Tony Johor Kaki Travels for Food · Heritage · Culture · History

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Vivo American Pizza & Panini at AEON JUSCO Mall Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru

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Johor Kaki was invited to visit the Vivo American Pizza & Panini outlet at Bukit Indah. I have seen Vivo outlets around JB but have never stepped in before because there are so many choices in town and I tend to go for local businesses.

I was happy and surprised to find out that Vivo is actually the brainchild of passionate Johoreans whose love for food led them to partner a Chicago (USA) traditional pizza house to bring specialty pizzas into our region.

A note: For my first visit, we focussed on Vivo's chicken dishes as we did not have sufficient stomach space for pizzas on that day. It was our third food tasting of the day. I make it a point to eat all the food served at the table and get a real feel for the food during invited food tastings. I actually eat all the food instead of just taste test a few sample pieces. The disadvantage of my approach is that I cannot review so many dishes in one sitting, and so would need to return for additional sessions.

These were the dishes we tried at Vivo.

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Garlic Bread RM5.50

Vivo executed this basic item very well. The airy, fluffy bread had a good thickness and the garlic butter spread was savoury without being overly greasy. If you like garlic bread, you are likely to be pleased with Vivo's rendition.

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Honey Baked Chicken Wings RM15.90

The honey baked chicken wings were well marinated with Vivo's house blend savoury sweetish sauce. Made with chilled chicken, the marinade penetrated right through the chicken fibres. Well done, every part was evenly cooked yet still fairy tender and slightly moist. This baked chicken wings will appeal to people who like deep strong flavours.

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Baked Chicken Chop RM16.90

Vivo is proud of their baked chicken chop which has a crisp layer outside with the juicy more tender flesh inside. Deeply marinated with a mainly savoury, slightly sweet sauce.

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The grilled chicken chop is served with this buttered rice with a nice savoury flavour and not overly greasy. The good quality grains were fluffy and separate easily.

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Tropical BBQ Chicken Chop RM17.90

The chunky tropical BBQ chicken chop is also well marinated with Vivo's own BBQ sauce. Grilled till the savoury sweet outer layer is caramelised with some charred bits. Underneath that wrinkly caramelised skin was the still juicy tender chicken meat. The sweet and robust savoury flavour will appeal to people who like stronger flavours.

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Seafood Spaghetti Aglio Olio RM19.80

This seafood spaghetti aglio olio actually wowed me and was my favourite of the evening. The well executed al dente pasta had good mouth feel and was infused with a rich seafood broth of distinct savoury flavour. Lightly stir fried in garlic and olive oil making the pasta fragrant and slick without tacky greasiness. It was lovely. And, it had a generous shower of spicy chili flakes that gave the whole dish an interesting zing. The NZ mussels, fresh shrimps and small cubes of salmon completed the whole dish.

The staff kept wanting to take away this plate of spaghetti to make room for other dishes which Vivo wanted to showcase. I kept holding onto this spaghetti until I ate it up all up completely. I love it.

If you like savoury and spicy seafood spaghetti, this is for you too. I certainly would be happy to eat this again and again.

I enjoyed the tasting at Vivo today and am looking forward to try out the other dishes, especially the pizzas in their menu.  

Restaurant name: Vivo American Pizza & Panini (Bukit Indah outlet)
Address: AEON JUSCO Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru (Vivo has a total of 12 outlets in Johor Bahru, Segamat, Malacca, KL and Singapore)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/1sXlc
GPS: 1.480958,103.6545
Hours: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Certified Halal

Date visited: 25 Nov 2013

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9 comments:

  1. Did not know Vivo was run by johor locals, always enjoy reading the stories behind the places you visit!

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  2. You make the spaghetti looks so delicious. A good choice to read your post before meal so it raise my appetite. Hehe

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  3. Oh my gosh, this made me so hungry! They all look so yummers!
    Definitely a nice place to try and visit.

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  4. When I get the chance to visit Vivo American Pizza, I'll enjoy the Aglio-olio for sure. You described it pretty well, it's tempting!

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  5. Wah! Another interesting place to explore next time we go into JB ler!

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  6. Chicken chop and buttered rice, mmmmm!!! It's 4.30pm now and I think I have chosen a good time to read your post. Reading it late at night is always not a good idea :) Thanks for sharing this, Tony!

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  7. Oh yes and I agree with Bryan, I love that you take the time to speak with the owners and give us the background and history of the places you visit!

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  8. Those honeybaked chicken wings look soooo delicious. Is this Bukit Indah place near Legoland? We're headed there next month with the extended family and need family friendly places to settle our meals! :D

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  9. Hahaha, that visual of you holding on to the spaghetti to finish it made me laugh. I love spicy seafood spaghetti too. Must remember this one!

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