tesss

I guess I like Alvin Leung's cooking style enough to want to check out his local venture at The Capitol Kempinski. Perhaps it was him, or the menu even so off for dinner I went. The swanky hotel somehow failed to impress me at hello - there was a gap in the perceived and presented luxury. 15 by Stamford is not difficult to find since they are the only food and beverage establishment on the ground floor and even without a signboard, we found ourselves at our reserved table in no time. The restaurant is huge and for the capacity that it has, I wonder how often is it operating at full capacity. The bar itself however is more enticing with cosy corners and that sprawling bar counter - next time I muse. The waiter assigned to our table is incredibly helpful, he gave his honest opinions and recommendations. Chargrilled Singapore Chicken Satay and Peanut Sauce ($18) Truth be told I balked at the price tag because every stick costs $3. They remind me of those presented at The Ampang Kitc...

Bak Kut Teh at breakfast only makes sense in JB, the numerous options available and until JB, I wonder who eats meat for breakfast? And because Hwa Bee is such a favourite amongst the family, we have not been able to find another BKT specialist that trumps this herbal version, yet. Prices have taken a hike since our last visit!  We ordered our usual staples and had another of those tummy bursting yet so satisfying meal. My previous escapades would give an idea how awesome their specialty is, and they do it so darn well. One , Two , Three delicious attempts and now the fourth! The best achievement this time round is not just about having my Bak Kut Teh and eating it but doing it with our littlest in tow. I hope he grows up and enjoys a hearty slurp of this in future! For now, he is content befriendly the furry cats and making sense of the loud aunties and uncles in this dowdy coffeeshop. Hwa Mei ak Kut Teh (Restoran Ah Bee) 146 Jalan Lumba Kuda, Bukit Chagar Johor Bahru

~Invited Session~ Bak Bak is Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh's latest venture and famed for Teochew White Pepper Bak Kut Teh, Bak Bak presents an opportunity for their new creations aimed at younger consumers. With just 4 cubicles, diners can recreate their Ichiran experience by ordering and paying for their meal through an exclusive app, ServedbyAlfred. Wait to be serve and leave! How simple infact and this is completely in line with the gorvernment's call for a Smart Nation. Pork Rib Soup with Sea Cucumber ($17.50)  A hot favourite at the Sin Ming outlet amongst the elderly crowd, this is packed with collagen and is highly recommended as nutritious choice on their menu.Those sea cucumber slices were simmered till tender and though sounded strange on paper, worked as a combination. Premium Dragon Rib Soup ($10.50) Apart from their usual pork ribs, these dragon ribs are the equivalent of tomahawks with those hammer like rib bones. Meaty and very tender, this is what makes Rong Cheng...

I have written about this favourite bak kut teh place to death by now, no secret infact how this ranks tops in my life of BKT places in JB. Oh well, make it all of Singapore as well. Hwa Mei Bak Kut Teh's bewitching hour was on a Sunday at 10am no less - except for the single rude couple who decided to engage in a tug of war of chairs from our table without replacing. No queues, weather was good enough to eat something so piping hot as breakfast and...it felt like my kind of Sunday. You Tiao  I'm not sure how fried dough sticks and BKT are even related but these taste better dunked in the broth than eaten on their own. Tau Pok (RM 3.20) Same goes with tau pok, braised in soy sauce somehow tastes good with BKT too. Bak Kut Teh And the bomb. It definitely took a few brews to get us the rich and potent broth that we usually get at 2pm. Simmering for hours in the claypot does wonders to the spiced broth. We had three refills of soup before calling it a day but I am not sure how lon...

I shall not hide my infatuation and support for Malaysia's herbal bak kut teh over our peppery ones anyday. And even with so many stalls selling this blackened broth with pork ribs simmering, my personal favourite is still Hwa Mei's. With lunch hour closing at 2pm and us reaching at 1pm, I thought we could get a table easily which turned out to be a test of patience and dealing with diners who decided that lunch should be the most leisurely meal of the day. Synonymous with bak kut teh is tea cup washing. The menu board that hardly gets changed, the yellowing edges is telling of age right? Everyone was so busy that day, infact every visit. From cleaning tables to taking orders and finally scooping rice, everyone was so busy and we waited long enough for the pork ribs to be cooked till tender and passed the chef's eye. I hope these kopitiam scenes will never become passe, tucking into bak kut teh without my dripping wet chopsticks and porcelain spoons is not the same. Preserv...