If you search for the best places to eat in Johor, Kam Long Curry Fish Head will definitely appear on any list.
Even though we were there after lunch hours at around 2:30 pm, we still had to queue to get in. But fortunately, I think we only waited about 15 mins or so as they were quick to move people in.
Before you get a seat, they will take your orders first. We were thinking of getting either a medium-sized fish head or a large one but was unsure of the sizing portion. So, we asked what would be good for 2 people and they said the medium would be sufficient.
I thought they only had one level so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that there was a second level that is air-conditioned!
The Curry Fish Head arrived pretty quickly. The first picture on the left was how it looked when it came and the picture on the right-most shows the surfaced fish head after I pushed the tau kee aside.
The first bite was heavenly. The curry was creamy and not too spicy – it’s like your typical chinese-styled curry but done really well. The tau kee was my favorite part of the dish because it soaked up all the curry juices and oil and because of that it tasted sooo good. The cabbage and lady’s fingers were soft and flavorful – thanks again to the wonderful sauce. And lastly, the star of the dish which is the fish head was really good. The meat was smooth, tender and not dry at all. Overall, I loved the taste of this curry.
The only thing I wished was different was the size of the dish. While the pot looked big, we were soon starting to regret not ordering the large portion. This is because while there were a lot of tau kee and vegetables, the size of the fish head was too small for the two of us. If we ever go again, we will definitely order the large portion with an additional serving of tau kee!
If you are in Johor and you don’t know what to eat, make sure to visit Kam Long Curry Fish Head – it is definitely worth queuing up for!
Hours: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Address: 74, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Tasik Biru is located in a construction/quarry area near Gunung Pulai Recreational Forest. In order to find it, you have to use the satellite view option on Google Maps. But even with that, we still got lost.
Google Maps brought us to the entrance of the site. However, when we reached, there was a warning sign that said “Danger and no trespassing”.
When we saw the sign, we were a little apprehensive about going in even though we knew that other people had gone in before. While we were puzzled and not really sure if we could go in, a construction worker asked us if we were visiting the blue lake and he told us that we just had to drive in and it would be on the right side. Honestly, I thought they would tell us to leave but they didn’t.
It was a little dangerous riding on the rocky paths but it was really fun.
After getting lost for a while, a guy in a truck pointed out the way for us and we finally made it to the starting point.
From there, we had to climb up the steep hill. We were thinking of riding the motorcycle up but I thought it was too dangerous especially with 2 people on a bike. We took a few wrong right turns but we finally found our way. If I’m not wrong (I can’t really remember clearly), do not take the first or second right turn but go all the way up and take the third right turn and go all the way to the end.
At the end, we had to climb down a short path to reach the lake. I think it is possible to climb up to the viewpoint from the first right turn but the easier way to get there would be to climb up higher on the wider paths, turn right on the third path and down a short narrow one as shown above.
While it was really hazy, the view of the lake was really beautiful. It is possible to go down even further if you wanted to but be careful as it is a little steep.
Before we left, we took more photos. It’s not every day we get the chance to ride into a beautiful desert looking area.
If you are thinking of going, don’t be afraid of the warning signs or getting lost inside. There are many helpful people who will point you in the right direction. And while the short steep climb to get to the lake is tiring, the view of the lake is worth every effort!
After reading great reviews and seeing really beautiful pictures, I finally decided to visit Bloom by mok mok. The cafe is located just a mere 18 mins drive from Woodlands checkpoint in the area of Taman Mount Austin.
While the outside of the cafe seemed pretty ordinary, the design of it’s interior is impressive and so very pretty.
We knew we wanted to try one rice bowl, one burger and definitely a dessert.
Our first dish was the Beef Burger with Onion Chips. While ordering, the waitress asked us how we wanted the beef to be done and we said medium-well. I think we said that because we usually had steak done either medium-rare or medium-well and we didn’t think twice. This turned out to be a bad decision. The patty was a little mushy and everything else in the burger had a soft texture as well so the whole burger didn’t taste very appetizing. Perhaps, with a well-done beef patty, it would taste a whole lot better. Luckily, it’s saving grace was the heavenly onion fries. They were so crispy, so salty and flavorful – we ate every single onion chip.
Overall, I think the dish is ok. I probably would not order it again but am open to trying their other burgers.
Our second dish was Gyutan. When I read the description of the dish, I thought it was just a normal beef bowl. When the waitress took our order, she told us that Gyutan actually meant beef tongue. We were taken aback a little, but I love to try new things and knew I had to try it.
When it came, I felt that the presentation could have been a little better. The rice was seasoned well, but I think it could have been elevated. What surprised me was the beef tongue. When I think of beef tongue, I think of something that is very chewy and hard to swallow. However, this dish proved me wrong. The slices of beef tongue actually tasted like normal beef slices. Maybe it is a tiny bit chewier but the difference is not big at all.
I feel the dish can be so much better in terms of presentation and the flavor profile of the rice.
We ordered tea as well to compliment our food. I forgot the name of the tea but I quite like it. It was flavorful and the aroma was really pleasant.
Honestly, after eating the two dishes above, I contemplated on whether I should try their dessert and I’m happy I did. We ordered a Cream Cheese Souffle Pancake with Mangoes. We were told that we had to wait about 20-25 mins for this. When it came, the presentation was beautiful and it just looked so appetizing. The souffle was very light and airy, the mangoes tasted sweet and really fresh, the vanilla ice cream was thick and creamy and the cream with nuts was just heavenly. The whole dish was done very well and each component completed each other in terms of flavor pairings and texture. I loved this dish very much.
While the savory dishes did not meet my expectations, the desert and atmosphere of the place more than made up for it. Perhaps the other dishes would have been really good, but unfortunately, I ended up trying these. If you go, you have to try their onion chips and souffle pancakes. For me these were the areas they excelled in. Also, let me know how the other dishes taste and perhaps I will visit them again someday!
Located just 5 mins across the Singapore-Malaysia border lies this hidden gem. On a typical weekday, there would be a queue outside this restaurant. While you wait, you can get yourself a free drink outside, a massage in a massage chair or just browsing through their menu deciding on what you want to order later. Unfortunately, there is no queue system here. While people outside kind of know who came first, the restaurant staff does not. They would randomly come out and ask anyone who is nearer to the door how many seats they needed. Thus if you are there and there is a queue, make sure to let a staff know that you are waiting and hopefully they will give u a seat.
The decor is really elegant and creates a good atmosphere for eating.
Trying their sashimi is a must! Everything is super fresh and leaves a clean taste in your mouth. Be sure to go there early as sometimes they run out of certain types of sashimi.
Besides their sashimi, they serve other types of delicious food. Be sure to try their mentaiko pizza, unagi don, makis and crepes!
The mentaiko pizza had a crispy thin crust with a generous serving of mentaiko sauce. The unagi was extremely delicious, the use of miso paste in the don complemented the dish well. The maki was fried well which contributed to a crispy skin. The crispy skin and the soft rice went well together. Lastly, the soft shell crab crepe was yummy as well. The crepe was light and fluffy and the soft shell crab was fried perfectly.
At the end of the meal, they would serve a complimentary dessert pudding. I’ve tried yam flavored, coffee flavored and chocolate flavored puddings. Who knows what you might get, how exciting!
All in all, this restaurant serves good quality food at reasonable prices. Even though the lack of a queue system is a drawback, you will not regret trying their food!
Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, the largest regional mall in Johor Bahru, has been open for almost a year now and it has never stopped providing avenues for entertainment. It is located at the heart of the Skudai district just about 15.5km from woodlands checkpoint. There are over 500 outlets in the mall and here are the top 10 things you can do in Paradigm Mall.
1) Watch a movie at Golden Screen Cinemas Lot 01&02, Level 7
With 16 halls and a seating capacity of 2107, it is the largest cinema in Johor Bahru. It also is the first cinema to provide 4DX. 4DX employs the use of motion enabled chairs which create strong vibrations and sensations as well as environmental controls for simulation of weather conditions such as lighting, rain, fog and even strong scents.
Don’t miss out on this unique experience at Golden Screen Cinemas!
2) Rock climbing at Camp 5 Lot 08, Level 7
We had never thought about learning rock climbing till we came to paradigm mall; we would always pass by the place on the way to the cinema. However, one day, I just decided hey why don’t we try rock climbing? A quick search on the internet brought me to their website and I found out that in order to rock climb, we had to have at least a certificate in basic wall climbing – we went for the course. At first I was really really scared of falling down but the instructor was very patient and after a while I started to get used to the feeling of being high up. Now that we are more confident, we try to go rock climbing every alternate week!
3) Ice Skating at Blue Ice Skating Rink Lot 30, Level 3
This was only our second time trying the ice skate and the last time we tried ice skating was probably almost 10 years ago. Entry into the ring is 25 Rm, you will need to have a pair of socks and gloves as well, if u don’t, it will be 5 Rm each. Rental of lockers is 2 Rm.
When I first stepped into the ice ring, it was really slippery and I gave up almost instantly. You see the blue seal that we’re holding on? I got it after a mere few seconds. It was really expensive though at 30 Rm per hour, but it helped me tremendously. At first, I thought the seal was just for children, but adults are welcome to use it as well. With the seal, I was able to experience what it was like to be on the ice and it later gave me more confidence to move around without it!
At 25 Rm for unlimited hours, it is a real bargain. I hope you will try it too!
My favorite fast food restaurant has always been MacDonalds but after trying Wendys, it has changed. The burger was absolutely delicious, extremely juicy and cheesy. The fries were salty and not too oily and the root beer float was really yummy. I am definitely going to eat Wendys again!
2) Liang Sandwich Bar
Lot K13D, Level G
If you are a Singaporean like me, you would know that this Jay Chou-endorsed food chain sells their Taiwanese pancakes between Sgd 2:50-5-50 at VivoCity. But if you head over to Malaysia, the pancakes only cost Rm 3:90 – 9:90.
The pancakes taste like flakier roti pratas and are extremely delicious. I’ve tried a few flavours and so far everything is great. The seasoning is on point and the amount of filling to pancake ratio is perfect.
With the pancakes being a lot more affordable at paradigm mall, you can eat not just one but even three or more pancakes!
5) Restaurants
1) Awa Mee Bar Lot 23A & 25, Level 4
While we’ve been to paradigm mall quite a few times and have always walked past this restaurant, we only decided to try it recently. And boy did we regret not trying it earlier. The noodles were springy and chewy and it tasted so sinful like we were eating instant noodles. The fried enoki mushrooms provided the extra texture that complimented the dish well. Also, with every bowl of noodles, a bowl of soup comes with it. You can choose different soup bases such as seafood or pork and you can either choose either a preset option or add more ingredients into it. You’ve got to try it when you’re there!
2) Kurotomon Hakata Ramen
Lot 33A, Level 4
Second on the list is Kurotomon Hakata Ramen. The broth was thick and salty. The charred pork meat was really fatty and super delicious. And lastly the noodles were cooked perfectly. I really loved the ramen here!
6) Arcade
Main Planet – Lot 09 &10, Level 7, Fun Scape – Lot 63 & 63A, Level 4
There are quite a number of mini arcades there where you can engage with a claw machine, play virtual simulation games and your usual arcade games. I personally like to try my luck at playing the claw machines. Prices for tokens are quite reasonable starting at 10 Rm for 11 tokens. With the claw machines, I know that if you target the toys that are smaller, the chances of you getting them are way higher. And I’m proud to say that on one of my lucky days, I managed to catch 3 of them with just 11 tokens.
7) Shop till you drop at New Market
This shop sells almost everything you need at very affordable prices. You can find whatever you will need in a kitchen, bags, wallets, clothes, gadgets, toys, makeup, jewelry, ornamental pieces, household decorative items etc. You can spend an hour easily just shopping at this shop alone.
8) Get a Massage
Thai Odyssey – Lot 62, Level 3, Rest N Go – At various places
Pamper yourself to either a massage from a human or a chair!
9) Get your groceries Lot 29, Level G
The village Grocer is a relatively big supermarket where you can find almost everything. While prices are not exactly on the cheap side, it makes it up for quality and selection.
10) Shop at familiar shops
If you’re worried that you can’t find shops that you can find in Singapore. Don’t worry, they have plenty. A few notable ones are Harvey Norman, Typo, Watsons, Guardian, Nichii, Toys R Us, Popular, H&M, City Chain, Osim etc.
So here it is, the top 10 things to do in Paradigm Mall. You can easily spend a day here and can even revisit the mall without ever getting bored of it!
Walking towards Sri Subramaniar Temple, we were greeted by the impressive statue of Lord Murugan.
As we got closer, we realized how big the statue really is. Lord Murugan is the God of war and a popular Hindu deity among Tamil Hindus predominantly in areas with Tamil influences such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia and southern India.
It takes 272 steps to reach the temple. And while it’s not too many steps, it can be difficult to climb in the sweltering heat.
There are quite a few monkeys around the temple, take extra care of your belongings.
It is unique to see the temple constructed in a cave. When we were there, it seemed like they were doing upgrading or reconstruction work.
Beautiful view of the top from inside the cave.
The staircase to the right leads to the Batu Caves. We didn’t know that they conducted cave tours till we were there. We were very lucky to catch the last tour before the sun set.
Preserved bats and snakes were displayed.
While waiting for the tour to start, you could read about the animals who dwell in the cave and about the cave itself.
Everyone was required to wear helmets and we were each given a torchlight.
The guide was very engaging, she made sure to deliver the information in an interesting manner. While the cave was quite dark and totally pitch black at certain points, it was easy to walk as the route was mostly flat with wide steps. However, the ground can be slippery because of moisture, just be careful.
Towards the end of the tour, everyone would get an opportunity to take a picture at the most picturesque part of the cave where the light shines in.
Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. If you are in Kuala lumpur, don’t miss the chance to visit this iconic and unique cave.
Address: Gombak, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
Only on Tuesdays, get your fix of shopping at a pop up local market in Johor Bahru. The words ‘pasar malam’ which literally means night market, sells an array of things such as vegetables, fruits, meat, snacks, street food, mobile accessories, household related products and clothes.
Fresh vegetables.
Yummy pastries, cakes and bread.
Fresh seafood; they were almost sold out by the time we were there.
Affordable socks!
There’s even a store that sells pet fishes – I wonder how difficult it must be to transport the fishes back and forth!
Street food such as popiah and fried chicken.
And, if you’re still hungry, there’s even a hawker center right at the end of the lane.
Chicken claypot rice – the seasoning was on point with it being not too sweet and salty, the chicken was tender and the Chinese sausages were very delicious.
Rojak – the cucumbers, pineapples, turnip and kang kong were fresh, the you tiao (fried dough fritters) and tau kwa (tofu) was crispy, and I loved the peanut to sauce to other ingredients ratio.
Chicken and lamb satay with ketupat – I absolutely loved the satays. It was grilled to perfection. The char on the satay tasted great. The lamb satay was exceptional as the fats literally melted in my mouth. This is a must try if you visit!
If you’re hungry and you also feel like shopping, come by this pasar malam at Taman Pelangi, you will be spoiled for choices!
Crazy but Alive 