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Showing posts with label Taman Serene. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taman Serene. Show all posts

Second Visit to Pelangi City 彩虹城 (Tze Char) in Taman Serene Food Centre in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

After my first post on Pelangi City 彩虹城, my friend Kumes kept reminding me that I must try their signature fried sotong, curry fish head, fried prawns and ku lou yok (sweet and sour pork).

So, four of us went to Pelangi City last night to try out these signature dishes.


The fried sotong was unique and delicious, indeed.


MR Choong first deep fried the sotong which were cut into rings.
 

After straining off the oil, MR Choong stir fried and tossed the deep fried sotong rings in his special sauce and in his trademark super heated style. 
 

The resulting fried sotong was unlike any other I have tasted before. The sotong rings were crispy outside and still retained a little bit of bounciness inside. The gravy was savoury and the most striking thing about Pelangi City's fried sotong was their wok hei taste which was distinctive.


It tasted almost like BBQed sotong with that subtle charred flavour which complemented the savoury gravy very well. This fried sotong is definitely a Must Try.


Pelangi City's curry fish was another winner. We wanted to order curry fish head but MR Choong told us that he couldn't get good fresh fish heads that day, so he suggested that we try his curry with fresh grass fish instead. So, to borrow the Tesco tagline, now we know that MR Choong chooses the best ingredients for us so that we don't have to :)

Again, the taste and flavour of Pelangi City's curry was unique and highly likable. The curry was thick, smooth and creamy, and was a complex blend of sour, sweet, spicy hot and savoury. It was like a curried stew of brinjal (egg plant), lady fingers, dried chili peppers, assam, and lots of other good things. But this was not a stew; this curry was yet another magical creation that comes out whenever MR Choong throws all the stuff he got from the market into his magic wok. 


Kumes said that this was the best ku lou yok (sweet and sour pork) he had tasted anywhere. Again, Pelangi's City's ku lou yok had that signature super heated treatment, so the outside was crispy and the pork inside was tender, and nice and easy to chew.


This reminded me of the lovely ku lou yok at Loke Tien Yuen in Mersing, which in turn reminded me of my unforgettable first taste of ku lou yok in 1960s Toa Payoh in Singapore. 
 

The fresh prawns fried in savoury umani sauce. The shells were seared so well that they felt glassy brittle and crispy even when coated with that tacky, wet gravy.
 

Needless to say, the prawn flesh was still juicy and had that subtle freshness inside. I ate the whole prawn except for the head and that little bit at the tail end. 

This sumptuous 4 dish meal with steamed rice and herbal drinks for all, came to RM82.00.

Again, Pelangi City impressed - it's the little stall that can!


Restaurant name: Gerai Makanan Pelangi City 彩虹城
Address: Stall no. 11, Taman Serene Food Centre, Jalan Biru (opposite the famous San Low seafood restaurant)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/ZuvjP
GPS: 1.472193,103.774613
Hours: 6:00pm to midnight
Non Halal

Date visited: 15 Nov 2012
After my first post on Pelangi City 彩虹城, my friend Kumes kept reminding me that I must try their signature fried sotong, curry fish head, fried prawns and ku lou yok (sweet and sour pork).

So, four of us went to Pelangi City last night to try out these signature dishes.


The fried sotong was unique and delicious, indeed.


MR Choong first deep fried the sotong which were cut into rings.
 

After straining off the oil, MR Choong stir fried and tossed the deep fried sotong rings in his special sauce and in his trademark super heated style. 
 

The resulting fried sotong was unlike any other I have tasted before. The sotong rings were crispy outside and still retained a little bit of bounciness inside. The gravy was savoury and the most striking thing about Pelangi City's fried sotong was their wok hei taste which was distinctive.


It tasted almost like BBQed sotong with that subtle charred flavour which complemented the savoury gravy very well. This fried sotong is definitely a Must Try.


Pelangi City's curry fish was another winner. We wanted to order curry fish head but MR Choong told us that he couldn't get good fresh fish heads that day, so he suggested that we try his curry with fresh grass fish instead. So, to borrow the Tesco tagline, now we know that MR Choong chooses the best ingredients for us so that we don't have to :)

Again, the taste and flavour of Pelangi City's curry was unique and highly likable. The curry was thick, smooth and creamy, and was a complex blend of sour, sweet, spicy hot and savoury. It was like a curried stew of brinjal (egg plant), lady fingers, dried chili peppers, assam, and lots of other good things. But this was not a stew; this curry was yet another magical creation that comes out whenever MR Choong throws all the stuff he got from the market into his magic wok. 


Kumes said that this was the best ku lou yok (sweet and sour pork) he had tasted anywhere. Again, Pelangi's City's ku lou yok had that signature super heated treatment, so the outside was crispy and the pork inside was tender, and nice and easy to chew.


This reminded me of the lovely ku lou yok at Loke Tien Yuen in Mersing, which in turn reminded me of my unforgettable first taste of ku lou yok in 1960s Toa Payoh in Singapore. 
 

The fresh prawns fried in savoury umani sauce. The shells were seared so well that they felt glassy brittle and crispy even when coated with that tacky, wet gravy.
 

Needless to say, the prawn flesh was still juicy and had that subtle freshness inside. I ate the whole prawn except for the head and that little bit at the tail end. 

This sumptuous 4 dish meal with steamed rice and herbal drinks for all, came to RM82.00.

Again, Pelangi City impressed - it's the little stall that can!


Restaurant name: Gerai Makanan Pelangi City 彩虹城
Address: Stall no. 11, Taman Serene Food Centre, Jalan Biru (opposite the famous San Low seafood restaurant)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/ZuvjP
GPS: 1.472193,103.774613
Hours: 6:00pm to midnight
Non Halal

Date visited: 15 Nov 2012
reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Tze Char at Pelangi City 彩虹城 in Taman Serene Food Centre in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

 
I've heard a lot about this tiny tze char (literally "cook and fry" in Hokkien) stall called Pelangi City 彩虹城 in Taman Serene food centre. Pelangi City may be a tiny tze char stall in a small food centre in a quieter part of JB, but it has a huge reputation. My Johor foodie friends raved about Pelangi City tze char and KF Seetoh of Makansutra featured it in his popular "Food Surprise" television series.

The owner MR Choong who is originally from Ipoh had been running tze char stalls for over twenty years. MR Choong is very warm and humble, and is genuinely interested in customer feedback, even though his tze char is already one of the best in JB. Even though he was very busy running the crammed kitchen alone, he observed and paid attention to how customers were receiving his food. With MR Choong's passion for continuous improvement, I am sure that Pelangi City's already very good tze char will be getting ever better all the time.

Pelangi City's clientele is an interesting mix. I saw many young workers who worked in Singapore, swinging by in their motorbikes to pick up their dinner on their way home after a long, tiring day. At the same time, there were customers who pulled over in their luxury German sedans and sat down on those cheap plastic stools at Taman Serene food centre to enjoy Pelangi City's tze char.

 The menu board and price list at Pelangi City

There are many tze char dishes on Pelangi City's menu, including MR Choong's famous curry fish head. As I was alone, I requested for MR Choong's fried Hokkien mee.
 

MR Choong graciously allowed me to photograph him in action in the busy kitchen. The riotous action was fast, furious and super heated. There were leaping flames and tongues of fire - an impressive display of wok hei or literally wok breath in Cantonese. And, it wasn't a show put up for the camera. I was already in awe, watching the balls of fire and how MR Choong danced between the fiery woks and pots while I sat outside, and before uttering my first word to MR Choong.
 

This Hokkien mee was super piping hot. After I snapped my usual photographs, I took the first mouthful and it was still so hot that it burned the roof of my mouth! (My makan kakis know how I always took my time to make sure I got the best photos. Usually taking long enough for the food to turn cold, to their dismay.)
 

MR Choong's Hokkien mee was savoury and tasty, and also wetter and sweeter than the famed KL variety.
 
Simple ingredients - pork slices, shrimps, cabbage and noodles

MR Choong's which is the style of Hokkien mee found in JB, also does not have the thick lard and lard crackles found in the KL version. I liked both the JB and KL versions.
 

The gracious MR Choong made me this fried grass fish for me to try. The deep fried grass fish was partially buried under a heap of fried preserved vegetables (tong chai).

 
 
The white flesh of the fish was thick. The flesh was firm and still soft inside with a little bit of moisture left, while the outside was a thin caramelised layer. The fried tong chai was crunchy, delicately sweet, salty and savoury. I ate this fish by itself and I am sure this fried fish with fried tong chai will go very well with porridge or steamed rice.


If you want to show your friends that you know your Johor food, and if you want to see how a small, one man operation in a tiny kitchen can churn out big restaurant quality dishes, come to Pelangi City.

I shall be back for the curry fish head recommended by KF Seetoh and the fried baby sotong that my friend Kumes keeps telling me that I must try.
 

Restaurant name: Gerai Makanan Pelangi City 彩虹城
Address: Stall no. 11, Taman Serene Food Centre, Jalan Biru (opposite the famous San Low seafood restaurant)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/ZuvjP
GPS: 1.472193,103.774613
Hours: 6:00pm to midnight
Non Halal

Date visited: 9 Oct 2012
 
I've heard a lot about this tiny tze char (literally "cook and fry" in Hokkien) stall called Pelangi City 彩虹城 in Taman Serene food centre. Pelangi City may be a tiny tze char stall in a small food centre in a quieter part of JB, but it has a huge reputation. My Johor foodie friends raved about Pelangi City tze char and KF Seetoh of Makansutra featured it in his popular "Food Surprise" television series.

The owner MR Choong who is originally from Ipoh had been running tze char stalls for over twenty years. MR Choong is very warm and humble, and is genuinely interested in customer feedback, even though his tze char is already one of the best in JB. Even though he was very busy running the crammed kitchen alone, he observed and paid attention to how customers were receiving his food. With MR Choong's passion for continuous improvement, I am sure that Pelangi City's already very good tze char will be getting ever better all the time.

Pelangi City's clientele is an interesting mix. I saw many young workers who worked in Singapore, swinging by in their motorbikes to pick up their dinner on their way home after a long, tiring day. At the same time, there were customers who pulled over in their luxury German sedans and sat down on those cheap plastic stools at Taman Serene food centre to enjoy Pelangi City's tze char.

 The menu board and price list at Pelangi City

There are many tze char dishes on Pelangi City's menu, including MR Choong's famous curry fish head. As I was alone, I requested for MR Choong's fried Hokkien mee.
 

MR Choong graciously allowed me to photograph him in action in the busy kitchen. The riotous action was fast, furious and super heated. There were leaping flames and tongues of fire - an impressive display of wok hei or literally wok breath in Cantonese. And, it wasn't a show put up for the camera. I was already in awe, watching the balls of fire and how MR Choong danced between the fiery woks and pots while I sat outside, and before uttering my first word to MR Choong.
 

This Hokkien mee was super piping hot. After I snapped my usual photographs, I took the first mouthful and it was still so hot that it burned the roof of my mouth! (My makan kakis know how I always took my time to make sure I got the best photos. Usually taking long enough for the food to turn cold, to their dismay.)
 

MR Choong's Hokkien mee was savoury and tasty, and also wetter and sweeter than the famed KL variety.
 
Simple ingredients - pork slices, shrimps, cabbage and noodles

MR Choong's which is the style of Hokkien mee found in JB, also does not have the thick lard and lard crackles found in the KL version. I liked both the JB and KL versions.
 

The gracious MR Choong made me this fried grass fish for me to try. The deep fried grass fish was partially buried under a heap of fried preserved vegetables (tong chai).

 
 
The white flesh of the fish was thick. The flesh was firm and still soft inside with a little bit of moisture left, while the outside was a thin caramelised layer. The fried tong chai was crunchy, delicately sweet, salty and savoury. I ate this fish by itself and I am sure this fried fish with fried tong chai will go very well with porridge or steamed rice.


If you want to show your friends that you know your Johor food, and if you want to see how a small, one man operation in a tiny kitchen can churn out big restaurant quality dishes, come to Pelangi City.

I shall be back for the curry fish head recommended by KF Seetoh and the fried baby sotong that my friend Kumes keeps telling me that I must try.
 

Restaurant name: Gerai Makanan Pelangi City 彩虹城
Address: Stall no. 11, Taman Serene Food Centre, Jalan Biru (opposite the famous San Low seafood restaurant)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/ZuvjP
GPS: 1.472193,103.774613
Hours: 6:00pm to midnight
Non Halal

Date visited: 9 Oct 2012
reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Seng Kee 胜记 Laksa @ Taman Serene Food Centre, Johor Bahru



Stall No. 10 Seng Kee Fish Ball and Laksa 胜记 is one of the most popular stalls in the famous Taman Serene food centre.


This is the kind of curry laksa you find in Johor - the noodles are invisible - submerged in curry gravy and buried under loads of ingredients. There were tau pok, slices of fish cake, fried wanton, fried fish balls, stuffed toufu, fresh cockles, and a couple of fish balls - lots of stuff for RM4 :)


The not too thick curry gravy was savoury from a blend of spices and was not overly rich or laden with coconut milk (santan). The gravy was spicy and sweet unlike that of its neighbour Lim Hong Yong 林记's Thai laksa which was spicy and tangy.


I especially love these fried fishballs. They were sweet and savoury from the spices added to the fish meat.


This large piece of fried tofu stuffed with a thick wedge of fresh fish meat was tender and saturated with flavour from the laksa and the fish.


The tau pok sponged up loads of curry laksa.


The couple of plump juicy fresh cockles added a lot of ommph to the laksa.


These tiny slivers of daun kesom added a delightful touch of fragrance to the laksa.


Seng Kee's sambal chili is awesome. Extra hot, tangy and infused with that ground dried shrimp flavour.


Restaurant name: Stall No. 10 Pelangi Yong Taufu (better
known as Seng Kee Fish Ball and Laksa 胜记)
Address: Taman Serene Food Centre (off Jalan Biru, Taman

Pelangi opposite San Lou seafood restaurant)
Map:
http://g.co/maps/3mbu2
GPS: 1.471995,103.774527
Hours: 7:00am to 3:00pm (closed on Wednesdays)
Non Halal


Date visited: 24 August 2012


Stall No. 10 Seng Kee Fish Ball and Laksa 胜记 is one of the most popular stalls in the famous Taman Serene food centre.


This is the kind of curry laksa you find in Johor - the noodles are invisible - submerged in curry gravy and buried under loads of ingredients. There were tau pok, slices of fish cake, fried wanton, fried fish balls, stuffed toufu, fresh cockles, and a couple of fish balls - lots of stuff for RM4 :)


The not too thick curry gravy was savoury from a blend of spices and was not overly rich or laden with coconut milk (santan). The gravy was spicy and sweet unlike that of its neighbour Lim Hong Yong 林记's Thai laksa which was spicy and tangy.


I especially love these fried fishballs. They were sweet and savoury from the spices added to the fish meat.


This large piece of fried tofu stuffed with a thick wedge of fresh fish meat was tender and saturated with flavour from the laksa and the fish.


The tau pok sponged up loads of curry laksa.


The couple of plump juicy fresh cockles added a lot of ommph to the laksa.


These tiny slivers of daun kesom added a delightful touch of fragrance to the laksa.


Seng Kee's sambal chili is awesome. Extra hot, tangy and infused with that ground dried shrimp flavour.


Restaurant name: Stall No. 10 Pelangi Yong Taufu (better
known as Seng Kee Fish Ball and Laksa 胜记)
Address: Taman Serene Food Centre (off Jalan Biru, Taman

Pelangi opposite San Lou seafood restaurant)
Map:
http://g.co/maps/3mbu2
GPS: 1.471995,103.774527
Hours: 7:00am to 3:00pm (closed on Wednesdays)
Non Halal


Date visited: 24 August 2012
reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Penang Prawn Mee @ Lim Hong Yong Stall 林记 Stall in Taman Serene Food Centre (off Taman Pelangi), Johor Bahru


亚杰 making a bowl of 林记's marvellous Penang prawn noodles

Lim Hong Yong 林记's Penang prawn mee at Taman Serene food centre seriously WOWed me.


I tried hard to recall a tastier Penang prawn mee that I have eaten anywhere in Malaysia and Singapore, and I failed! (I know I am going to get a lot of flak for this statement :P)


Funny that my favourite Penang prawn mee had to be found tucked in a humble, though popular food centre in Taman Serene, Johor Bahru.


These yellow noodles may look plain like any other but ahh... when these noodles hit our tongue, our delighted taste buds awoke to the first hints of the gastronomic pleasure that was to come. The flavour of the prawn soup was so rich, that even these plain yellow noodles which were merely wet with the broth brought on a flood of that distinct gorgeous taste of prawn stock.



If the prawn stock is the soul of Penang prawn mee, then 林记's prawn stock is alive with body and soul. 林记's prawn stock is full bodied like the way a good robust, full bodied coffee would feel - saturated with natural prawny flavour.





林记's prawn stock may look like any other but the naturally sweet, savoury taste is unlike any other that I have tasted before. And, all these taste and flavour were achieved without any hint of cheap, artificial taste enhancers like sugar or MSG.


林记's stock is already so outstanding by itself and yet, when we stirred in a dab of their homemade sambal, the taste index was raised to yet the next level!

If you like your Penang prawn mee extra spicy, make sure to ask for 林记's sambal chili. The outstanding hot chili paste is blended with dried prawns and other spices for that delicious hot, tangy and tingling taste.

Just a warning - Lim Hong Yong 林记's Penang prawn mee is addictive. I can't take my mind off it, ever since I tried it yesterday.


Taman Serene food centre is opposite San Low Seafood Restaurant

Restaurant name: Lim Hong Yong Stall 林记
Address: Jalan Biru (stall in Taman Serene hawker centre opposite San Low seafood restaurant), Taman Serene, Johor Bahru
Map: http://g.co/maps/3mbu2
GPS: 1.471995,103.774527
Hours: Daily 7:00am to 5:00pm (closed on Thursdays)
Non Halal

Date visited: 24 August 2012

亚杰 making a bowl of 林记's marvellous Penang prawn noodles

Lim Hong Yong 林记's Penang prawn mee at Taman Serene food centre seriously WOWed me.


I tried hard to recall a tastier Penang prawn mee that I have eaten anywhere in Malaysia and Singapore, and I failed! (I know I am going to get a lot of flak for this statement :P)


Funny that my favourite Penang prawn mee had to be found tucked in a humble, though popular food centre in Taman Serene, Johor Bahru.


These yellow noodles may look plain like any other but ahh... when these noodles hit our tongue, our delighted taste buds awoke to the first hints of the gastronomic pleasure that was to come. The flavour of the prawn soup was so rich, that even these plain yellow noodles which were merely wet with the broth brought on a flood of that distinct gorgeous taste of prawn stock.



If the prawn stock is the soul of Penang prawn mee, then 林记's prawn stock is alive with body and soul. 林记's prawn stock is full bodied like the way a good robust, full bodied coffee would feel - saturated with natural prawny flavour.





林记's prawn stock may look like any other but the naturally sweet, savoury taste is unlike any other that I have tasted before. And, all these taste and flavour were achieved without any hint of cheap, artificial taste enhancers like sugar or MSG.


林记's stock is already so outstanding by itself and yet, when we stirred in a dab of their homemade sambal, the taste index was raised to yet the next level!

If you like your Penang prawn mee extra spicy, make sure to ask for 林记's sambal chili. The outstanding hot chili paste is blended with dried prawns and other spices for that delicious hot, tangy and tingling taste.

Just a warning - Lim Hong Yong 林记's Penang prawn mee is addictive. I can't take my mind off it, ever since I tried it yesterday.


Taman Serene food centre is opposite San Low Seafood Restaurant

Restaurant name: Lim Hong Yong Stall 林记
Address: Jalan Biru (stall in Taman Serene hawker centre opposite San Low seafood restaurant), Taman Serene, Johor Bahru
Map: http://g.co/maps/3mbu2
GPS: 1.471995,103.774527
Hours: Daily 7:00am to 5:00pm (closed on Thursdays)
Non Halal

Date visited: 24 August 2012
reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Fish Ball Noodles @ Seng Kee Fish Ball and Laksa 胜记 in Taman Serene Food Centre, Johor Bahru


The many good hawkers in Taman Serene food centre, keeps drawing me back to this popular foodies' corner in Johor Bahru.


One of my favourites is Stall No. 10, Pelangi Yong Taufu, which is better known as Seng Kee Fish Ball and Laksa 胜记.


Seng Kee 胜记 is famous for their fish balls 番薯鱼鱼丸 and mee laksa. We shall share about Seng Kee's fish ball noodles here. Seng Kee's star has always been their homemade fish balls 鱼丸.


The boss of Seng Kee has been in the fish ball noodle business since he was a 5 year old child helping his dad at the stall. For the past 30 plus years, Seng Kee 胜记 makes their fish balls themselves at home as this is the only way to ensure top quality. Everyday for the past 30 over years, Seng Kee makes their fish balls with fresh Yellowtail fish 番薯鱼.



Today, I had the RM5 fish ball noodle set which comes with a big bowl of noodles in sauce and six of Seng Kee's signature fish balls in a soup.


The mee pok noodles were smooth, crunchy and tasty in soy sauce and shallot oil.



For an extra spicy kick, we can add Seng Kee's tangy and spicy hot home made sambal chili into the noodles.
 
The stars that got most of my attention were those six fish balls.


Seng Kee 胜记 goes the extra mile to ensure the freshness of their fish balls by cooking them only when ordered, not pre-cooked.


The fish balls were like white ping pong balls in color, size and bounciness. I know this is an overused cliché but in the case of Seng Kee, it is apt and accurate. When we bite into Seng Kee's fish balls, they burst apart releasing the refreshing sweet flavour and aroma of fresh fish meat. The fish balls were so crunchy, I could hear my jaws chewing down those fish balls :)

Seng Kee's excellent fish balls are definitely in my favourites list.


Restaurant name: Stall No. 10 Pelangi Yong Taufu (better known as Seng Kee Fish Ball and Laksa 胜记)
Address: Taman Serene Food Centre (off Jalan Biru, Taman Pelangi opposite San Low seafood restaurant)
Map: http://g.co/maps/3mbu2
GPS: 1.471995,103.774527
Hours: 7:00am to 3:00pm (closed on Wednesdays)

Non Halal

Date visited: 24 August 2012

The many good hawkers in Taman Serene food centre, keeps drawing me back to this popular foodies' corner in Johor Bahru.


One of my favourites is Stall No. 10, Pelangi Yong Taufu, which is better known as Seng Kee Fish Ball and Laksa 胜记.


Seng Kee 胜记 is famous for their fish balls 番薯鱼鱼丸 and mee laksa. We shall share about Seng Kee's fish ball noodles here. Seng Kee's star has always been their homemade fish balls 鱼丸.


The boss of Seng Kee has been in the fish ball noodle business since he was a 5 year old child helping his dad at the stall. For the past 30 plus years, Seng Kee 胜记 makes their fish balls themselves at home as this is the only way to ensure top quality. Everyday for the past 30 over years, Seng Kee makes their fish balls with fresh Yellowtail fish 番薯鱼.



Today, I had the RM5 fish ball noodle set which comes with a big bowl of noodles in sauce and six of Seng Kee's signature fish balls in a soup.


The mee pok noodles were smooth, crunchy and tasty in soy sauce and shallot oil.



For an extra spicy kick, we can add Seng Kee's tangy and spicy hot home made sambal chili into the noodles.
 
The stars that got most of my attention were those six fish balls.


Seng Kee 胜记 goes the extra mile to ensure the freshness of their fish balls by cooking them only when ordered, not pre-cooked.


The fish balls were like white ping pong balls in color, size and bounciness. I know this is an overused cliché but in the case of Seng Kee, it is apt and accurate. When we bite into Seng Kee's fish balls, they burst apart releasing the refreshing sweet flavour and aroma of fresh fish meat. The fish balls were so crunchy, I could hear my jaws chewing down those fish balls :)

Seng Kee's excellent fish balls are definitely in my favourites list.


Restaurant name: Stall No. 10 Pelangi Yong Taufu (better known as Seng Kee Fish Ball and Laksa 胜记)
Address: Taman Serene Food Centre (off Jalan Biru, Taman Pelangi opposite San Low seafood restaurant)
Map: http://g.co/maps/3mbu2
GPS: 1.471995,103.774527
Hours: 7:00am to 3:00pm (closed on Wednesdays)

Non Halal

Date visited: 24 August 2012
reade more... Résuméabuiyad