Roast & Coffee - Retro Garden 1968's, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Johor Bahru

Roast & Coffee (62 & 63 Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, tel : +60 11-1895 6100) came up on our radar sometime late last year. They're a Nanyang cafe that isn't dissimilar to Oriental Kopi.

Got a couple of drinks. Butter kopi's respectably robust and that ice cham was surprisingly good with a nice tea flavour.

Curry lava egg - a couple of soft boiled eggs on toast soaked in curry. Nothing unexpected here and pretty good eat.

These guys use pretty good tasting otah that's filled with bits of fish. Enjoyed their otah omelette sandwich.

This was called Madam J seafood mihun. Seafood consisted of prawns and couple of squid rings. The former was nice - sweet and fresh tasting, filled with tomalley that was spilling out as you detached the heads. The broth was savoury, not exactly seafood-y and filled with evaporated milk and hua diao (花雕)? Appreciated how the home made fried shallots added to the broth. Delicious as a whole but the portion was kinda small. 

Chef Hainanese Western Food, Margaret Drive Hawker Centre

I ate once at Chef Hainanese Western Food years ago back at Tanglin Halt food centre and haven't gotten any food from them since they've migrated to their current location (#01-32 Margaret Drive Hawker Centre, 38A Margaret Drive). I remember being not impressed by their mixed grill but it was a long time back. Here's a fresh start getting reacquainted.

Portions were huge. This was their Chef Set 4. Crinkle cut fries tasted potato-y and unexpectedly addictive. Cheap pink sausage was cheap pink sausage. Chicken chop's actually pretty good with nice charring and the meat wasn't overly thin or dried out. Not a fan of their breaded fish....think that's dory. Potato was surprisingly sweet and naturally flavoured. The coleslaw which didn't have any sauce/mayo was the weakest link. One actually has to pay a dollar for tartare sauce here.

Oh I have missed thee, spicy dry Megamen

It has been a while. Still loving the spicy dry Megamen from Brothers Ramen (一, 二 , 三, 四, 五, 六, 七, 八, 九). The one thing I thought could have been improved on this precarious mound of noodles + bean sprouts + minced garlic + seaweed + ajitama + pork fat was their thick charshu from a cut of pork which is kinda boring and lean. Like maybe bring back that braised pork belly. One can hope.

Formaggi con burrata di Parma from Fernando's Pizza

 

Fernando's New York Slices at Margaret Market has been renamed Fernando's Pizza. I'm wondering if the change could be due to the fact that that some of their toppings are starting to look more Italian and, assuming that I'm not imagining it, I'm seeing the wispy spectres of Zazz Pizza on the menu here. Man I miss Zazz Pizza.

Anyways, this was Mozzarella, Taleggio, Gorgonzola, burrata, prosciutto di Parma and figs. How could I say no to them? I did wish that they were more generous with those figs and perhaps, not have them cut up so small. Otherwise, great combination of umami and milky saltiness accented by some of that stinkiness from the Gorgonzola and creaminess from the burrata. Good with and without their spicy hot honey.

Liang Kee Teochew Seafood (亮記潮州菜), Bukit Merah Lane

If my memory serves, the stall that is Liang Kee Teochew Seafood (127 Bukit Merah Lane 1) used to be Beo Crescent Hokkien Mee. What I aren't sure about is, if this was the same Liang Kee as the one I ate at 10 years ago. I think it was.

Nice cai por hor fun. Lots of crunch from the kailan and bean sprouts paired with wok hei on those scorched rice noodles. There's bits of squid in it too.

Pork aspic was delicious. Once it's been out for a little bit, the gelatine would melt with umami in the mouth. Together with the bits of pork, it tasted like some head cheese terrine.

Their bitter gourd omelette was the most loaded one we've ever had. Lots of sliced bitter gourd in it.

Pretty nice orh nee with pumpkin.

Will come back again.

Nanyang Fried Chicken Rice (南洋香脆雞), Hong Lim Food Centre

Came across Nanyang Fried Chicken Rice (#02-09 Hong Lim Food Center, 531A Upper Cross Street) at the unit where BurGrill used to be. Just right next door to Ah Fatt Handmade Fishball Noodle. Fried chicken's pretty decent with crunchy bits on the outside. Chicken rice was nicely flavoured but a little dry - would be awesome if they could improve on this taking cue from the veterans; those are not far from being good enough to eat on their own. Chilli's lime-y and bright. Ajitama with molten yolk's tender and infused with shoyu flavour. Not bad.