food République a call (+607 331 1718) and speak with Ben about it.

 

 

See also this lovely post on Food République by Allison of Fondue of Life blog.

 

 

This Mandarin post on Food République by my friend Kim of Test and Share blog.

 

Restaurant name: Food République
Address: 72, Jalan Kuning, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/TjWJ7
GPS: 1.484350,103.775015
Hours: 12:00 noon to 10:00pm
No pork, no lard

Date visited: 19 Oct 2012

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