Eateries in Johor Bahru Part I

Date:13.8.2009

Time : 0830

Place : Johor Bahru

This morning I together with my friend, LPL, partook of breakfast at a very old shoplot at Jalan Maju, Johor Bahru. This particular street is also known as "newspaper street" as many newspaper outlets are located here.

This shop has been here for many many years and serves mainly "dim sum".

The decor is below mediocre as the available space is clustered with non-functional tables.

Now you ask yourself, do you come here for food or to admire the decor?

As I might have a second invitation for breakfast, so my nourishment is only restricted to "tai bau" and "siew mai". Of course, I also order my usual liquid concoction of coffee, sugar and water.

My personal preference for "tai bau" is that it should not contain too much of "beet" ( aka big water chestnut, jam beans ??, mangkuang, turnips, actually I don't know the English word equivalent, do you want to help? ) as it upsets the simple harmonic motion of biting to the mouth. However, my father loves to have a combination of soft and hard filling as it gives rise to dual sensation of biting. To me, any food preparer of "big pau" includes deliberately too much of mangkuang is tantamount to cheating as it overshadows the main character of the filling which is minced pork. Surprisingly, little trace of this filler is found.

"Tai Bau"

"The Eatery Place"

Black "Kopi-O"

Not too bad.

"Siew Mai"

This " siew mai" is rather scanty, nothing much to shout about. The red-topping is not the real crab-roe or salted egg yolk. If you ask the shopkeeper, the answer might return as a "secret recipe". I am tired of people telling me that there is such thing as secret recipe. If you are diligent enough, you might be able to get information on construction of rocket, let alone "siew mai".

Sorry, I am in no position to give rating on the foods served.