Tampoi Ah B Wan Tan Mee (淡杯阿B全蛋云吞面) @ Johor Jaya in Johor Bahru [Malaysia]

It had been a long time since I last visited the region of Johor Jaya but Tampoi Ah B Wan Tan Mee came so strongly recommended (and repeated numerous times); we had to come down, especially given my recent craving for wanton mee! 

For a slow Monday morning in a pretty quiet neighborhood, it's quite surprising to see an almost full-house turnout for this air-conditioned eatery. 

Without further ado, let's go straight for the food! Ordering via the QR code; the notice was so badly maintained that I initially assumed it was just some publicity notice that had expired a while ago! 

Deep Fried Wantans - crispy they sure were with nuggets of filling that could have been perfect if there was a dollop of creamy sweet mayonnaise, served separately! Maybe I should have just asked.

Signature Wantan Egg Noodle (Small) - In Singapore, small is not exactly small but in Malaysia, I came to the realization that small could really be just a handful. Not a bad thing for someone who loves to eat as I would have stomach for other stuff!

Said to be made using duck egg, the egg wanton mee came in three styles; white, black and red (which I presume would be the color for spicy). Above was black. Plating was messed up by Alex as he assumed I ordered the same as him, and started digging in!

I love egg noodles! They were thinner yet springier and had better texture compared to mee kia! And of course, this traditional wanton mee its strands of noodles coated with yummy lard oil! Only thing was that the white one was a tad bland and I prefer the black one which was more strongly flavored, aside from being a tad sweeter too.

Interestingly, I love the green chilli; crunchy and not as spicy! And of course, I can't deny that having loads of crispy pork lard sprinkled on top of the noodles appeal strongly to me; the more the merrier! 

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A good meal but would I travel so far in for wanton mee? Hm... maybe it's easier to go with the kaya butter toast and chicken rice from Lynns Food & Beverage.

Address

67, Jalan Dedap 4, Taman Johor Jaya, 

81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Map

As above.

Menu

As above.

Pricing

Deep Fried Wantans - RM 8.00

Signature Wantan Egg Noodle (Small) - RM 8.50

Back-Neck-Shoulder Massage at Garden Spa in La Charm Hoi An Hotel @ Hoi An [Vietnam]

After checking out the old town of Hoi An, my aching back and shoulder were in severe need for a massage and the most convenient for us would be the garden spa within our hotel, La Charm Hoi An Hotel! 

With just half an hour to go before it closed for the day; we opted for the 30-minute back-neck-shoulder massage for a quick fix before bedtime on our first night in the charming City of Lanterns.

I was impressed with the pre-massage refreshments; tea, dried fruits and dates! It's unfortunate that the tea was served at room temperature, which was a bummer for my inner Chinese soul. 

Again taken back by the flower and lemongrass infused water used to soak and wash my feet. That's a refreshing take to what I had been accustomed so far from the recent massages I had in Malaysia. Sometimes, they don't even wash my feet!

Brought up the spiral staircase to the second level.

Wondering how the elderly would navigate up and down. 

We were the last two customers! Frankly, the massage was alright; I wouldn't say it's bad but not great enough for me to doze off and drool a bit. Maybe we could only blame ourselves as 30 minutes passed pretty quickly.

Expecting a hot cup of tea but no, our teacups were still at the original position on the table. At 250,000 dong for 30 minutes, it's not expensive. However, I guess I wouldn't mind giving other massage parlors a try. 

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Address

64 Đào Duy Từ, Phường Cẩm Phổ, 

Hội An, Quảng Nam 51000, Vietnam

(within La Charm Hoi An Hotel & Spa)

Spa Menu

As above.

Click here for my 8 Days' Itinerary to Danang (The City of Bridges) & Hoi An (The City of Lanterns) in Vietnam

A&W Restaurant in Bird Paradise (Public Area) @ Singapore

What's your childhood memory of fast food? For most people of my generation, it would be McDonald's but for me; A&W was the most memorable! Sadly, it closed its last outlet in 2003, when I was merely a young adult still incapable of holding a full time job.

Thankfully, it made a comeback in 2019 and I guess the latest branch for The Great Root Bear would be this particular branch at Bird Paradise! p.s. I have had A&W a few times since its reopening but usually for its desserts. 

Ordering through the self service kiosk! p.s. it was expected that pricing would be much higher here but we were, simply put, too hungry! Here's what we had.

A&W Root Beer - first up would be the drinks, and I absolutely can't resist A&W frosted mug root beer! Best when it comes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Absolutely delish and thirst quenching! Those who know me well would be aware I am not a fan of carbonated drinks; only exception would be root beer, especially if it's from A&W!

Mozza Burger - Dad went with this beef burger that looked totally mouthwatering on the digital screen menu! Although it's for my dad, I can't wait to unravel the beauty within, and hopefully steal a small bite.

The situation when actual differs from illustration! The bun was soft and nice but for a burger, I would say there's no way I am going back for this average tasting yet pricey S$9.30 burger.

Golden Aroma Chicken - I go weak for fried chicken and this order was a no brainer for both Joyce and I since we had been on a starch restricted diet for the longest time! 

Said to be hand breaded, I must I was surprised that the flavor of the batter was pretty good; okay, maybe not as herb-and-spice as KFC but sufficient for me to consider re-ordering in the future! I also love that the batter wasn't too thick, and the meat was incredibly juicy!

Waffle with Butter and Syrup - while the root beer is a must-order whenever I patronize A&W restaurants; the waffle is the second item that I most frequently have. With three of us, it's a given the waffle would be a dessert staple! p.s. not counted as starch in my contradicting opinion.

Butter, syrup and waffle; the very best combination!

Sinful it sure is; and not good for someone trying to lose weight.

Batter was green?! Why did it deviate from the usual waffle with butter and syrup? I took a closer look at the menu; right here at A&W branch in Bird Paradise, they served pandan flavored waffle! Why, why, why!? 

I love pandan but not in waffle form, and it didn't help that the exterior wasn't crisp! Furthermore, the texture was chewy; a major letdown for my taste buds and an utter waste of calories! 

Grudgingly cleaned up everything. I was telling myself; "Cavin, please open your eyes big big and note the name of the waffle the next time you are at A&W"! 

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Address

20 Mandai Lake Rd, #02-01,

Bird Paradise, Singapore 729825

Map

As above. 

Menu

As above.

Pricing

A&W Root Beer - S$3.70

A&W Root Beer Float - S$4.90

Mozza Burger - S$9.30

Golden Aroma Chicken - S$23.90 (6 pieces) 

Waffle with Butter and Syrup - S$9.60

(Inclusive of GST)

Madam Kwan's Nasi Lemak @ Mid Valley Southkey, in Johor Bahru [Malaysia]

I still remember the times when Malaysian style nasi lemak went upmarket for the domestic market in Singapore but the pricing of almost S$10 was deemed too exorbitant when a local nasi lemak went for only about S$3-4 more than a decade ago. 

Nevertheless, I did enjoy Madam Kwan's when I visited Mid Valley Kuala Lumpur in 2013 and hence, imagine my surprise when I chanced upon its branch at Mid Valley Southkey Johor Bahru (JB), which was much closer to Singapore! 

Interior of the restaurant; it was emptied of people simply because it was only about 10.00 am and I guess Singaporeans were still clearing customs. Having said that, I am not sure if people are even aware about this eatery given its obscure location. 

Outside seating for those who love the hot and humid weather.

Not for Singaporeans, generally speaking. 

Contactless ordering and I love how they even provide the Wi-Fi name and password for internet access! This should be the default case for all eateries asking us to order via QR code. 

Local Coffee - I was expected normal kopi and totally didn't expect a more classy version that's literally kopi-o kosong, and served in a pot! That's making a mockery for a local Malaysian brand. 

Nasi Lemak Curry Chicken - the signature for Madam Kwan's, the appearance of this visually pleasing dish was sufficient reason to whet my appetite, and I usually don't have breakfast! Surrounding the ball of steamed coconut rice would be a piece of curry chicken, "sambal ikan bilis, shrimp floss, hardboiled egg, acar and sliced cucumbers"! 

Special mention to the bed of stir fried onions underneath the broken bits of ikan ibilis. I personally don't quite like ikan bilis as they tend to overwhelm with their saltiness but in this case, the smaller parts complemented perfectly with the sweetness of the onions! Acar (spicy pickled vegetables) was also an explosion of flavors! Kudos! 

Best way to eat would be to mix up a bit of everything; the aromatic rice added with the acar, the ikan bilis, a bit of curry chicken and some shrimp floss! Perfect scope every single time! I did feel that the chicken was as delicious as I recalled although the gravy remained thick and creamy. 

A satisfied stomach that made the brain guilty as this was after a running session at the gym (of the connected St Giles Hotel). Kind of negate the calories I burnt earlier. 

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Address

Lot F-001, Mid Valley Southkey, 1, 

Persiaran Southkey 1, Southkey, 

80150 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Map

As above.

Pricing

Local Coffee - RM 6.90

Nasi Lemak Curry Chicken - RM 22.90

(Subject to Service Charge and Tax)