Zoom zoom! I used to head across the causeway for suppers or vacations about twice a week before I got tied down. By the ring on my ring finger? No! Somehow my life has been so exciting that we could not find time until this trip. To our horror, the last time the man swept me off to Johor Bahru was 1 year ago!
Being so deprived and since there was not much time, instead of a to-do list, I have a to-eat list. I have my mind set on all the must-eats once I get there. Who knows when is the next time I will get to hop over again...
We sleep in until late on the first day before making our way over the causeway and reached in time for brunch. With so much social media coverage on cafes and bakeries sprouting all over Malaysia like mushrooms after a rainy day, there's no way a foodie like me can give it a miss!
Seven Oaks Bakery Café
Address: 134, Jalan Serampang, Taman Tebrau Jaya, 80400 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Hours: Open today · 9AM–11PM
We managed to grab a parking lot right in front of the bakery and the friendly staff informed us that we need to get carking coupon as the chances of getting fined is pretty high. So we walked further down and got some at a stationery shop.
Out from the unforgiving scorching sun, we entered the 4 level building. First level is where the functional bakery and display shelves of breads and pastries for sale are. The second level is very nicely décor-ed, grand and classy. The patrons there at that point of time were pretty well-dressed. Suddenly, I felt a little conscious on my laidback attire and manicured toes exposed in my sloppy flip-flops. I smiled sheepishly while the waiter ushered us to our table next to a window and my hunger took over immediately.
We ordered Lamb Shank (RM 42.90), Seven Oaks Buger Set (RM 23.00) and our food arrived. Personally, these 2 main courses are mediocre. Maybe I order the wrong items...
The main attraction for me to the café is the highly-raved Salted Egg Yolk Lava Croissant because I have an immense penchant for anything salted egg. However, they are only available at 2pm. We waited until 2pm, went down to level 1 to order two croissants and waited for them to be warmed up and sent up to us.
The buttery croissant is soft and flaky and I wobbled with joy when I tasted the savoury and sweet salted egg yolk that oozed out. I noticed that the salted egg yolk is different from the ones we always get in many of the overly processed "salted-egg" stuff we get out there. The lava tasted of the real deal, the distinct umami within the rich briny salted egg yolks hits the taste buds immediately. This is super awesome stuff!
We then checked into our hotel and when on with our shopping in KSL City Mall and booked our movies tickets for the next day. Time flew by and it was dinner time and we were just strolling along the shop houses nearby and chanced upon this brightly lit coffee shop at the one end of Jalan Serigala. I can't find the unit number but it's just across the road from the Geylang Lor 9 Fresh Frog Porridge place.
118 Food House
Address: Jalan Serigala, Taman Abad, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Everywhere else was either closed or quiet. This place had the most people at around 10pm on a Friday, so we followed our instincts, it can't go too wrong and settled our dinner there if there's human traffic.
We order a dry version of Bak Kut Teh, something we don't normally find in Singapore. It's full-flavored and I can taste the wok-hei in this dish, again something we don't normally find in most Singapore coffee shops. That was the first time I tried the Dry Bak Kut Teh and I like it! It's a little spicy and the dark sauce goes so well with rice and although it taste a tad bit similar to Kung Pow sauce, I still like it enough to reminisce of it after I got back from the vacation. On a side note, their home-made barley drink was so nice that we each had a second cup before we end our first day on a satisfied note.
Before we retired for the night, we walked over to a nearby spa for a foot massage.
Sawadee Thai Spa
Address: 193, Jalan Dato Sulaiman, Taman Century, Johor Bahru, Johor 80250
We like this place because the cosy and relaxing ambience. There's ample parking within their compound so we would not be too worried if we drove.
On our second day, we hung out mostly in KSL City Mall as our movie was schedule in the middle of the day. We woke up late in the morning again and rushed to the mall to squeeze in a brunch session. We saw this dim sum restaurant's giant decal advertisement on the auto-doors entering to the mall and since we both love dim sum, we made a bee line straight to the restaurant which happens to be just next to the cinema.
D' Shanghai (大上海点心)
Address: No 33, Jalan Seladang, Taman Abad, Level 2-132 (B), KSL City, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
I will not say much because just looking at the pictures make me so hungry all over again. Menu is extensive in my personal view, I need more than one visit to try everything that I fancied. All the dishes we order met my expectations (except two, but they were still decent because the rest were really good). Our smiles beamed bright after we saw our final bill... We endured the jam and travelled far for this perk, so it's super worthy.
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Our order
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We ordered 1 serving of original Xiao Long Bao and another of Rice Wine Xiao Long Bao. The rice wine version brings out the already sweet broth swimming in the thin-skinned pouch. I can't emphasis enough that this is a must try.
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Guan Tang Jiao (灌湯餃) is one of the decent one
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Scallops in Yam Balls was a little dry
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Prawn Rice Noodle Roll
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Rice Noodles with Mushrooms and Fried Fritters
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I am so impressed with D' Shanghai that I highly recommended my colleague to drop by when I heard she spending a day over in Johor. She came back raving about their dim sum as well.
We enjoyed our movie and spent the rest of the day strolling down the isles of Tesco, a place both the man and I love.
It's dinner time once again and we headed to our old haunt, Arashi Shabu Shabu Restaurant in the mall. Still as good as before, click here for my review.
Full from our early dinner, we requested for hotel masseuses to drop by our hotel room and the both of us had full body massage. We also bought some durian for our supper and that wrapped up our second day of our vacation.
We woke up on the third day, skipped breakfast, packed up and checked out the hotel. Off we go to our lunch location.
Nam Moon Korean BBQ
Address: 31, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Hours: Open today · 11AM–10PM
This restaurant is always filled with some Korean patrons indicating authenticity of the traditional cuisine they serve. They offer both sets and ala carte options in the menu and you can choose to have the well-marinated meat grilled in their kitchen or at the table grill right in front of you.
We always go for the set for 2-3 which does not seem much until all is served, with the banchan. The meal is super scrumptious and filling that I could not eat much of dinner at the end of the day.
I will not be doing justice if I don't mention the heavenly Korean Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajeon). It is so well seared that it's crispy on the outside, slightly chewy on the inside. Stuffed full of seafood and scallions, we can't get enough of this pancake although the serving is really big.
Best of all, they serve my favourite Korean Ginger Cinnamon Tea (Sujeonggwa) after the meal. This sweet & spicy drink warms up the body and aids digestion. The bill came and we beamed ever so brilliantly again.
Banchan galore!
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Very authentic Kimchi Soup
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My dearest Korean Seafood Pancake, I miss you so~
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Feeling contented that I have polished of all the must-eats that I had listed, we made our way just across the road for our final massage.
Foot Mark Therapy Reflexology Sdn. Bhd.
Address: No.10, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru, 80400, Johor Bahru, Johor, 80400, Malaysia
Service is good, the guys did an extremely good job exfoliation all the dead skin from the man feet and I tried the Ba Guan treatment for my soles.
Completely refreshed and rejuvenated, we wrapped up the trip with a car wash and headed home. I just realised have, once again, expanded my to-eat list.
So much food, so little time...
