Our Sponsors

Thứ Hai, 28 tháng 10, 2013

The SkyBar of Traders Hotel at Puteri Harbour - Nusajaya, Johor.

The SkyBar (N1.41768 E103.65640) is located at the Rooftop pool deck of Traders Hotel at Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya - Johor. We were invited to the SkyBar for their opening private party on Saturday evening 12th Oct 2013. SkyBar is the trademark of Traders Hotel, have you been to the SkyBar at Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur?

 photo IMG_0893_zps43974eb2.jpg

The SkyBar is totally different from day time and night time...it's a beautiful infinity swimming pool overlooking the Puteri Harbour and Straits of Johor during the day time, when the nights fall...the pool area is beautifully lighted up with the good company by your side, the feeling is simply magical!

 photo IMG_0897_zps6e6ed8b9.jpg
The Sky Bar of Trader Hotel, Johor.

It was about 7pm, the invited guests were walking into the SkyBar area one-by-one...foods and drinks were prepared much earlier to serve all the guests...

 photo IMG_0863_zpsb975ec20.jpg

The small table in the pool was the fresh seafood like oysters and others...this was a special arrangement, nice!

About 120 guests from members of Singapore Sport Car Club, Exotic Car Club, AT Rider Superbikers from Johor Bahru and corporate guests attended the opening party.

The guests queue up for foods very soon just after 7pm, guess everyone can't wait to taste the delicious cuisine prepared by the Executive Chef - Alan Wong and Food and Beverage Manager - Avraam Koutsides, Traders Hotel.

 photo IMG_0859_zps79f2c183.jpg

 photo IMG_0872_zps0b67977d.jpg

 photo IMG_0909_zps977b17d6.jpg

 photo IMG_0864_zpse44b4de1.jpg

Everyone was queuing up for their favorite food which located at border of the SkyBar. There were plenty of varieties on that evening with the wide food range from local to international, from raw to cooked...

 photo IMG_0908_zpsbed7e625.jpg
The local popular food - Satay

 photo IMG_1043_zps327b66cd.jpg
Packs of fried rice

 photo IMG_0871_zps07b195ab.jpg
Grilled beef

There was a long queue for the above foods...especially the grilled beef! Yummy!

The seafood counter was specially presented in the children pool...yes, you heard me right! It was inside the pool.

 photo IMG_0875_zpsd507e761.jpg
The seafood counter in the pool

 photo IMG_0877_zpsd8b83cc3.jpg
Fresh oysters and hors d'oeuvres topped with caviar served from the counter

The dessert and finger food corner was located just next to the children pool. I can't stop myself to took a small cube of dark chocolate, and it was nice!

 photo IMG_0881_zps2835348d.jpg
Finger foods

 photo IMG_0885_zpsd911c0a5.jpg
Strawberry dessert

 photo IMG_0883_zpsa774c589.jpg

The dining area was assigned in every corner, filled up the SkyBar...

 photo IMG_0896_zps01dba88a.jpg
Outside the SkyBar

 photo IMG_0890_zpsa653527a.jpg
The SkyBar of Traders Hotel, Johor.

I like this special sunken corner (below) very much! It's located next to the infinity pool, surrounded with tempered glass and the blue-lighted relax chair! Overlooking the Puteri Harbour and Straits of Johor...Awesome!

 photo IMG_0899_zpsa49a4586.jpg
The blue-lighted corner of SkyBar, Traders Hotel - Johor.

Once everyone filled up their stomach, the party began! The beer was serve without interval pause from Carlsberg's 4 pretty promoters. Followed by the music played by the DJ Herbs and Deeraj.

 photo IMG_1033_zps1cf71247.jpg
One of the Carlsberg's promoters of the night

 photo IMG_0918_zpsd41e7a62.jpg

We had a glass of the ice cold beer beside the pool and started our photo shooting session...
During the music played, there was a troupe of synchronized swimmers performing in the pool followed by 4 pretty colourful mermaids! That was a surprise! Everyone was busy triggering their shutter of the cameras crazily! Haha! It was a very nice scene with the mermaids swim across and the underwater lighting...

 photo IMG_1007_zpsbead7c58.jpg
The Mermaids at The SkyBar - Traders Hotel

 photo IMG_0950_zpsfac2f888.jpg

 photo IMG_0944_zps3d941e5b.jpg

 photo IMG_0953_zps720fad86.jpg
The mermaids by the pool

 photo IMG_1093_zpsa19a4985.jpg
Photo session with Mr Boon Aik Pang, Avraam Koustsides and the mermaids

 photo IMG_1077_zps086c6eda.jpg
Photo session with Ms Aidah and the mermaids

The 2 colourful lions were performing their dance in the bar and presented the oranges to the Executive Chef - Mr Alan Wong and F & B Manager - Mr Avraam Koustsides.

 photo IMG_0972_zps59db2e18.jpg

And the photo session continued...

 photo IMG_1020_zps97b7255e.jpg

You can have a excellent view of Puteri Harbour and catch the spectacular sunset (if the weather is good) from the SkyBar of Traders Hotel.

 photo IMG_1037_zps0d4da6b4.jpg
Puteri Harbour during the night

 photo IMG_1042_zps863d8fc2.jpg
Some high-rise buildings in Johor Bahru can be seen from the bar...

This is also a nice place for night photography lovers, you can enjoy the delightful dinner company with nice wine or cocktail while taking the shots of the beautiful surrounding night view...

 photo IMG_0922_zps81ed8399.jpg

The SkyBar - Traders Hotel Puteri Harbour
Persiaran Puteri Selatan, Puteri Harbour, 
Nusajaya, Johor.
Tel : 07-560 8888
Operating hour : 12pm to 12am Sun - Thu, 12pm to 1am Fri & Sat.
GPS Coordinates : (N1.41768 E103.65640)

Location map of Trader Hotel at Nusajaya, Johor.


Thứ Sáu, 18 tháng 10, 2013

Restoran Yeen Lai 云来点心楼(古来) at Kulaijaya, Johor.

Yeen Lai Restaurant (云来点心楼) (N1.66189 E103.60180) is located along the main road of Kulai town. It's one of the oldest shop at Kulai and so do the history started since about 30 years ago...the name of 'Yeen Lai' is well known as 'Yun Lai (云来)' within Johor Bahru, because of their franchises flooded everywhere... even in Bukit Gambir, the upper north of Johor state.

 photo IMG_9614_zps1752eab3.jpg
Yeen Lai Restaurant 云来点心楼

According to the local, this was where the famous Yun Lai (云来点心楼) originated and it's the first historical shop of the business...nowadays, the name of Yun Lai spread every corner of Johor Bahru...

 photo IMG_9627_zps2e6cd51e.jpg

We visited the restaurant around noon time, it was not crowded...the dim sum business is handling by group of foreign workers except the cashier. We found out the production of the dim sum had moved to further up 21 miles at Kulai town, and the dim sum are transported every day to this 'old' shop to keep the freshness of the food.

 photo IMG_9626_zps96181bbd.jpg

We ordered the chicken feet, Siew Mai (烧卖) and Char Siew Bao (叉烧包). Overall good!

 photo IMG_9622_zps419acb82.jpg
Chicken feet

 photo IMG_9625_zps842bd25b.jpg
Siew Mai (烧卖)

 photo IMG_9620_zpsdbc9f353.jpg
Char Siew Bao (叉烧包)

The chicken feet were a bit special on the springy skin, the tiny bones were not messy dropping...Siew Mai was average and the Char Siew Bao was tender on the outer side, juicy and tasty inside, it was one of the nice char siew bao I had within JB and Kulai.

Price was reasonable and worth the second visit.

The only disadvantage is the shop too close to the main road that makes you cannot enjoy the dim sum peacefully, but I guess it became the 'culture' of this dim sum restaurant where the customers won't bother about it anymore...

Restoran Yeen Lai 云来点心楼 (古来)
Jalan Kulai Besar (next to Kulai Centre Point)
Kulaijaya, Johor.
Business hour : 7am - 12am
Close on alternate Wednesday
GPS Coordinates : (N1.66189 E103.60180)

Location map of Yeen Lai Dim Sum Restaurant


Thứ Hai, 7 tháng 10, 2013

Another visit to Food Republique at Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru.

This is my second visit to Food Republique (N1.48435 E103.77502) since Jan 2011 which was more than two years ago...
Everything looks the same, but we surprised by the taste of the foods which are much much better than before...

 photo IMG_0801_zps6bce24fb.jpg

The cafe setting same as it...

 photo IMG_0821_zpsc76b1aba.jpg

I like these yellow hanging lighting display very much, it created the warm & relax atmosphere within...

 photo IMG_0818_zps171d7577.jpg

We had 3 starters, 1 soup and 4 main course for the dinner...

1)  Nachos served with special sauce
2)  Italian Bruschetta
3)  Fried Polenta
4)  Chicken Clam Chowder
5)  Grilled Chicken Chop
6)  Cameralized Cheesy Cheese Bacon Burger
7)  Pan Fried Milked Fish
8)  Texas Honey Glazed Australia Beef Ribs

 photo IMG_0787_zpsb2fec056.jpg
Nachos served with special sauce

These Nachos were handmade from the Chef - Ben. It was crunchy and went well with the special sauce from Food Republique.

 photo IMG_0792_zps8970ede5.jpg
Italian Bruschetta

Cube size of summer tomatoes, fresh garden basil and garlic presented on top of the crunchy biscuit. It had a little bit of sourness and taste good for an appetizers!

 photo IMG_0793_zps88cc800d.jpg
Italian Bruschetta

Fried Polenta is one of our friend's Favorite, it's an Italian corn meal fried to perfection. It was crispy from the outer skin and soft, flavorful inside, I tasted with and without the homemade sauce...both perfect! Don't miss this appetizer!

 photo IMG_0795_zpsfefdd496.jpg
Fried Polenta

 photo IMG_0797_zpsa6c34ba6.jpg

After taken the apprtizers, we had another flavorful soup - Chicken Clam Chowder. Rich creamy chicken and clams loaded with potatoes in the clams base soup. Another surprised for us! The finely chopped clams mixed well with the creamy chicken soup...I like it!

 photo IMG_0802_zpsa27a172c.jpg
Chicken Clam Chowder

After a short break, the main courses started to presented on our table one-by-one...

The first was the Grilled Chicken Chop.

 photo IMG_0805_zps26fe30d2.jpg
Grilled Chicken Chop

The plate of Grilled Chicken Chop served with the US Russet Potato Fries, Roasted vege and the homemade spicy black pepper sauce. The chicken was well marinated with the special seasoning, nice char with the herbs and succulent inside! And the homemade sauce played the big part of the dish, Delicious!

 photo IMG_0806_zps53cbbc5a.jpg
The homemade spicy black pepper sauce

 photo IMG_0808_zps1ea15f48.jpg

The taste was nice and difficult to described by words, with the good combination of the char outer skin and the juicy chicken inside. You have to try this if you are a chicken chop lover.

Followed by the Cameralized Cheesy Cheese Bacon Burger.

 photo IMG_0811_zpsd6dbe644.jpg
Cameralized Cheesy Cheese Bacon Burger

The big size Burger served with the US Russet Potato Fries and corn. It was a total different experience on the burger! As for me, my experience with burgers only from the fast food restaurant and the Malay stall along the street...but this was totally new experience for me! The patty was well prepared and mixed well with the bacon, I like the moment when chewing on the char grilled bacon! Mr Ben told me before, they serve a varieties of nice burger. And my friend also noticed me that one of the very nice burger - Honey Glazed Burger which is off the menu too...
Excellent!

 photo IMG_0814_zpscadef4c1.jpg
The bacon in the burger...

 photo IMG_0815_zpsaf451181.jpg
The Cheese, Bacon and the patty

Next, the Pan Fried Milked Fish.

 photo IMG_0824_zpsb9ba5377.jpg
Pan Fried Milked Fish

The butter fish dipped into their special seasoned and lightly flour patted, pan fried with the perfect timing. Served with mashed potatoes and roasted mixed vegetables.

 photo IMG_0826_zpsd6ff3457.jpg
Pan Fried Milked Fish

The fish was really juicy inside with the mouthful of butter flavor! Beside that, it went well with the spices outside and it was another delicious dish serve by Food Republique!

Texas Honey Glazed Australia Beef Ribs. This was the dish we were waiting for...

 photo IMG_0829_zps77453325.jpg
Texas Honey Glazed Australia Beef Ribs

The ribs served in about 600-700 grams, it's good for 2-3 persons. The ribs were grilled with the Texas sauce, tender inside and slightly sweet. You have to try the 2 different way which are...with and without the sauce. Some part of the ribs was dry because of its shape that the heat hardly reach to every part of it, but...it's time that you can compromise with the sauce...

 photo IMG_0828_zpsc957b3d9.jpg

This was also my first time trying on the beef ribs with Texas sauce, Marvelous!
It is a dish you cannot miss when visiting Food Republique in Taman Pelangi.

 photo IMG_0832_zps0d4e8b08.jpg

We will definitely be come back often to try their new dishes from the new menu. Do drop by if you just around the corner, you might fall in love with the dishes serve by Food Republique.

Food Republique
72, Jalan Kuning,
Taman Pelangi,
80400 Johor Bahru.
Tel : +607-3311718
GPS Coordinates : N1.48435 E103.77502

Location map of Food Republique Cafe at Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru.