HAVING MEE JAWA FOR LUNCH AT SUNGAI LEMBING

   16th SEPTEMBER 2025    ~ The half day trip to Sungai Lembing would not be complete without a gastronomic adventure. Hence, I was taken to get Mee Jawa for lunch at this place called Mee Jawa Pok Yeh.

Mee Jawa [TRANSLATE: Java Noodles] seemed to be the signature dish here, and Pok Yeh could either be the owner of the eating place or the one who was popular for the recipe of the noodles.

I was sweating after finishing the bowl of noodles and the taste was something distinct from other noodles dish I had eaten.

Thanks to Puan Aunillah and her husband for the excursion to Sungai Lembing that concluded my trip to Kuantan this time. Hopefully I will be back again soon, to go to more places and enjoy more food.

ENJOYING MY BIRTHDAY GIFT - 21 DAYS LATER

21 days after  my birthday, I was still enjoying my birthday cake, curry puff and coffee. The reason: I just redeemed my gift card at Zus Cafe located at Larkin Junction.

This  was my first time getting an online gift care. I had not used the Zus apps even though I had in installed on my phone. The staff at the counter was very helpful indeed.

Thanks to an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, Puan Khadijah Hishamuddin, for her kind thought of sending me the gift. And for reminding to go redeem at the cafe before it expired. Only Allah may repay her kindness.

MEETING AN EX-CLASSMATE IN KEPALA BATAS

26TH OCTOBER 2025 ~ I first contacted my ex-classmate [of Budiman class] of SMS Muar, Mr. Ahmad Fadilah, one day before going to Kepala Batas. He is now residing there and will be home on weekends. However, ironically, he was in Johor Bahru when I called him for a family matter and I, on the other hand, would be going to his place. Fortunately, he would be returning to Penang before I made my way back to Johor Bahru so there was a possibility of meeting up. The last time we met was at an ex-classmate's son's wedding in Sungai Ramal Dalam, Selangor last year [READ HERE].

He was kind enough to pick me up at my hotel and took me to his house in Bertam for lunch.

Mr. Ahmad was going back to Medan [he is working there at the moment] with his wife right after lunch. That meant, I also got the opportunity for a free lift from the mainland to the airport in Bayan Lepas on the island.

It was just a short meeting but that it finally happened in Penang.with one the few classmates I am still keeping in touch with even though not regularly. Hope to see Mr. Ahmad again some other time possible.

THE BREAKFAST AT A MAMAK RESTAURANT IN KEPALA BATAS

   25TH OCTOBER 2025    ~ The original plan was to just have breakfast in my hotel room as I had bought some food items from 7-Eleven the night before. However, I still had a lot of time to kill before attending the wedding reception in Kota Kuala Muda in the afternoon and I ended up in the Mamak Restaurant called Al-Safaah which was just nearby.

There were two restaurants that were located near to each other but I chose this one as I saw more people were eating breakfast inside.

I got my Teh Tarik and Roti Canai fix in Kepala Batas that morning.

Here, visitor were given a glass for the half-boiled eggs. I had then to drink my eggs which was a new experience for me.

I guess the other restaurant would have to wait for my return trip to Kepala Batas, time is still unknown.

PERFORMING FIRDAY PRAYER AT DAMANSARA PERDANA MOSQUE

   17th OCTOBER 2025    ~ As suggested by a friend, I decided to go to Damansara Perdana Mosque to perform my Friday Prayer. Not only the place was near to the hotel I was staying, but it was also one modern structure unlike other conventional mosques in the country.

I was lucky as a friend's son, Mr. Omar, picked me up at the hotel, drove me to the mosque and send me back later.

It was love at first sight. I think the main materials used for the mosque were huge iron rods.

the gents

I was impressed as there were elevators to get to upper floor where the main prayer hall was located [and another one obviously going down].

The were no pillars in the prayer hall that could obstruct one's view and consequently, the place looked really spacious.

There was also no traffic jam when we got out of the mosque after the prayer. I will definitely come back to this holy building when I am in Damansara in the future.

THE GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURES THAT HAPPENED IN DAMANSARA

  17TH OCTOBER 2025   ~ When I was staying in Damansara, Puan Hanna Sheikh Mokhtar and Puan Hazlina Aziz, the two UPM TESL friends, played hosts for dinner. Mr. Azizul, Puan Hanna's husband, tagged along as usual. The chosen venue was Homst, a Chinese Muslim Restaurant, in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail.

I remember going to another Homst Restaurant located in Bangi. [READ HERE]

We had a variety of Chinese Muslim dishes eaten with white rice, and we sure had our tummies filled with good food.

However, the gastronomic adventure of the evening did not end there. We then adjourned to the near Q-Bistro on foot for dessert and tea.

We just had one piece of Roti Tissue to be shared by the four of us.

It was already past 9:00 p.m. but the restaurant was jam-packed with diners. Everybody talked at the top of their lungs and we had no choice but to shout as well to chat in order to be heard. This Mamak place must be very popular here.

We had to leave the place after an hour and would be meeting again at the wedding reception the next day. [READ HERE]