Travel: Johor Bahru

Very normal Thai milk tea - nothing in particular to rave about. I did like that it wasn't too sweet and the tea itself was quite fragrant. Portion was quite big, but then again it isn't exactly the cheapest. I guess it's a nice drink to have while queueing for Hiap Joo banana bread which is just right beside it.

Love this! The homemade brioche bread was perfectly pan-fried with egg and butter, retaining a crisp outer layer with a soft centre. Served hot, it complimented and went really well with the cold vanilla ice cream. The caramelised bananas were well done as well, with the caramel providing a nice crunch to the dish. The dish as a whole wasn't cloyingly sweet, since the toast itself wasn't too sweet and helped balance the sweetness from the ice cream and bananas. Overall, one of the items that I would recommend trying at this cafe.

O M G - this was great. Arguably the best banana cake I've had - super crumbly and moist, with a very strong banana fragrance. It wasn't too sweet either, so go ahead and have more slices to yourself. We had it steaming hot just as it came out of the oven, so it was very light and crumbly while the top was a bit crisp and caramelised. Personally, I think it tastes better when eaten once it cools down/the next day - it becomes slightly denser, and the banana taste is more pronounced. Regardless, this is super yummy and should definitely be eaten when in JB.

This was sooo good! Queue is quite long (20-30mins) but I would say worth it! The fish is super fresh, and the meat is just incredibly soft and tender. I would recommend getting the tail as opposed to the head so you get more meat. The star though is definitely their curry sauce - rich, coconuty, and fragrant; you may want to order extra side of fried tofu skin to soak it all up and eat it all.

This was, unfortunately, very disappointing; it looks really appetising but save your stomach space for something else. Sauce could have been sweeter and more velvety, and was just too viscous for our liking. Churros were too brittle, and had a really strong oil/fried smell that was quite the turn off. Overall it just felt a bit too oily and rich - but in the bad way. You would be better off trying their other dishes which taste better!

Cheap and excellent nasi padang from Qin Garden Kopitiam in Johor Bahru. Their rice was was super fragrant, and their dishes were great - tasty with a good variety. Recommended dishes would be their fried chicken and beef rendang. Fried chicken had a nice crisp skin, while the beef was tender and chunky. Also, make sure to pour some of that yummy curry sauce over your rice - we were pleasantly surprised at how good it was!

Great way to start our JB food exploration for the day! The toast here is better than the one at Hua Mui, but it seems like the folks at Kin Wah are slather on their kaya more generously. Love the eggs here which are super fresh, with a runny yet still firm texture.

Wasn't particularly impressed by their kaya + margarine bun; hardly any kaya and margarine was given, making it feel like I'm just eating plain bread. Coffee was not too bad, but nothing to rave about. The eggs were good tho - they were nice and runny still, but seemed firmer and not watery. Overall, not that impressed - it seems like Restoran Kin Wah just one street down is better.

This quaint cafe is situated above a boutique store overlooking the row of shophouses opposite, providing a nice ambiance to sit down and drink coffee after a day of exploration in JB. They have a nice selection of pastries to choose from, including this chocolate mint pie. I thought that the base was crisp and buttery, but the mint and chocolate filling left much to be desired - a bit too light and airy, and not much substance to it; almost like eating cream if not for the pieces of chocolate cake. Would definitely go for their other offerings next time (gula melaka banana cake!).

Famed for being the best chicken chop in JB, this chicken chop set expectations that were not met. The chicken was good; tender inside, crispy outside, and a relatively large portion - but it was just quite nondescript and nothing spectacular to rave about. Also, it isn't that great price-wise and quite comparable to Singapore's Western stalls' prices at hawkers. Wedges were great though! They weren't exactly fried - we suspect oven-roasted - yet they still had a nice crisp outside and remaining soft and fluffy inside.

Not very impressed by this - the gravy, while flavourful, was a bit too runny for my liking. Chicken was ok, although not many pieces were given and those pieces weren't very meaty. The main draw here is still the bkt - you're not missing out on much if you skip this.

This is really just more for the novelty, because the coffee, while good, was nothing special. Still, it's nice to have a cup and let the coffee slowly melt and have your drink get richer while you just chill-out with your friends.