HAVING BREAKFAST AT DAPO CIKGU IN PORT DICKSON

  19th OCTOBER 2026   ~ We randomly chose Dapo Cikgu [TRANSLATE: Teacher's Kitchen] as the place for our breakfast in Port Dickson.

This place offered the usual traditional Malay food for breakfast like Nasi Lemak, Lontong and Roti Canai.

We both opted for Mee Kari [Curry Noodles] and it was a wise decision as it was delicious.

To complement the main dish, we also had Lempeng [plain pancake] that was eaten with Sambal Tumis [cooked chili paste that served as a condiment to many Malay cuisines].

Once our tummies were happy, we were then ready to do a bit of exploration and find out what Port Dickson had to offer.

THE BREAKFAST SESSION AT PONDOK SANTAPAN

Eventually we managed to get breakfast at Pondok Santapan in Larkin. It had been Selera Johor for sarapan all this while, therefore we needed a change. Mr. Ridwan Wahid and his family was on a one night weekend getaway in Johor Bahru and it was customary for us to embark on the gastronomic adventure Johor style. We had dinner the evening before [READ HERE] and we met one more time before they headed home to Shah Alam in the afternoon.

We arrived at about 8:20 a.m. and there were still a few empty tables. What a relief.

We had Mee Kari [Curry Noodles], Soto, Laksa Johor, Lempeng Kelapa [Coconut Pancake] and a variety of "kuihs" [sweet dessert].

By 9:15 a.m, diners arrived in bigger number and a few were standing, looking for empty seats. It was time to leave the dining area to give way for the newly arrived. And I was about to introduce them to the Pasar Tani [Farmer's Market] that Saturday morning.

God willing, I will be seeing them again next week in Kuala Lumpur/Selangor.

THE GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE IN JB WITH GUESTS FROM PENANG - PART ONE

Puan Aishah Aboo Bakar was back in Johor Bahru, so it was time to get her to embark on another gastronomic adventure Johor style. This time, the husband, Mr. Arif, was tagging along.

I decided to introduce them to another breakfast place called Pondok Santapan. She had been to Selera Johor twice already so it was time to try something new.

We were there at about 8:30 a.m. and the place was already with people dining in. The long queue of people ordering food was already formed. One good thing the service was fast and you would get your food and drinks in no time. PRECAUTION: The place would be super crowded during the weekends, always blame the Singaporeans.

Laksa Johor

Mee Soto

Mee Kari

We had Mee Kari, Laksa Johor, Mee Soto, Lempeng Kelapa, Popia and some kuih as well. Truly Johorean kind of breakfast choice.

That was just the beginning of the adventure. Lunch date will take place tomorrow for Part 2.

HAVING MEE KARI AT PEKAN RABU IN ALOR SETAR

  19TH DECEMBER 2024   ~ All the walking in Alor Setar made me hungry so I decided to check out the food court on the ground floor of Pekan Rabu.

There were many stalls selling different varieties of food you could choose here.

The menu at this stall caught my attention and I knew I had to try the Mee Kari [TRANSLATE: Curry Noodles].

I made a wise decision as the Mee Kari was delicious and reminded me of the noodles I used to have in school many years ago. What was not missing in the bowl were the cockles that would make the dish more flavourful. This was good enough and I already know what to eat I am to go back to Pekan Rabu again one day.

My gastronomic adventure in Kedah had just started.

[MY KEDAH/PERLIS/PENANG TRIP MAIN PAGE]

AN AFTERNOON WITH AN EX-STUDENT OVER CENDOL AND CURRY NOODLES

The meeting with an ex-student of SMKTUN SPM batch 2015, Mr. Augustine Err, was successfully carried out today. The chosen venue was at Green Jade Restaurant at Taman Universiti.

We have not met for many years so there was a lot to catch up over Cendol [and Curry Noodles for me]. I guess this required for another meeting when he comes back to Johor Bahru later. Currently undergoing training with AirAsia, Mr. Err will be going back to Sepang tomorrow to continue with his classes there but he would be coming home once in a while. I just cannot wait for another coffee session soon.

GOING CHINESE FOR THE CNY WEEKEND

Most of the time, it was not easy to choose what to eat so I suggested we go Chinese, as it was a Chinese New Year weekend break. My ex-schoolmate agreed so we met at Mee Tarik Warisan Asli in Bandar Baru Uda, a restaurant which served halal Chinese food.

It was my first time eating the Curry Mee here but I wished the gravy could be thicker and there were more food items inside the bowl for me to fish while eating. However, the bowl was real big and the generous quantity of noodles could last me through dinner.

I love the Bao Bao Tea the most.

And we had dumplings for dessert. 😀😀

Now that people are allowed to dine in at restaurants, I guess there will be more gastronomic adventures to come - but by abiding all the SOP and choosing not a crowded eating place.

MY HOMETOWN GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE - GREEN JADE REPUBLIC IN TAMAN UNIVERSITI

A date was set with two ex-students of SMK Taman Universiti [SPM batch 2012] right after school. Mr. Mohd. Syahir Kamal Affendi is home for a short while, between two papers during exam week while Mr. Mohd. Syafiq Basir who is currently studying in Japan is back for his semester break.

The place chosen was Green Jade Republic, an eating place which I witnessed its development from just a stall on a rented space in a restaurant at its early year to a proper business place on the first floor of a shop house block in the commercial spot of the residential area.

This was the first time for me visiting the new venue after moving there for more than a year. And the owner, whom I addressed as Mr. Ipin, still remembered my name when I went there today.

The place was a hit especially among the university students from the campus nearby because people get to eat food like "mee kari", "mee rebus", "rojak", "cendol" and ABC in the afternoon.

I could find many cats there, inside and outside the place.

I will have to come back again to see the cats and try other food. I must remember to bring a proper camera to take photos of the place which actually has a unique decor. The tab I brought just now would not do justice to the end products. And I will have to find the time when there are not many people eating - if that is even possible.

Thanks Mr. Syahir and Mr. Syafiq for the company and time. Hope to see them again some other time, in Japan (again) perhaps.