THE DINNER SESSION WITH AN OLD FRIEND AND HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER

Mr. Ridwan Wahid, a friend of the UPM TESL Class of 1993, was in town with his wife, Puan Suhaila Sulong, and her daughter, Miss Reihana. A dinner date was promptly set once after I was informed of the news.

Mee Bandung

Sate

Seafood Fried Rice

The chosen venue was Grand Almizan Restaurant in Bandar Baru Uda. We all chose Malay cuisines for the evening.

Kuey Teow

Fried Mee Hoon

Iced Milk Tea

We were here in this same restaurant in June 2020, during the Covid-19 era [READ HERE]. That was the time when we had to still wear masks when we were outside, and social distance had to be observed while eating in public places.

The dinner session lasted for about only an hour. It had been a long day for the family. We left the place which was still occupied with diners at about 10:30 p.m. The gastronomic adventure will resume the next morning for breakfast [READ HERE].

A DINNER DATE WITH AN EX-CLASSMATE IN ALMIZAN SATAY HOUSE

Mr. Abdul Razak Sapian, an ex-classmate of Budiman class of SMS Muar, was in town for work related purposes. He had allocated the evening for us to meet for dinner despite his hectic schedule. We eventually went to Almizan Satay House in Bandar Baru Uda.

The last time we met was last Sunday at another classmate's daughter's wedding reception.

We could not stay for long as he had to continue work early tomorrow morning. It was just a short meeting but there would always be a next time, I believe. Thanks Mr. Abdul Razak for being of the regulars who always spare some time for a meet up when he is here in Johor Bahru.

ENTERTAINING AN EX-CLASSMATE AND HER HUSBAND WHO WERE IN TOWN

  27TH DECEMBER 2022   ~ Puan Radiah Othman, my Budiman ex-classmate of SMS Muar, and her husband were in Johor Bahru. They are now working and residing in New Zealand and are on vacation. They were only spending a day in Johor Bahru and it was my pleasure when they requested to meet up and take them around the city. I went to fetch them at their hotel right after they had checked in at about 3:00 p.m.

The very first thing Puan Radiah wanted to do was to visit the graves of her parents. I then drove them to the cemetery at Bukit Alif.

Right after that, we went for late lunch at the food court at Plaza Angsana. Someone had a craving for Mee Rebus and Asma Rojak. As we were eating, another classmate unexpectedly called me up to inform that he was actually in town too so a dinner date was set.

We walked around the mall as the visitors had to get something from here to bring back home before going back to the hotel.

The last activity was dinner session at Al-Mizan Sate House in Bandar Baru Uda. Mr. Abdul Razak Sapian was joining us as planned - the more the merrier.

That was our short get together session and hopefully we would be able to see Puan Radiah and Mr. Rashid again when they come home to visit or perhaps, we will see them in New Zealand.

A LAST MINUTE DINNER DATE WITH AN EX-STUDENT AND HIS PARENTS

Mr. Muhammad Syazwan Shavarein, an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, was in town and he asked me out for dinner, but with parents in presence too. Mr. Shavarein and Pn. Nor Azlina were not strangers to me though as we had become family friends.

The venue chosen was Almizan Satay House which was near my house. This was my first time here but I had been to the branch located at Bandar Baru Uda.

Dinner was done in a short time and they were kind enough to invite me to join them for dinner. Mr. Syazwan is going back to KL, or is it Shah Alam, tomorrow and I hope to see him again when he comes back to Johor Bahru.

A RENDEZVOUS WITH AN OLD FRIEND ON THE 20th DAY OF EID

The initial plan was to meet Mr. Ridwan Wahid, a friend of UPM TESL Class 1993, and his family at JPO for coffee. JPO seems to be their favourite short getaway from Shah Alam once in a while. However, it was then changed at the last minute and I just suggested Almizan Satay House at Bandar Baru Uda. It is quite difficult to think of eating places in town during this MCO period as we are not sure of its operation hours.

It is not a good idea to socialize while eating at the restaurant these days if you come in a group of four. Your two other friends will be separated metres away. And if you gossip, you will share it with everyone else in the restaurant. I don't like the new normal. The new normal is NOT normal.

I have to thank Mr. Ridhwan again for asking me to come and meet him, the wife and daughter, when he was in town. We still exchanged Eid's greetings on the 20th day of Syawal. It was a very short gathering but I guess there will be other similar meetings like this in the future, especially after we are free from the COVID-19 pandemic.

MY HOMETOWN GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE : ALMIZAN SATAY HOUSE IN KAMPUNG MELAYU

18th MAY 2019 ~ A date for "moreh" (a light meal taken after the "terawikh" prayer in the month of Ramadhan) was set with a group of ex-students of SMK Taman Universiti SPM batch 2006.

Nowadays it would be a rare opportunity to hang out with them as either they are occupied with their work or family.

The initial plan was to meet at the famous Murtabak Kampung Melayu. However, all the stalls were closed early in the fasting month. So we went to Mr. Solleh's original plan to go to Almizan Satay House which was nearby. Luckily the restaurant was still opened at 11:00 p.m.

This was my first time here even though I have been seeing the shop every time I pass the area along the regular route I use to drive along.

This should be another option of where I could take my friends to have dinner when they come to Johor Bahru. The satay is highly recommended.

Thanks to all - Mr. Hamzah, Mr. Aminuddin and Mr. Suhaizie and thanks Mr. Solleh for the treat. It was great to be able to sit down and chat over food, just like old time.