Rachel from Niniq Bistro and Bakery invited me to visit their outlet at Taman Setia Tropika. (Niniq's first outlet is at Taman Pelangi which opened in 2002.)
Inside Niniq Bistro and Bakery at Setia Tropika, the décor is simple yet elegant. The wood and marble furniture are heavy and of classic design - the type seen in well appointed Indonesian homes. The comfortable environment is very clean and air conditioned.
Niniq's owner Angela's mum is from Surabaya, Indonesia and hence we can see many Indonesian touches in the bistro.
The name Niniq comes from the word ninik, the endearing Indonesian term for "little girl".
As Christmas Day was around the corner, Christmas trees and Yuletide decorations were up in Niniq along with heart warming Christmas songs about winter and snow playing softly in the background.
This is the café at the ground floor level. There is a second level which is for private parties hosted at Niniq.
At Niniq, they pay attention to even the small details like the menu cover. The custom hand carved wood inlays on the menu cover is a nice, elegant touch.
In this post, we shall focus on Niniq's popular cakes. We had just tasted Niniq's Christmas turkey in the morning, so we only had stomach space for cakes and coffee. Which was great because we enjoyed chatting with Angela for over 2 hours :D (Niniq also serves Indonesian dishes which I look forward to coming back for).
Chocolate Decadence RM6.20
This is Niniq's top selling cake, their unique CCTV. Niniq actually named it Chocolate Decadence but customers called it CCTV because of the way it looked, and the name stuck. Deep rich chocolate mousse on a spongy base to indulge the decadent in you :P
Durian Strudel RM6.40
This is a Must Try - Niniq's durian strudel using Angela's mum's recipe. Made with fresh D24 durians with no preservatives.
Creamy chilled fresh D24 durian between fluffy flaky crispy crust sprinkled with fine sugar crystals. Just RM6.40 for a little bit of durian and strudel heaven.
L'opera RM5.80
I love this L'opera because I like foods with a mix of flavours and textures. Niniq's L'opera is a blend of sweet-bitter flavour with interesting mouth feel of fluffy sponge, creamy chocolate and nutty almond bits.
American Apple Pie RM6.80
My friends know how much I love apple pies, especially freshly baked ones with buttery crust and chunky cut apples :D
Matcha Indulgence RM6.80
For matcha (Japanese green tea) lovers.
The following are other almost too-beautiful-to-eat cakes at Niniq :D It's always a struggle admiring how lovely the cakes look and chomping down on them to enjoy the inviting taste.
Niniq's famous tiramisu which I didn't taste because I have no more stomach space. Will come back for this.
Smile inducing cupcakes - just looking at these cupcakes makes me happy :D
Niniq has a good range of coffees, teas and juices to complement their cakes.
My usual order of cappuccino.
This is the interesting tasting Niniq Earl Grey Tea Latte (RM8.80). Earl Grey Tea lovers, give this aromatic latte a try :D
Niniq Bistro and Bakery is a nice place to enjoy excellent cakes, good coffee and tea at reasonable prices. Niniq also serves Indonesian dishes which I must come back for :D
Restaurant name: Niniq (Taman Setia Tropika) Address: 52, Jalan Setia Tropika 1/24. Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YQ7Il GPS: 1.545787,103.713547 Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday) No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Restaurant name: Niniq (Taman Pelangi) Address: 65, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/zv6a0 GPS: 1.482152,103.774914 Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday) No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 25 Nov 2013
Rachel from Niniq Bistro and Bakery invited me to visit their outlet at Taman Setia Tropika. (Niniq's first outlet is at Taman Pelangi which opened in 2002.)
Inside Niniq Bistro and Bakery at Setia Tropika, the décor is simple yet elegant. The wood and marble furniture are heavy and of classic design - the type seen in well appointed Indonesian homes. The comfortable environment is very clean and air conditioned.
Niniq's owner Angela's mum is from Surabaya, Indonesia and hence we can see many Indonesian touches in the bistro.
The name Niniq comes from the word ninik, the endearing Indonesian term for "little girl".
As Christmas Day was around the corner, Christmas trees and Yuletide decorations were up in Niniq along with heart warming Christmas songs about winter and snow playing softly in the background.
This is the café at the ground floor level. There is a second level which is for private parties hosted at Niniq.
At Niniq, they pay attention to even the small details like the menu cover. The custom hand carved wood inlays on the menu cover is a nice, elegant touch.
In this post, we shall focus on Niniq's popular cakes. We had just tasted Niniq's Christmas turkey in the morning, so we only had stomach space for cakes and coffee. Which was great because we enjoyed chatting with Angela for over 2 hours :D (Niniq also serves Indonesian dishes which I look forward to coming back for).
Chocolate Decadence RM6.20
This is Niniq's top selling cake, their unique CCTV. Niniq actually named it Chocolate Decadence but customers called it CCTV because of the way it looked, and the name stuck. Deep rich chocolate mousse on a spongy base to indulge the decadent in you :P
Durian Strudel RM6.40
This is a Must Try - Niniq's durian strudel using Angela's mum's recipe. Made with fresh D24 durians with no preservatives.
Creamy chilled fresh D24 durian between fluffy flaky crispy crust sprinkled with fine sugar crystals. Just RM6.40 for a little bit of durian and strudel heaven.
L'opera RM5.80
I love this L'opera because I like foods with a mix of flavours and textures. Niniq's L'opera is a blend of sweet-bitter flavour with interesting mouth feel of fluffy sponge, creamy chocolate and nutty almond bits.
American Apple Pie RM6.80
My friends know how much I love apple pies, especially freshly baked ones with buttery crust and chunky cut apples :D
Matcha Indulgence RM6.80
For matcha (Japanese green tea) lovers.
The following are other almost too-beautiful-to-eat cakes at Niniq :D It's always a struggle admiring how lovely the cakes look and chomping down on them to enjoy the inviting taste.
Niniq's famous tiramisu which I didn't taste because I have no more stomach space. Will come back for this.
Smile inducing cupcakes - just looking at these cupcakes makes me happy :D
Niniq has a good range of coffees, teas and juices to complement their cakes.
My usual order of cappuccino.
This is the interesting tasting Niniq Earl Grey Tea Latte (RM8.80). Earl Grey Tea lovers, give this aromatic latte a try :D
Niniq Bistro and Bakery is a nice place to enjoy excellent cakes, good coffee and tea at reasonable prices. Niniq also serves Indonesian dishes which I must come back for :D
Restaurant name: Niniq (Taman Setia Tropika) Address: 52, Jalan Setia Tropika 1/24. Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YQ7Il GPS: 1.545787,103.713547 Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday) No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Restaurant name: Niniq (Taman Pelangi) Address: 65, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/zv6a0 GPS: 1.482152,103.774914 Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday) No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
The night before I went down to Taman Setia Tropika for an appointment, I requested for breakfast suggestions from Johor Kakis. Zaiha, Kheng Boon, Halim, Khairul, Nir Ali, and Syairi suggested that I try the roti jala stall at Restoran Mak Tok.
I took up their suggestion and enjoyed a delicious traditional breakfast. Thank you Johor Kakis :D
Budi from West Java (Indonesia) runs the roti jala stall at Restoran Mak Tok for 3 years now.
Budi makes the roti jala batter at the stall. The batter is mainly made from flour, eggs, water and a little turmeric powder.
Budi makes the roti jala on the spot when there is an order. So at Mak Tok, all the roti jala are freshly made. From this picture, it is easy to see why this dish is called roti jala or "net bread".
The roti jala are rolled and served hot, straight from the frying griddle.
The roti jala is served with a small bowl of chicken curry.
The roti jala has a soft and bouncy mouth feel. The roti was slightly sweet and was complemented well by the savoury and mildly spicy curry. The 4 roti jala rolls didn't felt enough for me :D
I love this roti jala so much that I ordered a second set before finishing the first. The staff asked "bungkus? (packet?)". I replied "Bukan. Makan sini. (No. Eating here.)" The staff was surprised but quickly regained his composure and smiled :D
If you are looking for a delicious traditional light breakfast or tea at Setia Tropika, the roti jala at Mak Tok is a good option.
Restaurant name: Restoran Mak Tok Address: Jalan Setia Tropika 28 (next to Domino's Pizza), Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Ue2cK GPS: 1.54391,103.710347 Hours: 7:00am to 7:00pm Halal
Date visited: 25 Nov 2013
The night before I went down to Taman Setia Tropika for an appointment, I requested for breakfast suggestions from Johor Kakis. Zaiha, Kheng Boon, Halim, Khairul, Nir Ali, and Syairi suggested that I try the roti jala stall at Restoran Mak Tok.
I took up their suggestion and enjoyed a delicious traditional breakfast. Thank you Johor Kakis :D
Budi from West Java (Indonesia) runs the roti jala stall at Restoran Mak Tok for 3 years now.
Budi makes the roti jala batter at the stall. The batter is mainly made from flour, eggs, water and a little turmeric powder.
Budi makes the roti jala on the spot when there is an order. So at Mak Tok, all the roti jala are freshly made. From this picture, it is easy to see why this dish is called roti jala or "net bread".
The roti jala are rolled and served hot, straight from the frying griddle.
The roti jala is served with a small bowl of chicken curry.
The roti jala has a soft and bouncy mouth feel. The roti was slightly sweet and was complemented well by the savoury and mildly spicy curry. The 4 roti jala rolls didn't felt enough for me :D
I love this roti jala so much that I ordered a second set before finishing the first. The staff asked "bungkus? (packet?)". I replied "Bukan. Makan sini. (No. Eating here.)" The staff was surprised but quickly regained his composure and smiled :D
If you are looking for a delicious traditional light breakfast or tea at Setia Tropika, the roti jala at Mak Tok is a good option.
Restaurant name: Restoran Mak Tok Address: Jalan Setia Tropika 28 (next to Domino's Pizza), Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Ue2cK GPS: 1.54391,103.710347 Hours: 7:00am to 7:00pm Halal
Niniq Christmas Traditional Roast Turkey RM268 (10% early bird discount before 30 Nov 2013)
I can feel Chistmas Day coming :D
Rachael from Niniq invited me to visit their outlet in Taman Setia Tropika (Niniq has another outlet in Taman Pelangi). She wanted us to try Niniq's traditional Christmas turkey.
Niniq's roasted golden brown plump turkey is made with 4.5kg to 5.2kg USA Halal certified birds.
Angela, Niniq's owner, carving the juicy big bird.
I had one of the huge roast turkey drumsticks :D
The surprisingly juicy carved roast turkey breast.
The secret of Niniq's sweet and juicy turkey revealed :P Instead of the traditional bread crumb stuffing which tends to leech out the natural juices from the turkey, making it fibrous and dry, Niniq uses chopped unions, carrots, celery and other juicy vegetables. The juicy vegetables release their natural sweet juices during roasting and blend with the turkey's juices.
The result is a tender and juicy turkey breast that has that unique turkey flavour brought out by the vegetable juices. I love it :D
Roasted chunky potato wedges.
I love Niniq's cranberry jam which is made from scratch with real cranberries. I can taste the cranberries and feel the fleshy pulp of the berries. Naturally sweet and mildly tangy without the sugariness of factory jams. Goes really well with the turkey.
Aiyoh.... the brown sauce was soo.... good, I was slurping spoonfuls of it neat. Made with drippings from roasting the turkey, it has the body and full flavoured savoury goodness of the bird's natural juices plus the juices from the vegetable stuffing. Savoury, sweet and not overly salty at all. Love it.
Niniq is offering this roast turkey with roast potatoes, garden salad with cranberry and brown sauces at RM268 each.
Niniq also has a "Blissful Package" that includes pasta, salad, soup, log cake and turkey at RM520 per package.
To order, you can call Niniq at +607-333-4800 or +607-237-4800. (10% early bird discount for orders before 30 Nov 2013.)
Restaurant name: Niniq (Setia Tropika) Address: 52, Jalan Setia Tropika 1/24. Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru (Niniq has another outlet at Taman Pelangi) Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YQ7Il GPS: 1.545787,103.713547 Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday) No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 25 Nov 2013
Niniq Christmas Traditional Roast Turkey RM268 (10% early bird discount before 30 Nov 2013)
I can feel Chistmas Day coming :D
Rachael from Niniq invited me to visit their outlet in Taman Setia Tropika (Niniq has another outlet in Taman Pelangi). She wanted us to try Niniq's traditional Christmas turkey.
Niniq's roasted golden brown plump turkey is made with 4.5kg to 5.2kg USA Halal certified birds.
Angela, Niniq's owner, carving the juicy big bird.
I had one of the huge roast turkey drumsticks :D
The surprisingly juicy carved roast turkey breast.
The secret of Niniq's sweet and juicy turkey revealed :P Instead of the traditional bread crumb stuffing which tends to leech out the natural juices from the turkey, making it fibrous and dry, Niniq uses chopped unions, carrots, celery and other juicy vegetables. The juicy vegetables release their natural sweet juices during roasting and blend with the turkey's juices.
The result is a tender and juicy turkey breast that has that unique turkey flavour brought out by the vegetable juices. I love it :D
Roasted chunky potato wedges.
I love Niniq's cranberry jam which is made from scratch with real cranberries. I can taste the cranberries and feel the fleshy pulp of the berries. Naturally sweet and mildly tangy without the sugariness of factory jams. Goes really well with the turkey.
Aiyoh.... the brown sauce was soo.... good, I was slurping spoonfuls of it neat. Made with drippings from roasting the turkey, it has the body and full flavoured savoury goodness of the bird's natural juices plus the juices from the vegetable stuffing. Savoury, sweet and not overly salty at all. Love it.
Niniq is offering this roast turkey with roast potatoes, garden salad with cranberry and brown sauces at RM268 each.
Niniq also has a "Blissful Package" that includes pasta, salad, soup, log cake and turkey at RM520 per package.
To order, you can call Niniq at +607-333-4800 or +607-237-4800. (10% early bird discount for orders before 30 Nov 2013.)
Restaurant name: Niniq (Setia Tropika) Address: 52, Jalan Setia Tropika 1/24. Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru (Niniq has another outlet at Taman Pelangi) Map: http://goo.gl/maps/YQ7Il GPS: 1.545787,103.713547 Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm (Closed on Sunday) No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Today, I found a good ayam penyet place in Setia Tropika thanks to the invite from JJ, one of the partners of Penyet World Express which serves delicious Indonesian street food in a simple yet comfortable setting.
Restaurant name: Penyet World Express Address: 14, Jalan Tropika 1/1, Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/z1YzL GPS: 1.544679,103.710669 Hours: 11:30am to 10:00pm Halal cert in process
Inside Penyet World Express (PWE), it is comfortable, air conditioned, clean and neat. I like the colour theme here because apple green is my favourite colour :) It's such a calming and cheerful colour.
Ayam Penyet Traditional RM8.90
My friends will tell you that I am a crazy fan of ayam penyet. I can have ayam penyet everyday for a week for lunch at my favourite stall in Singapore near my old office.
Ayam penyet is made by smacking the deep fried chicken during the last stage of the dish's preparation, hence the name ayam penyet which is "flattened chicken" in Indonesian.
At PWE, chicken is coated with a crispy golden brown batter that keeps the inside of the meat moist and tender. We can taste the chicken's sweet natural juices.
PWE's ayam penyet comes with the usual tempeh and raw crunchy vegetables which are very clean and fresh.
PWE's sambal chili really kicks butts. It's an interesting blend of spiciness but it is not overly sharp or hot. It is made with a combination different varieties of chili peppers blended together.
The rice is a key element of good ayam penyet and yet the dish is often let down by use of poorer quality rice that are starchy and stuck together in wet clumps. PWE uses quality long grain fragrant rice.
I really love PWE's ayam penyet. It is actually better than my old favourite in Singapore which I used to eat nearly everyday.
Sotong Penyet RM8.90
Sotong penyet is the second top seller at PWE. At PWE, we can choose to have either the traditional raw vegetables or potato wedges and fries to go with our main dish. For our sotong penyet, we opted for the fries and wedges.
Ikan Penyet RM7.90
Besides ayam penyet, I am a big fan of ikan penyet. PWE's ikan penyet is excellent. JJ told me that customers often finish everything on the plate, leaving only the fish's backbone. JJ said that even the head is often eaten :)
Actually, that doesn't surprise me at all as that is also how I eat my ikan penyet :) The fish is so crispy, it is like keropok.
Fried eggplant or brinjal. PWE's signature batter does magic with every ingredient. The fried eggplant is crunchy crispy outside and soft and savoury inside. It's like a pisang goreng made with eggplant. I like this.
Fried bakso (beef balls).
Whole spring chicken RM17.90
PWE's popular spring chicken.
Coconut Shake RM4.90
This coconut shake is a "must try". Made from fresh fragrant coconuts, the creamy cold refreshing drink goes very well with fried and spicy food.
Bandung Soda RM3
I like this Bandung soda which is a slightly fizzy drink with real pandan flavour.
If you have an Indonesian Tehbotol craving, you can get your fix here at RM2 a pack.
PWE is an excellent place for a simple yet delicious lunch or dinner.
Date visited: 17 Oct 2013
Today, I found a good ayam penyet place in Setia Tropika thanks to the invite from JJ, one of the partners of Penyet World Express which serves delicious Indonesian street food in a simple yet comfortable setting.
Restaurant name: Penyet World Express Address: 14, Jalan Tropika 1/1, Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/z1YzL GPS: 1.544679,103.710669 Hours: 11:30am to 10:00pm Halal cert in process
Inside Penyet World Express (PWE), it is comfortable, air conditioned, clean and neat. I like the colour theme here because apple green is my favourite colour :) It's such a calming and cheerful colour.
Ayam Penyet Traditional RM8.90
My friends will tell you that I am a crazy fan of ayam penyet. I can have ayam penyet everyday for a week for lunch at my favourite stall in Singapore near my old office.
Ayam penyet is made by smacking the deep fried chicken during the last stage of the dish's preparation, hence the name ayam penyet which is "flattened chicken" in Indonesian.
At PWE, chicken is coated with a crispy golden brown batter that keeps the inside of the meat moist and tender. We can taste the chicken's sweet natural juices.
PWE's ayam penyet comes with the usual tempeh and raw crunchy vegetables which are very clean and fresh.
PWE's sambal chili really kicks butts. It's an interesting blend of spiciness but it is not overly sharp or hot. It is made with a combination different varieties of chili peppers blended together.
The rice is a key element of good ayam penyet and yet the dish is often let down by use of poorer quality rice that are starchy and stuck together in wet clumps. PWE uses quality long grain fragrant rice.
I really love PWE's ayam penyet. It is actually better than my old favourite in Singapore which I used to eat nearly everyday.
Sotong Penyet RM8.90
Sotong penyet is the second top seller at PWE. At PWE, we can choose to have either the traditional raw vegetables or potato wedges and fries to go with our main dish. For our sotong penyet, we opted for the fries and wedges.
Ikan Penyet RM7.90
Besides ayam penyet, I am a big fan of ikan penyet. PWE's ikan penyet is excellent. JJ told me that customers often finish everything on the plate, leaving only the fish's backbone. JJ said that even the head is often eaten :)
Actually, that doesn't surprise me at all as that is also how I eat my ikan penyet :) The fish is so crispy, it is like keropok.
Fried eggplant or brinjal. PWE's signature batter does magic with every ingredient. The fried eggplant is crunchy crispy outside and soft and savoury inside. It's like a pisang goreng made with eggplant. I like this.
Fried bakso (beef balls).
Whole spring chicken RM17.90
PWE's popular spring chicken.
Coconut Shake RM4.90
This coconut shake is a "must try". Made from fresh fragrant coconuts, the creamy cold refreshing drink goes very well with fried and spicy food.
Bandung Soda RM3
I like this Bandung soda which is a slightly fizzy drink with real pandan flavour.
If you have an Indonesian Tehbotol craving, you can get your fix here at RM2 a pack.
PWE is an excellent place for a simple yet delicious lunch or dinner.
