Johor Fried Banana Chips at Deepavali Expo in Downtown JB

Today, I stumbled upon this banana chip stall at the Deepavalli bazaar at the Hindu temple in downtown JB. This was just one of the dozens of colourful temporary tent stalls selling food, clothes and trinkets during Deepavalli.

Restaurant name: Fried Banana Chip stall at Deepavalli Expo
Address: Jalan Ungku Puan (outside Sri Raja Mariamman Temple) Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YJyoo
GPS: 1.458872,103.763701
Hours: 12;00noon to 9:00pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

I was browsing the stalls when a blaze of flying banana chips shot across my eye.



Then these men looking like a music band shooting sliced bananas point blank at rapid fire into a large wok of boiling oil stopped me in my tracks.



I looked around and realised that this was like a small efficient banana chip factory. The process starts with peeling the bananas at the stall. (These are more accurately known as plantains - a close cousin of bananas but larger, firmer and lower in sugar.)



The bananas peeled and ready for slicing and frying.



The banana chips are fried salt free. Just real bananas sliced on the spot and  dropped straight into the hot oil with nothing added.



The fried banana chips almost done :)



Freshly fried banana chips :D Notice how free of oil and grease the baskets are?



Each plastic bag of freshly fried banana chips sells at RM15.



Each paper bagful sells for RM5, which isn't cheap. But, it's crackly crispiness is addictive. I finished my bagful within minutes :P



There isn't too much taste or flavour in the banana chip - just a very slight gritty sweetness. It is just fried unripe pulp. Banana (plantain) chips are stiffer and denser than potato chips. It also has nicer texture and are quite healthy for something fried.

Best thing is, these chips are not greasy. Even after a whole bagful all by myself, I did not feel any rancid or oily aftertaste. This banana chips make for pretty guilt free munching :-P

I love these chips :)



Unfortunately, this stall opens only during Deepavalli. At other times, these men go back to their normal jobs.

Date visited: 1 Nov 2013

Today, I stumbled upon this banana chip stall at the Deepavalli bazaar at the Hindu temple in downtown JB. This was just one of the dozens of colourful temporary tent stalls selling food, clothes and trinkets during Deepavalli.

Restaurant name: Fried Banana Chip stall at Deepavalli Expo
Address: Jalan Ungku Puan (outside Sri Raja Mariamman Temple) Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YJyoo
GPS: 1.458872,103.763701
Hours: 12;00noon to 9:00pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert

I was browsing the stalls when a blaze of flying banana chips shot across my eye.



Then these men looking like a music band shooting sliced bananas point blank at rapid fire into a large wok of boiling oil stopped me in my tracks.



I looked around and realised that this was like a small efficient banana chip factory. The process starts with peeling the bananas at the stall. (These are more accurately known as plantains - a close cousin of bananas but larger, firmer and lower in sugar.)



The bananas peeled and ready for slicing and frying.



The banana chips are fried salt free. Just real bananas sliced on the spot and  dropped straight into the hot oil with nothing added.



The fried banana chips almost done :)



Freshly fried banana chips :D Notice how free of oil and grease the baskets are?



Each plastic bag of freshly fried banana chips sells at RM15.



Each paper bagful sells for RM5, which isn't cheap. But, it's crackly crispiness is addictive. I finished my bagful within minutes :P



There isn't too much taste or flavour in the banana chip - just a very slight gritty sweetness. It is just fried unripe pulp. Banana (plantain) chips are stiffer and denser than potato chips. It also has nicer texture and are quite healthy for something fried.

Best thing is, these chips are not greasy. Even after a whole bagful all by myself, I did not feel any rancid or oily aftertaste. This banana chips make for pretty guilt free munching :-P

I love these chips :)



Unfortunately, this stall opens only during Deepavalli. At other times, these men go back to their normal jobs.

Date visited: 1 Nov 2013

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J.H. Lovely Sweets in Old Downtown Johor Bahru

J.H. Lovely Sweets is a small corner shop along Jalan Trus tucked between the Gurdawa Sahib Sikh temple and the Hindu temple. Was feeling famish as I was hurrying by and I remembered my friend Gwen mentioned this stall. So I decided to stop and check out the shop.



The shop is basically an one-man operation. Goldy the boss came from Punjab (India) about 10 years ago to work in a restaurant. When the restaurant closed two years later, Goldy opened J.H. Lovely Sweets and has not looked back since. Today, J.H. Lovely Sweets has become a popular gathering place for the JB Sikh community.



A happy group of Singapore tourists. Still with their luggage in tow, they checked in at J.H. Lovely Sweets first before proceeding to their hotel. They have been doing this for years as they love the food at J.H. Lovely Sweets. From them, I understand that J.H. Lovely Sweets is the only Punjabi food shop in JB.



I wanted something filling, so I ordered an Aloo Pratha which is Indian flat bread filled with soft curried potatoes.



Goldy flattening my Aloo Pratha, getting it ready for the pan.



The Aloo Pratha ready and on the way to my table :)



My Aloo Pratha at RM4.00. I heard one of the Singapore ladies exclaiming "power packed!" when she bite into her Aloo Pratha. For me, it certainly was a good filling meal though I prefer my bread more crispy. I also found the flavour of the curried potatoes and bread quite mild.

Next time, I shall try the kosong chapati and eat it with some of the side dishes.



The simple dahl that came with my Aloo Pratha.



Each table has a bottle of this "Lady's Choice" but it is not peanut butter.



The thing with me is, being unsure doesn't stop me from trying something in big portions. I scooped a large dollop from the "Lady's Choice" bottle and plonked it on my pratha. It turned out to be lime with salt and spices. Too sour for me :P As I was brought up not to waste food, I ate up what I took anyway.



My new found friends showed me that the best way to enjoy chapati is with our hands.



Prices of everything is neatly and clearly laid out. Such a small stall, serves so many things. Amazing.



Some of traditional sweets at J.H. Lovely Sweets. I am saving these for the next makan session with Gwen. She is very knowledgeable about Indian cuisine and it would be wonderful to have her help me appreciate these sweets. 



Goldy's business card on the squeeze bottle of mint sauce.



J.H. Lovely Sweets shop is to the right of Gurdawa Sahib Sikh temple.

Restaurant name: J.H. Lovely Sweets
Address: Jalan Trus (opposite Galleria Kotaraya shopping centre)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/ch3uD
GPS: 1.459301,103.763535
Hours: 9:30am to 9:30pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert (vegetarian)

Date visited: 2 Aug 2013

J.H. Lovely Sweets is a small corner shop along Jalan Trus tucked between the Gurdawa Sahib Sikh temple and the Hindu temple. Was feeling famish as I was hurrying by and I remembered my friend Gwen mentioned this stall. So I decided to stop and check out the shop.



The shop is basically an one-man operation. Goldy the boss came from Punjab (India) about 10 years ago to work in a restaurant. When the restaurant closed two years later, Goldy opened J.H. Lovely Sweets and has not looked back since. Today, J.H. Lovely Sweets has become a popular gathering place for the JB Sikh community.



A happy group of Singapore tourists. Still with their luggage in tow, they checked in at J.H. Lovely Sweets first before proceeding to their hotel. They have been doing this for years as they love the food at J.H. Lovely Sweets. From them, I understand that J.H. Lovely Sweets is the only Punjabi food shop in JB.



I wanted something filling, so I ordered an Aloo Pratha which is Indian flat bread filled with soft curried potatoes.



Goldy flattening my Aloo Pratha, getting it ready for the pan.



The Aloo Pratha ready and on the way to my table :)



My Aloo Pratha at RM4.00. I heard one of the Singapore ladies exclaiming "power packed!" when she bite into her Aloo Pratha. For me, it certainly was a good filling meal though I prefer my bread more crispy. I also found the flavour of the curried potatoes and bread quite mild.

Next time, I shall try the kosong chapati and eat it with some of the side dishes.



The simple dahl that came with my Aloo Pratha.



Each table has a bottle of this "Lady's Choice" but it is not peanut butter.



The thing with me is, being unsure doesn't stop me from trying something in big portions. I scooped a large dollop from the "Lady's Choice" bottle and plonked it on my pratha. It turned out to be lime with salt and spices. Too sour for me :P As I was brought up not to waste food, I ate up what I took anyway.



My new found friends showed me that the best way to enjoy chapati is with our hands.



Prices of everything is neatly and clearly laid out. Such a small stall, serves so many things. Amazing.



Some of traditional sweets at J.H. Lovely Sweets. I am saving these for the next makan session with Gwen. She is very knowledgeable about Indian cuisine and it would be wonderful to have her help me appreciate these sweets. 



Goldy's business card on the squeeze bottle of mint sauce.



J.H. Lovely Sweets shop is to the right of Gurdawa Sahib Sikh temple.

Restaurant name: J.H. Lovely Sweets
Address: Jalan Trus (opposite Galleria Kotaraya shopping centre)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/ch3uD
GPS: 1.459301,103.763535
Hours: 9:30am to 9:30pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert (vegetarian)

Date visited: 2 Aug 2013

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ONE63 European Bistro & Bar in Downtown Johor Bahru

I was thrilled when Mandy from ONE63 European Bistro & Bar invited me to visit as I am happy to see more and more higher end restaurants enter the increasingly exciting Johor food scene. So, soon after ONE63 opened for business, I popped by for a simple lunch.



ONE63 bistro is located in a pair of refurbished heritage shop houses along the historic Jalan Ngee Heng. 

Singaporean foodies would be happy to note that ONE63 is just 5-7 minutes walk from City Square Mall - just head north along Jalan Wong Ah Fook, once you exited City Square. ONE63 bistro is easy to locate as it is right next to the prominent Hotel Tropical Inn building.



Inside, ONE63 is well appointed though neither lavish nor pretentious - contemporary European chic, I would say. This is the drinks section on the ground floor. Also on the ground floor, ONE63 has an al fresco dining area. Upstairs, ONE63 has a large dining room as well as an alcova (sheltered balcony) area. 



ONE63 bistro also has a cosy private dining room that comfortably seats 10 people.

ONE63 European Bistro & Bar specialises in Italian and French cuisine.


Smoked Duck Salad Appetiser RM23

As I an a fan of smoked duck, I asked for this Smoked Duck Salad appetiser. Tossed with slices of house smoked duck, mix mesclun (leafy greens) salad, caramelised shallot rings, marinated cherry tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar.



ONE63 bistro is the only restaurant in Johor I know that house smoked their ducks. The thin slices of smoked duck were tender, smooth and savoury. The savoury smooth duck blends well with the refreshing greens bathed in tangy balsamic vinegar. 


Squid Ink Vongole RM28

I wanted something interesting and yet not too heavy, so I picked Squid Ink Vongole. This a popular spaghetti dish made with linguine pasta, fresh squid ink, white wine reduction sauce, little neck clams, chili, and parsley



Ahh.. I love those al dente spaghetti enveloped in that exquisitely savoury squid ink and clam gravy. Delicious, delicious. hehehe.... I order squid ink spaghetti whenever a restaurant offers this dish :)


Tiramisu RM16.30

To wrap up the simple lunch, I had ONE63 bistro's tiramisu for dessert. I was expecting the usual frumpy, chunky slice of cake but was pleasantly surprised that ONE63 serves the classic dessert creatively in an elegant cocktail glass. Made with Italian mascarpone cream and coffee, and lightly blanketed with cocoa powder. Sweet and lovely as good tiramisu should be, and Mandy confirmed that it is alcohol free :)


Sangria Smooth RM13

For drinks, I had this Sangria Smooth suggested by Mandy. It's a pulpy, icy blend of blueberry, strawberry, orange juice, apple juice, and lime with finely crushed ice. I love it.



After lunch, Mandy introduced me to ONE63 bistro's Executive Chef Kelvin Lee. Beneath Kelvin's friendly and warm demeanour is an eye popping résumé.

Kelvin, originally from Kuala Lumpur, has experience in not one but two 3 Michelin Star restaurants in France. They are Le Jardin Des Sens in Montpellier and Michel Bra in Laguiole. Kelvin was also the Group Executive Chef / Chef Consultant of Gusttimo World and was the Head Chef of San Marco at The Lighthouse, Fullerton Hotel, Singapore before coming to Johor Bahru.

Kelvin graciously made me a dessert :)



Food? Art? Food art by Executive Chef Kelvin Lee.



Delectable chocolate mousse with house made ice cream. Oh my, since when did I developed a sweet tooth?!

hehe I already made appointments with Mandy to come back for ONE63's set lunch and dinner :)



Restaurant name: ONE63 European Bistro & Bar
Address: 163, Jalan Ngee Heng, Johor bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/lg22W
GPS: 1.465643,103.760075
Hours: 11:00am to 12:00 midnight daily
No pork, no lard, alcohol served

Date visited: 28 Jun 2013

I was thrilled when Mandy from ONE63 European Bistro & Bar invited me to visit as I am happy to see more and more higher end restaurants enter the increasingly exciting Johor food scene. So, soon after ONE63 opened for business, I popped by for a simple lunch.



ONE63 bistro is located in a pair of refurbished heritage shop houses along the historic Jalan Ngee Heng. 

Singaporean foodies would be happy to note that ONE63 is just 5-7 minutes walk from City Square Mall - just head north along Jalan Wong Ah Fook, once you exited City Square. ONE63 bistro is easy to locate as it is right next to the prominent Hotel Tropical Inn building.



Inside, ONE63 is well appointed though neither lavish nor pretentious - contemporary European chic, I would say. This is the drinks section on the ground floor. Also on the ground floor, ONE63 has an al fresco dining area. Upstairs, ONE63 has a large dining room as well as an alcova (sheltered balcony) area. 



ONE63 bistro also has a cosy private dining room that comfortably seats 10 people.

ONE63 European Bistro & Bar specialises in Italian and French cuisine.


Smoked Duck Salad Appetiser RM23

As I an a fan of smoked duck, I asked for this Smoked Duck Salad appetiser. Tossed with slices of house smoked duck, mix mesclun (leafy greens) salad, caramelised shallot rings, marinated cherry tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar.



ONE63 bistro is the only restaurant in Johor I know that house smoked their ducks. The thin slices of smoked duck were tender, smooth and savoury. The savoury smooth duck blends well with the refreshing greens bathed in tangy balsamic vinegar. 


Squid Ink Vongole RM28

I wanted something interesting and yet not too heavy, so I picked Squid Ink Vongole. This a popular spaghetti dish made with linguine pasta, fresh squid ink, white wine reduction sauce, little neck clams, chili, and parsley



Ahh.. I love those al dente spaghetti enveloped in that exquisitely savoury squid ink and clam gravy. Delicious, delicious. hehehe.... I order squid ink spaghetti whenever a restaurant offers this dish :)


Tiramisu RM16.30

To wrap up the simple lunch, I had ONE63 bistro's tiramisu for dessert. I was expecting the usual frumpy, chunky slice of cake but was pleasantly surprised that ONE63 serves the classic dessert creatively in an elegant cocktail glass. Made with Italian mascarpone cream and coffee, and lightly blanketed with cocoa powder. Sweet and lovely as good tiramisu should be, and Mandy confirmed that it is alcohol free :)


Sangria Smooth RM13

For drinks, I had this Sangria Smooth suggested by Mandy. It's a pulpy, icy blend of blueberry, strawberry, orange juice, apple juice, and lime with finely crushed ice. I love it.



After lunch, Mandy introduced me to ONE63 bistro's Executive Chef Kelvin Lee. Beneath Kelvin's friendly and warm demeanour is an eye popping résumé.

Kelvin, originally from Kuala Lumpur, has experience in not one but two 3 Michelin Star restaurants in France. They are Le Jardin Des Sens in Montpellier and Michel Bra in Laguiole. Kelvin was also the Group Executive Chef / Chef Consultant of Gusttimo World and was the Head Chef of San Marco at The Lighthouse, Fullerton Hotel, Singapore before coming to Johor Bahru.

Kelvin graciously made me a dessert :)



Food? Art? Food art by Executive Chef Kelvin Lee.



Delectable chocolate mousse with house made ice cream. Oh my, since when did I developed a sweet tooth?!

hehe I already made appointments with Mandy to come back for ONE63's set lunch and dinner :)



Restaurant name: ONE63 European Bistro & Bar
Address: 163, Jalan Ngee Heng, Johor bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/lg22W
GPS: 1.465643,103.760075
Hours: 11:00am to 12:00 midnight daily
No pork, no lard, alcohol served

Date visited: 28 Jun 2013

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Dim Sum at Hock Chiang Hin Kopitiam 福振兴餐室 in Old Downtown (Near City Square), Johor Bahru, Malaysia

 

My friends from Singapore often asked me, where can they find traditional dim sum within walking distance from City Square in JB.

Recently, I stumbled upon Hock Chiang Hin 福振兴餐室, one of the oldest kopitiams in JB and it serves traditional dim sum :) There used to be at least three dim sum shops in JB downtown, but now, Hock Chiang Hin is the only one left.

Hock Chiang Hin had its grand heydays when it was the nearest kopitiam to the JB CIQ - less than a stone's throw away. In those days, many workers and commuters going to Singapore will pick up some paus from Hock Chiang Hin before crossing over to Singapore. After the CIQ shifted, most of these regulars were gone.

But good old Hock Chiang Hin is still here and the paus are still as good as ever - many still say that they are the  best in JB. After trying them, I begin to appreciate that claim :)

 

 

 

At Hock Chiang Hin, all the dim sum and paus are freshly made right here in the traditional way at the kopitiam everyday.

Hock Chiang Hin is the only such kopitiam in downtown JB, so if you want freshly made dim sum and paus, this is it.

 

Ordering is easy. Just say or point to what catches your fancy :)

 

This is Hock Chiang Hin's signature big pau 大包 at RM2 each.

The snowy skin was light and porous with many "holes". The skin tasted slightly sweet and the texture was soft, bouncy and fluffy.

 

The filling made with sliced pork was tender, moist and juicy. Well marinated, tasty and quite sweet.

 

The little brother was equally good - small (pork) pau.

The vegetable pau for herbivores.

 

The lo mai kai 糯米鸡 was a tight mound of glutinous rice well infused with syrupy sweet and savoury sauce. The large pieces of chicken were well marinated and tender. Made according to traditional tastes and needs, the lo mai kai might be a tad greasy for modern tastes. In those days, workers appreciate an affordable meal that kept their stomachs filled much of the day.

These were the other dim sum that we tried today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hock Chiang Hin's dim sum had its roots as affordable food for commuters at the transit stop between JB and Singapore. Its traditional taste tended towards being filling, meaty and relatively plain compared to the dainty contemporary dim sum (especially in more exclusive restaurants) that emphasizes flavours. Hock Chiang Hin's dim sum had remained pretty much in the traditional mould of affordable street food.

Hock Chiang Hin's dim sum are reasonably priced - starts at RM1 and the most expensive item, their signature big pau, is RM2. 

 

A dab of this chili sauce makes the dim sum tastier :)

These are heritage pictures of Hock Chiang Hin (with much thanks to 陈由东, a third generation owner). For the owners, the shop is the centre of everything. All major events and milestones are celebrated at the shop.

 

Hock Chiang Hin in the 1940s. The gentleman in the middle is the founder.

 

 

The wedding of the second generation owners.

Seventies. That signboard in the background is still around, in the kitchen now. Panda was a popular party guest :))

Only one of that old style ornate marble tables is left at the kopitiam. Go take a look at Hock Chiang Hin. It's authentic heritage furniture - not a replica.

 

The founder is the gentleman on the left and the present owner 由东 is the little boy just in front on the left.

Eating dim sum at Hock Chiang Hin is an opportunity to appreciate our culinary heritage, and its flavours and tastes. It's also a chance to experience one of JB's rare historic shops.

 

Restaurant name: Hock Chiang Hin 福振兴餐室
Address: Along Jalan Siu Nam opposite the ESSO petrol station
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/WB09l
GPS: 1.459103,103.766126
Hours: 6:00am to 1:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
Non Halal

Dates visited: 15 Nov 2012, 19 Nov 2012

 

My friends from Singapore often asked me, where can they find traditional dim sum within walking distance from City Square in JB.

Recently, I stumbled upon Hock Chiang Hin 福振兴餐室, one of the oldest kopitiams in JB and it serves traditional dim sum :) There used to be at least three dim sum shops in JB downtown, but now, Hock Chiang Hin is the only one left.

Hock Chiang Hin had its grand heydays when it was the nearest kopitiam to the JB CIQ - less than a stone's throw away. In those days, many workers and commuters going to Singapore will pick up some paus from Hock Chiang Hin before crossing over to Singapore. After the CIQ shifted, most of these regulars were gone.

But good old Hock Chiang Hin is still here and the paus are still as good as ever - many still say that they are the  best in JB. After trying them, I begin to appreciate that claim :)

 

 

 

At Hock Chiang Hin, all the dim sum and paus are freshly made right here in the traditional way at the kopitiam everyday.

Hock Chiang Hin is the only such kopitiam in downtown JB, so if you want freshly made dim sum and paus, this is it.

 

Ordering is easy. Just say or point to what catches your fancy :)

 

This is Hock Chiang Hin's signature big pau 大包 at RM2 each.

The snowy skin was light and porous with many "holes". The skin tasted slightly sweet and the texture was soft, bouncy and fluffy.

 

The filling made with sliced pork was tender, moist and juicy. Well marinated, tasty and quite sweet.

 

The little brother was equally good - small (pork) pau.

The vegetable pau for herbivores.

 

The lo mai kai 糯米鸡 was a tight mound of glutinous rice well infused with syrupy sweet and savoury sauce. The large pieces of chicken were well marinated and tender. Made according to traditional tastes and needs, the lo mai kai might be a tad greasy for modern tastes. In those days, workers appreciate an affordable meal that kept their stomachs filled much of the day.

These were the other dim sum that we tried today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hock Chiang Hin's dim sum had its roots as affordable food for commuters at the transit stop between JB and Singapore. Its traditional taste tended towards being filling, meaty and relatively plain compared to the dainty contemporary dim sum (especially in more exclusive restaurants) that emphasizes flavours. Hock Chiang Hin's dim sum had remained pretty much in the traditional mould of affordable street food.

Hock Chiang Hin's dim sum are reasonably priced - starts at RM1 and the most expensive item, their signature big pau, is RM2. 

 

A dab of this chili sauce makes the dim sum tastier :)

These are heritage pictures of Hock Chiang Hin (with much thanks to 陈由东, a third generation owner). For the owners, the shop is the centre of everything. All major events and milestones are celebrated at the shop.

 

Hock Chiang Hin in the 1940s. The gentleman in the middle is the founder.

 

 

The wedding of the second generation owners.

Seventies. That signboard in the background is still around, in the kitchen now. Panda was a popular party guest :))

Only one of that old style ornate marble tables is left at the kopitiam. Go take a look at Hock Chiang Hin. It's authentic heritage furniture - not a replica.

 

The founder is the gentleman on the left and the present owner 由东 is the little boy just in front on the left.

Eating dim sum at Hock Chiang Hin is an opportunity to appreciate our culinary heritage, and its flavours and tastes. It's also a chance to experience one of JB's rare historic shops.

 

Restaurant name: Hock Chiang Hin 福振兴餐室
Address: Along Jalan Siu Nam opposite the ESSO petrol station
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/WB09l
GPS: 1.459103,103.766126
Hours: 6:00am to 1:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
Non Halal

Dates visited: 15 Nov 2012, 19 Nov 2012

reade more... Résuméabuiyad