森苑 E Farm Restoran

On the way back from Kuantan, Sis and Bro In Law suggested we stop by at the foothill of Genting for dinner. The English name of the place is quite funny - E Farm. The location is not somewhere you might come across easily. But the food was good.

The environment is cooling and relaxing.

The restaurant offers good river fish. For those that are not familiar with Chinese food, river fishes can be very expensive due to its rarity. So please do not order if you are not sure and did not ask the price properly. 

Anyway, the dish that made a mark in my head is this free-range chicken in pig stomach soup. The soup is strongly peppered. But the chicken skin is the most crunchy I have ever tasted. The only other time I tasted such crunchy chicken skin is in Betong, Thailand.

The river fish we ordered is called "Sun Yue". I have no idea what species or its name in other language. But the meat is smooth and firm. And most importantly, because it is not farmed fish, there is no smell of river soil (if you know what I mean). The best way to eat a fresh free-range fish is steam.

The next interesting dish is the frozen sweet sour pork. A good frozen sweet sour pork must be crunchy cold on the outside and juicy hot inside. They have made it quite well. 

Then we have seafood tofu for the kids.

The steamed calamari is suitable for people who are on "Clean Diet". Too clean for me :P

The price of the whole dinner is not cheap, but given the quality of food, we'd say it is quite fair. We would go back again if we do pass Karak Highway again.

MAP: Google Map to E Farm

森苑E Farm Restoran, Kampung Bukit Tinggi, Pahang, Malaysia

Quickie: Ngap Thui Mein (Herbal Duck Meat Noodles) @ Bidor

Everyone goes to Pun Chun, while this stall in Restoran Sin Thean Thean stays inconspicuous at the corner (cross beween Jalan Besar and Jalan Dewan Orang Ramai).

The lady sells herbal duck noodles and wanton noodles.

Just the look at the noodles already win over Pun Chun's.

Need I say more? Don't think so.

MAP: Google map to Sin Thean Thean

Restoran Foon Lock @ Kampung Bukit Tinggi

I love to stop by Kampung Bukit Tinggi whenever I travel to either Genting or Berjaya's Bukit Tinggi. I would eat and shop some unique foodstuff there. So far, we kept going back to Restoran Foon Lock as we miss some of the food there. 

One of its specialty is the Sang Har Don Fun (freshwater prawn glass noodles). 

The prawns are extra large (to the extent that you'll find meat in the prawns' claws). It is slightly spicy so kids may not be suitable. 

Claypot ginger wine chicken 

Double-boiled freshwater turtle soup (Don't ask about the taste, I didn't take it)

Deep fried tofu. Not memorable.

Kids and visitors' favourite. Stir-fried Crispy Pork Belly. It is thinly cut. Crispy and tastes salty-sweet.

Another specialty of Foon Lock: Claypot Freshwater Fish. To tell the truth, I don't really get this dish. The only plus I see this is that the claypot keep the fish warm. Other than that, it is much the same like a steam fish.

Traffic and parking is a problem there. People goes there during weekends for food and shopping vegetables (especially ginger). But going there once a while on holiday, it is still bearable.

MAP: Google map to Foon Lock

Hoong Tho, eating memories

It was at least 25 years back when we would visit Hoong Tho, for Wat Tan Hor, Jar Wanton, Yue Sang Juk and Yue Watt Yee Meen. Along the way, we stopped coming due to the area turning touristy and the sometimes exorbitant price they charged during the festive seasons. But there are some good memories with my family that jam or price cannot stop me from coming back, though not as often.

I remembered having Yue Watt (fish paste) in Hoong Tho. So we ordered a plate of Giong Choong Yue Watt (Fish Paste Fried with Ginger and Spring Onion)

We also ordered Jar Chuen Kuen (Fried Spring Roll)

Wat Tan Hor - Flat rice noodles with smooth egg sauce

Hoong Tho Meen - basically yee meen (dried fried yellow noodles) with thick sauce with sprinkles of Har Ji (shrimp toast)

As kids, the highlight of our visit is the fried wanton with sweet sour sauce. I remembered that dad always had to request for extra sauce because we kids love them.

Now the same thing applied to the next generation. Wonder if the kids will have similar fond memories like we did.

Map: Google Map to Hoong Tho

Personal glimpse: The fondest memory I had was having Yue Pin Juk (Fish Slice Porridge). This was where I was introduced and where I fell in love with cantonese porridge. They used to set up a small stove at the front of the shop to serve up this dish. But now they no longer serve porridge in Hoong Tho. Maybe some things are best left in the corner of our mind to be drawn out once in a while and reminisced. The longer it is kept, the sweeter they are.

Port Dickson's Lucky Kings Bun

Creamy curry chicken wrapped within soft chewy bun.

Verdict? Good.

Compared to Kampar? The sauce is thicker here.

Any complaint? Some say the gravy has very strong curry powder taste.

Price? RM30 for a curry chicken bun.

What else? They have a 2-in-1 curry pork and dung po yuk (soy sauce spiced pork) wrapped within a bun ~ RM38.

Where?

No 4366, Taman Aman, Jalan Besar, 71010, Port Dickson, NSDK

Open to reservation? Yes @ 06 651 2392

Golden Sea Restaurant [黄金海岸海鲜村] @ Morib

A family trip back in 2013.. more precisely, a company's family day in Morib. We did not manage to visit the beach. The only private stop we made was this restaurant. I feel it is a good stop as the environment is very relaxing. The kids get to play sand a bit. We get the feel of a beach holiday, albeit just for a brief moment.

The highlights of our lunch was the three dishes below..

Salted Egg Mantis Prawn ~ cantonese called Har Go (蝦蛄) / Lai Liu Ha (攋尿蝦) 

Best eaten hot when the batter is still crunchy on the outside and soft inside. The salted egg covered prawns were gragrant and flavourful. It was really good with a cold beer.

Butter Fried Prawn

The prawns size were reasonable. The fresh meat were crunchy and juicy. 

Steamed Grouper

The best way to enjoy fresh fish will be  清 蒸  or simply translated as "clear steam" where minimal ingredients were used. The fish was reasonably fresh (I wouldn't say very very fresh). 

Including a vegetable dish, it cost us about RM100+-. I think it is a good stop for some relaxing environment and reasonably good seafood.

Address:

Lot 13045, Batu 29 1/2, | Kanchong Laut, (Morib), Banting, Malaysia

Nostalgic revisit to Law Chang Kee In Nibong Tebal

   My dad, being in transport business, frequently brought us travelling through the north and south trunk road. He would stopped at the different towns and introduced us to some of the good eats there.
So when we travelled back from Penang using the new 2nd link, I took the opportunity to stop by Nibong Tebal for dinner. I told the lil monsters this is where their gong gong brought mommy for dinner when mommy was their age. 

   

The blanched baby octopus was most vivid in my memory. Though I avoided them when I was young, now I appreciate its simple and crunchy texture. Real good appetiser combined with the sauce provided.                             

I also took the opportunity to introduce the lil monsters to my favourite prawn dish that their po po used to cook for the family. I wonder assam prawn is a teo chew or hokkien dish but it is a taste that remains strong in my heart.

I found this fried potato leaves with tau choo (fermented soy bean) on the menu list. PM requested for this vege, and it was a good and interesting choice. 

Of course I have to also order this soup, since it forms part of my childhood memory of this place. The lil monsters loved it all the same. Crunchy fish balls, tasty seaweed..

Ben gave a thumbs up for this "Tri-Flavour Fish". Deep fried threadfin fish fillet laden with thinly shredded fried ginger and drizzled with sweet sour sauce. The kick comes from the chopped chilli padi. Goes really well with white rice.

For the lil monsters, I have also included this prawn meat roll in my order. They walloped most of the pieces, leaving Ben and me just enough to taste. Sigh.. haven't I told you they are monsters?

By 7pm, the place is quite packed. Lucky we reach there before that. It was a good meal. Good then, still good now.

Oh I miss you papa..

Tepian Tebrau

I love street food. I love it even more when I can share the joy with all my friends and family. There's a grilled fish stall here that is halal, so many of my Muslim colleagues would definitely visit this place when they are in Johor Bahru.

In case you are not sure where it is, google the road name below..

The grilled fish stall I referred to is Tip Top B.B.Q. Ikan Bakar. It is situated at the corner end of the row of stalls.

Customers can choose the seafood they like from the table.

Pari or stingray has always been my favourite ikan bakar (grilled fish) choice. I like the strong pungent chilli spices used to grill the fish.

I have also grown to love sotong (squid) if they cook it right.

Right beside the grilled fish stall is a stall selling cooling drinks to sooth our scorching throat after the fiery ikan bakar.

We ordered "ching po leong", a chinese dessert drink that has cooling effects. Good to balance the heat from next door.

I truly enjoy the "ching po leong" as it is laden with many chewable goodies. These herbs/seeds are also good for cleansing. Nyum..

Then we have another stall named "Yong" that serves killer tauhu bakar (grilled tofu).

 The tofu is real crispy and laden with sweet fragrant prawn sauce. The taste can't be described.... 

Of course I wouldn't miss a chance to grab a couple of otak-otak (grilled fish stick). 

I have fond memories of stripping down these sticks with my family. The blend of sweet and spicy is enhanced with the fragrant smell from the grilled coconut or nipah palm leaf. Owh.. I miss it already..