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

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)

Tea Room by Afters Pastry @ Johor Bahru in Malaysia

Have you ever travelled along a road and something caught your attention, and you decided to google search? That's what I did when I was on GRAB travelling to KSL for my massage.

I was curious about the white building across the road that had a smaller signage "tea room". Even though the place was so inaccessible for those who don't have a car (like me); I ran a check on Google Map to find that it commanded a high 4.8 review score from 80 reviewers! 

A few weeks later, I dragged along a friend to check it out! We technically can walk but to do so under a hot sun would have been torturing. Hence, GRAB is the best option for someone without the luxury of a car.

You know what the interior design of the cafe reminded me of? With concrete flooring and retro furniture, I felt very much that I was pulled back into my childhood, in the 80s! 

The chairs in the private room were so old school with its velvety cushion and backrest! p.s. colors were quite ugly although dirty green, gaudy orange and muddy pink were on point during that era. 

This cafe was opened in 2023 and pet-friendly! There's an outdoor area for pets (likely dogs) but it was empty on a quiet Monday afternoon. I am guessing you might bump into fur friends if you visit on a weekend. 

Retail space must be quite affordable in JB as the seating was spaced out at Tea Room by Afters Pastry, and you don't get the tightness often encountered in Singapore where rental per square feet was so exorbitantly priced. p.s. the small backdrop should come with some portable photo props! 

Smacked dead a large mosquito! 

A panorama view for your viewing pleasure. 

p.s. taken after stepping into the cafe.

Cake counter; pretty good selection that included tarts. Would you be a cake or tart person? If given a choice, I am definitely a cake person! 

Complimentary water for those who are health conscious. I would usually go for this option but the hot day enticed me to get something cold to cool my body down!

Fruit Tea - seeing this on the menu made me crave for the amazing fruit tea from Hoshino Cafe! At a fraction of the price I paid for in Hoshino, this was also much smaller with lesser fruits. Nevertheless, it was still thirst quenching! 

Strawberry Watermelon Cake - a signature for Tea Room, I am comparing this to the one from Sugar And Tease in Singapore; for one, Tea Room's version wasn't as luxurious with a thinner slice of watermelon but for the price I am paying for; I am definitely not complaining! 

Pure Yam Cake - this was one cake I would gladly buy for my mom for her birthday! Smooth, creamy texture that didn't lose out on maintaining the original, irresistible taste of yam yet still holding back on not being overly sweet. I am sure mom would love this! 

Girlfriend's Toast - I sometimes wonder how the name for desserts / mains was conjured. Was this dessert named because of its plating that appealed to the fairer sex or simply because of a popular vote? 

For a man, I looked at it from the taste perspective and this was just plain, unexciting French toast with peanut butter filling. Guess it was really just the presentation.

English Big Breakfast - one unforgettable big breakfast! At just RM29, I love everything except for the boring sausage! Brioche bread was buttered with a light crisp; tatter tots were little nuggets of goodness, mushrooms were delicious, and omelette was perfectly made, exhibiting a texture that was runny but cooked. 

Before and somewhat after since we continued to clean up the last piece of the brioche and omelette from the English Big Breakfast. There was also a The Mini Breakfast option if you have young kids! 

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I am sure I will be back! 

Because sometimes, I really just need cake.

To lighten up my mood. And I like the vibe of Tea Room!

Address

60, Tebrau Hwy, Kim Teng Park, 

80300 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Map

As above

Operating Hours

Mondays to Wednesdays - 11am to 7pm

Thursdays - Closed 

Fridays to Sundays - 11am to 9pm

Menu 

As above. 

Pricing

Fruit Tea - RM 11.00

Strawberry Watermelon Cake - RM 14.50

Pure Yam Cake - RM 14.50 

Girlfriend's Toast - RM 19.00

English Big Breakfast - RM 29.00

(Subject to Service Charge)