Day Trip to Johor

Went for a day trip to Johore.

First stop was the newly opened Johor Premium Outlet. Everybody had warned that there was nothing there to buy. Prices are not as cheap as factory outlets in say Hongkong or the US. One guy predicted we will be in and out within half an hour. 2 hours later, some of us were still reluctant to leave. Prices isn't really cheap and there are not that many shops but for the shopaholic among us, it was good enough.

But of course like any true blue Singaporean, our main objectives for this day trip was to eat. So after some research on the web, we decided on this place.

Thanks to Johorkaki, we had this wonderful feast of back to basic solid braised meal of duck, taupok, egg, pig ear, pig skin and pig intestines.

Dinner was at a seafood restaurant highly recommended by a colleague. It was a restaurant by the beach facing Sembawang. We reached there at about 5pm and already there were people eating there! At first I thought it was one of those place designed to suck Singaporean tourists but judging the number of Malaysian cars that vastly outnumbered Singaporean cars, it was a hit with the Malaysian as well and when our food came, we could understand why.

The place is a typical seafood restaurant common everywhere in this part of the world. The food wasn't that fabulous but what matters was that it was reasonably priced and the portion was big. These was what we ordered for our table of 10 and the total cost came to about RM$300.00 which works out to less than S$20.00 per person, something we will never be able to get in Singapore, not even at the coffeeshop zhi-zhar stall.

Sambal Kangkong

Mussels

Laksa Prawn

Fried seafood toufoo. One of the house speciality.

Steam fish

Black pepper crab

Undoubtedly the highlight of the trip. The dinner alone was worth the hassle of going over the causeway.

Tanjong Katong Food Haunt

Tanjong Katong has been transformed from a sleepy road to a traffic jammed road filled with restaurants of every kind. It seems like the United Nation of Food is all represented here. 

There is Minoraya, one of the earliest inhabitants along the stretch.

New comer Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh with its second outlet

Newly opened Eng's Wanton mee who moved over from the food centre at Dunearn Road. Wonder how long they can sustain their business there.

The famous Tian Tian Chicken from Maxwell Food Centre with its latest outlet

Madeleline's Portuguese egg tart, an old name there. It's amazing that I have yet to try the egg tart from this place. What's holding me back?

Another new outlet - A Vegetarian restaurant which I think I will never enter. But it was really crowded the Saturday evening that I was there.

Another new place selling Malaysia Street Food. Must go and try the Hokkien Mee one day

A place with a interesting name.

Smiths Fish and Chips! Not a fried stuff person so I think I gonna pass on this although the chips look good

Another branch of the Hong Kong Chun Kee Chinese retaurant

New comer Ice Cream Gallery. Interesting selection of ice cream here

The incumbent Ice Cream outlet along the street and probably the outlet that I visited the most time along this stretch.

Not the original Jalan Kayu Prata Cafe. Empty every time we pass by

The first of 4 Italian outlet

Maekhong Thai - the place we went to eat on this particular evening.

The atas looking 2nd Italian outlet on the street

Bruno - we came here before

Bombay Cafe another old name

And the first pub cum restaurant to open here.

Cup Cakes. Why are Cup Cakes so expensive?

The last of the Italian restaurant - for now

And finally this cute little place with an equally cute name

And not in this post, 2 coffee shops including the popular June coffeeshop, 1 food court and 1 Korean restaurant.

The Rotisserie

Got to put something out about this place before they expand until it is all over town and as common as Pastamania.

The Rotisserie is a place where they serves mainly roasted food. It is actually a mix between a fast food joint and a slightly atas restaurant. One place the order at the cashier, walk over to the serving counter and collect the food. No wait staff to serve at the table.

There are limited options like roasted chicken chicken or the mean fried pork knuckle; pork ribs and sausages. Prices ranges between $10.00 to $26.00 for main course. Each main comes with 2 sides. Unfortunately, they don't allow a mixture of cold and hot sides.

Roast chicken joint with potatoes and pasta

Roasted half chicken with rocket salad and pasta

Pork Knuckle with pasta and salad

Food is nothing to shout about but at its price, it is quite value for money. Easy, convenient and fast to go. Foresee more outlets opening all over. Already there are 3 outlets in town with one more opening soon at OCBC Centre.

Khoo Teck Puat Hospital

Stumbled by accident into Khoo Teck Puat Hospital one fine afternoon while waiting for the Princess.

Have heard a lot about the place and its green effort and lo and behold

  

There was this big big garden with a mini stream running through it and plenty of fish. And from the many signs around the place, it seems to be crawling with all sort of birds, butterflies and insects although for the short while that we were there, I only saw a few butterflies

On top of the beautiful indoor garden, next to it is a big pond which I understand is the former Yishun pond and now totally "revamped" and "upgraded".

Look like need to go back with a proper camera to take some shot and look for creepy crawlies.

My Singapore My Home

I have a friend who have nothing positive for Singapore. He is cnstantly lamenting the poor design of Singapore's buildings and the lack of scenic spots. He complains incessantly about our public transport; our congested roads; grumbles daily about our weather and whined constantly about the lack of quality food here. He speaks in glowing terms of the long winding road in a neighbouring country where he goes to cycle almost every weekend and the cheap and good food he can get there.

Every now and then when I get tire of his whining, I will tell him why don't he move out of Singapore and his reply? Love it or hate it, he is here to stay cause Singapore is his home.Yes despite everything he is a Singaporean and he is no quitter!

It does not matter that we have no rolling hills to cycle on, no efficient on-time traisn, no generous social welfare benefits and no cheap housing. While Singapore is not perfect, it stills works and for all the detractors and whiners and moaners out there, Singapore is probably still the best. Crowded train? Try taking the train in China, Hongkong or Japan during peak hours, Expensive housing? Compare our options here against London. Population here too big? Go Jakarta or Bangkok and look at the jam there; both human and traffic! And which country in the world can we walk in the middle of the night and feel safe? Which country in the world can we be certain that we will not be killed by a stray bullet or some maniac with a collection of weapons? Which country in the world can we travel from urban to rural in less than 20 minutes?

Nevermind that we have no snow, no mountains to climb, no freedom to buy guns, no "liberty", no democratic government and no chewing gum. 

Singapore is and always be our Home
Happy Birthday Singapore!

Singapore Flyer

Quite ashamed to say that since the Singapore Flyer opened so long ago, I have not been there. Until last week when I managed to get my hand on some cheapo tickets. And so off we went. Quite excited walking through the tunnel before we enter the capsule.

That's not us though. The car in front.

The view was spectacular. We could see all the way from the nearby Marina Bay to all the way to Changi.

This one is a view of the East Coast expressway and the Tanjong Rhu area to the east

This one is of the Beach Road and Jalan Besar, Kallang area.

This is of course the newly opened Garden by the Bay South with the Cloud Dome and the Flower Dome in the foreground.

This is another view of the Garden by the Bay South - this time it is the Supertree Groves.

We can even see the F1 track from the top

A view of the Marina Bay Sands and the new financial area in the background.

The floating platform where the NDP is going to be held with the background of the business district.

The view of the Garden by the Bay East

 The Marina Barrage

Great view all round. For a panoramic 360 view, go over to Singapore VR.