Wednesday 30 July 2014

Restaurant Tua Thow 大头餐室 @ Jalan Tun Abdul Razak , Johor Bharu

Restaurant Tua Thow 大头餐室 @ Jalan Tun Abdul Razak , Johor Bharu

Restaurant Tua Thow is located on the left side of Jalan Tun Abdul Razak if you come from City Square, is a end lot after a row of workshops. The location of Tua Thow is not really strategic as it is rather isolated from Johor Bahru centre, yet is a popular spot for lunch break and surprisingly crowded with white collars during lunch hour. In fact, we have visited Tua Thow twice due to its excellent soup stock, thus this post actually combines two meals.

They serve dried and soup noodles. Customers can opt for small, medium or big, the interesting part is the "small, medium or big" does not represent the portion and size of your meal, but the variety of ingredients to be added in the soup. "Small" costs RM5.00, "Medium" costs RM7.00 and "Big" costs RM10.00. Other than the ingredients predetermined by the price, you can customise your noodles by requesting for add-ons, for example baby abalone, additional prawn, squids and etc.
 Dry Noodles 干捞面  RM7
During our first visit, we ordered the "medium" noodles, one is dry version and the other is soup based version. The dried noodles is mixed well with dark say sauce and pork lard, just a normal dried noodles and nothing to shout about but the soup is excellent. Perhaps we visit Tua Thow around 2pm, where all the essence of meat and ingredients has merged into the soup, enable the soup taste extremely good with the meaty sweetness.
Soup Noodles 粿条汤  RM7
The soupy version comes with the same ingredients, comprising pig livers, pig kidney (which you can tell the boss to omit/replace it if you are not a lover of pig internal organs), pork slices, fish slices, fish maws and vegetables.
Dry Noodles 干捞面  RM10
While the RM10 version is served with additional ingredients i.e. fresh prawn, fishballs, meatballs and fish wantons.
Soup Noodles 汤面  RM10
Overall, I would describe the noodles and the soup as "porkilicious" and might be a very traditional Chinese cooking. If you love double-boiled pork bone soup, Tua Thow's noodles definitely will be your favourite too. But price-wise, I still think it is rather pricey considering the environment of the restaurant, which is quite warm.



Address : Restaurant Tua Thow 大头餐室
9 Jalan Tun Abdul Razak (Susur 4)
80100 Johor Bahru, Johor
GPS : N 1 28.924 E 103 45.179
(Location beside Mobil station)

Business Hour : 7.30am - 2pm (Sold Out)
Closed on Friday

Sunday 20 July 2014

Celebrating Mid Autumn With Gartien 小田佳園 Pineapple Cakes

Celebrating Mid Autumn With Gartien 小田佳園 Pineapple Cakes

Mid Autumn (In Chinese 中秋节) is coming in corner. During this festive, I believe most of the people will equip some delicacy to serve their guest. In order to create wave, this year Gartien 小田佳園 come out with its special Mid Autumn Festival design. To be outstanding from the traditional mooncakes, why not treat your guests with something special?
Beside this, the pineapples cakes is decorated in a paper-made box with special-to-festive packaging designs containing the picture of modern "Chang Er 嫦儿” and few cute rabbits, definitely a excellent and unique festive gift to friends and family. 
Each Box come with 10 pieces of pineapple cake in individual purple packet with flower printing on the packet. It shows that Gartien is so thorough and even take care of the design of the individual packet which most of the business owners neglects. When you are giving it to an important friend, it also shows the gift giver's sincerity. 
The home-made pineapples cakes is filled with a generous portion of pineapples paste. The pastry taste milky and butteryThe pineapple paste is moist while your taste buds will still be surprised by the pineapples pulps. This is because their pineapples fillings are hand cut to preserve the chewy texture of the pineapples. 
RM45 per box (Self Collection Only)

For all deliveries within Peninsular Malaysia & East Malaysia respectively, a fixed courier charges of RM10 & RM40 respectively will be imposed. In addition to the beautiful box, an exquisite paper bag will be provided too.

THE PROMOTION FOR THE MID AUTUMN
1. Booking order BEFORE 4 AUGUST 2014 for 5 boxes and above will be entitled to A BOX FREE.
2. Booking order AFTER 4 AUGUST 2014 (upon availability) for 10 boxes and above will be entitled to A BOX FREE.

Greeting advance Happy Mid Autumn Festival to everyone and your family.


Address : GARTIEN @ 小田佳園
380, Jalan Penang, 10000 Penang, Malaysia.
(next to Kek Seng Coffee Shop/格成茶室)
GPS : 5.416298, 100.329380

Business Hour : 9am-6pm (daily)
Tel : 04-229 0068

Websitewww.gartien.com

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Sizzling Stonegrill @ AEON Jusco Bukit Indah, Johor

Sizzling Stonegrill @ AEON Jusco Bukit Indah, Johor

Stone-grilled is no longer new in Johor Bahru, instead, the southern part of Malaysia was the first city the stone-grilled concept landed in our country. Subsequently, Stone Age was established in Penang. Despite it has been rooted in Johor Bahru for some time already, stone-grilled meal is still popular among Johorean. I've visited one in City Square Johor Bahru, now I am visiting another one located in AEON Jusco Bukit Indah. 
The exterior design of the restaurant definitely looks outstanding compared to the others. Natural brown and rough bricks wall successfully lead us into the stone age atmosphere. 

Tomyam Seafood Tong Hun  冬粉东炎海鲜汤  RM8.90
Tomyam Seafood Tong Hun is one of the popular choice here. The Tomyam Tong Hun is servedpiping hot in a steel box, which looks like the square pot that we used during camping. The steel box is bottomed with a hot stone,  enable the soupy tong hun boiling on your dining table. It is only RM8.90 for the generous portion of prawns, fish slices and sotong. As the temperature of the tom yam is maintained by the hot stone plate, the soup is hot and spicy throughout the meal. For those who allergy to seafood, the restaurant has an option for chicken.   
Stone Grilled Chicken Chop 石板烧烤鸡扒  RM13.90
The boneless chicken thigh is served raw on the hot stone plate and you can now be a chef to determine how cooked you want your meat to be! Remember to turn your steak or chop to the other side to avoid it to be over burnt, pour appropriate portion of BBQ sauce to add some flavour and seasoning to the chicken. The set meal is accompanied by two side dishes, and the sweet corns and french fries are my choice.

Honestly, it is really a worthy meal, as the stone-grilled chicken chop only costs RM13.90 with the special dining experience. The price is affordable while the taste of the foods, the dining atmosphere and the environment are not compromised with.  


Address : Sizzling Stonegrill
G22, Ground Floor,
AEON Jusco Bukit Indah
GPS : N 1 28.917 E 103 39.367

Business Hour : 10.30am - 9.30pm

Wednesday 2 July 2014

Dragon - I 笼的传人 @ Johor Bharu City Square, JB

Dragon - I 笼的传人 @ Johor Bharu City Square, JB

Dragon-I is not new to those in Klang Valley, but is only one and a half years old in City Square, Johor Bahru. In the absence of competition with Ding Tai Feng and Crystal Jade in Johor Bahru, Dragon-I is seen as the apple of shang hai dim sum's lovers' eyes. The opening of Dragon-I in City Square definitely fill the gap of Shang Hai dishes and dim sum cuisine in Johor Bahru. It has really attracted the crowded during the first few months of opening, it was "trendy" to queue up for Dragon-I but the passionate of having siew long bao continues until today. 
Shanghainese Steamed Meat Dumplings  上海小笼包  RM9.80
Siew Long Bao is a must in a Shanghai Restaurant. The taste is not too bad, but Ding Tai Fung's siew long bao still ranks as number-one in my list.
Braised Beancurd with Minced Meat
and Chili Sauce in Szechuan Style
 四川麻婆豆腐  RM18
Szechuan style braised beancurd is served in claypot. The thick and sticky gravy coats every single piece of beancurd, rendering the plain beancurd flavourful. The minced meat also make the dish abundant with additional sweetness and different biting textures. With a small spoon of the gravy, it can go with a big bowl of rice!  
Sauteed Fresh Kailan with Minced Garlic 蒜茸芥兰  RM18
Braised Chicken in Taiwanese Style  台湾三杯鸡  RM20
The dish is named as three-cups-chicken in mandarin, which is seasoned by rice wine, light soy sauce and sesame oil in the ratio of 1:1:1. The chicken cubes are sautéed with onions and different colours capsicum, makes the dishes more appetizing with the colourful presentation. The seasoning is just right to my taste, not too salty with a hint of chinese rice wine.  
Stewed Sliced Fish with Preserved Vegetable in
Szechuan Style 四川酸菜鱼片  RM28
Stewed Sliced Fish looks good from the menu, but the taste was only of average and below my expectation. The fish was plain and the dried chilies did not really perform its role.  
Stewed Egg Plant with Minced Pork in Casserole
鱼香茄子肉松煲  RM18
Last but not least, another vegetable on the dining table, which is slightly heavy in flavour. Egg Plants are stewed with salted fish, minced pork and needles mushroom. The egg plants are slightly fried to maintain its beautiful purple and looks more attractive.  

The portion of the dishes are quite decent to cater 4-5 people with a reasonable price, considering the good and comfortable environment for family dining. 

地址 : Dragon - I 笼的传人
Lot 33-36, Level 3, Johor Bharu City Square
(Off Tower) 106 - 108 Jalan Wong Ah Fook,
Johor Bahru
GPS : N1 27.670 E103 45.849

营业时间 : 11.30am - 9.30pm
Tel : 07 - 2221288