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

Food Explorer Storyteller with 63 million+ reads ๐Ÿ“ง johorkaki@gmail.com

About Johor Kaki ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ๐Ÿ‘ŸPut Every Good Hawker on the World Wide Web

Lowyat Johor Kaki

Updated 27 May 2019. Good day, I am Tony, the person behind the Johor Kaki blog.

First of all, I would like to thank you for supporting Johor Kaki blog. I appreciate you very much.

(I first wrote this post in 2013. When I stumbled upon the above remarks in Lowyat.NET Forum today 27 May 2019, I thought it is timely to update this post on what Johor Kaki blog is about.)

Johor-Kaki
Photo courtesy of my friend Alan Cole dated 2013

Johor Kaki blog is my hobby, my personal project. And, it has become a very serious hobby, and something that I am obsessively passionate about ๐Ÿ˜„

I am not a food critic or food reviewer. I am just someone (much like many of you) who enjoys good food, appreciate the hard work of the hawkers who made the food, and I want to share my enjoyment with others.




I have been enjoying the good food in Johor for more than 20 years and in Singapore for longer than that. It recently dawned on me that the good food in Johor has not received much publicity (in 2011); so much so that, there are close friends (even Johoreans) who claimed that “there is no good food in Johor”.


I felt that Johor food and hawkers deserve more recognition.


So, on 20 Dec 2011, I started the Johor Kaki blog to document all the good food and hawker stalls that I have tried in Johor. One by one, I hope to put every good hawker  and restaurant in Johor on the World Wide Web.


I hope that by putting good Johor hawkers and restaurants on the World Wide Web, more people will come to realise that Johor is truly a food paradise.


Over time, the coverage of Johor Kaki blog have extended beyond Johor to cover Singapore my home and anywhere I happened to be travelling, be it China, Canada or USA and so on.

I would like to share how Johor Kaki blog is built, hawker by hawker. It is the same whether I am in JB, Singapore or anywhere around the world.




What I do is, I will order my food at a hawker stall, eat it and pay for it - the same way as everyone would. If I like the food, I will speak with the hawker about my project and seek the boss' permission to take pictures of her/him at work to feature the people behind the food. I will ask the hawkers about the history of their stall and listen to their interesting stories. I will then write an article and post it on Johor Kaki blog, and Johor Kaki blog Facebook page. 

In writing the post, I do my utmost to be as clear and accurate as possible. I want the post to serve as a reliable documentary record of the food, people and place. I also strive to have the human touch in my posts.

Empty Plate

If I did not enjoy the food, I will just eat it (I was taught not to waste food when I was a child), pay for it and do not follow up further. I do not write any negative articles in Johor Kaki blog because:
  1. The purpose of Johor Kaki blog is to feature the good hawkers and restaurants of Johor
  2. Food that I do not personally enjoy may be the favourite of others. The reverse is also true. I learnt from experience how peoples' tastes can differ surprisingly widely
  3. Writing negative articles damages the business and livelihood of the hawkers and their families.
So, if I personally did not enjoy the food, I will just not write any articles about it in Johor Kaki blog. Put another way, the stall or restaurant is not mentioned in Johor Kaki blog. About 2 in 3 eateries that I tried are not mentioned in my blog. (Was 1 in 3 when I first started.) 

I have adjusted this position a little. I do write negative reviews but only very rarely. When a F & B Goliath's product differs too much from the media hype, I feel it is fair that I provide some balance to the information available to the public. But, it will be based solely on my personal experience at the restaurant. Here is an example on Tim Ho Wan in Kuala Lumpur  ๐Ÿ‘ˆ click

My no negative review approach to mom and pop hawker stalls still stands. 

In May 2012, WGOIJB invited me to post Johor Kaki articles on their Facebook page. I would like to state that Johor Kaki is independent of WGOIJB. I gladly accepted the invitation because it supports Johor Kaki blog's mission to share the good hawkers and restaurants of Johor with more people. (Thanks WGOIJB Admin, Euginn for the invite. The arrangement has ceased around 2015.)

Beginning with the Nov/Dec 2012 issue of WAVES Lifestyle Magazine, Johor Kaki articles are featured in the Food We Love section of WAVES. I am grateful for the invite from WAVES Editor Priya, and for the opportunity to share about Johor food and hawkers with more people through WAVES. (This arrangement which later extended to the Iskandarian paper has ceased around 2016.)

Recently, Johor Kaki has been receiving invitations from restaurants for food tasting. I would like to state here that the same principles and standards upon which Johor Kaki was started, still apply. I do not receive any fees for the articles posted in the Johor Kaki blog. There are no paid food reviews in Johor Kaki blog. Only difference is, the host is not charging Johor Kaki for the food eaten during the invited food tasting session. I make sure that the restaurants understand that Johor Kaki will post only food I enjoyed and which I sincerely want to share with my readers.


I may revisit a restaurant a few times and write a review when I am comfortable that readers will also enjoy the food here. Johor Kaki readers' dining experience is one of the top priorities in my blogging. I wrote this post after the third visit to Hop Sing restaurant (thank you Yvonne for your kind understanding and patience with this quirky blogger ๐Ÿ˜Š ). About 1 in 30 posts in Johor Kaki are invited tastings (I rarely accept media invites these days) and are fully disclosed ๐Ÿ‘ˆ click 

I have resisted coming up with a rating system but decided to have one in 2017 after many readers requested for it. The idea is to give readers a convenient and simple shorthand reference on how I feel about a stall or restaurant. After several iterations, this is what I have settled on - the simplest possible two ratings - Information for you ๐Ÿ‘Œ and Recommended for you ๐Ÿ‘  ๐Ÿ‘ˆ click


Johor Kaki

I am very grateful for all the support that Johor Kaki blog has been receiving from readers since 2012.

I am glad that Johor Kaki is able to play a very small part in bringing greater recognition to Johor food and the dedicated hawkers and restaurateurs that worked so long and hard to bring such good food to all of us.


I am glad that today, there are many social media sites active in Johor Bahru (a far cry from 2012).

Johor Kaki still has a very long way to go, and will keep working at becoming better and more helpful.


Grateful for your patience in reading this long post.


Thank you and wish you happy reading, happy eating.


Tony


Whatsapp +65-96888-768
Email
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First edition 25 Jan 2013

49 comments:

  1. Thanks Tony! Continue your good work, really enjoy your posts and appreciate all the info given. Been a great help!

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  2. Thanks Tony. Really enjoyed reading your blog. Trying the recommendations by area, but ๏ผฉ ๏ฝ๏ฝŽ๏ฝŒ๏ฝ™ ๏ฝˆ๏ฝ๏ฝ–๏ฝ… ๏ฝ๏ฝŽ๏ฝ… ๏ฝ“๏ฝ”๏ฝ๏ฝ๏ฝ๏ฝƒ๏ฝˆ, ๏ฝ—๏ฝˆ๏ฝ‰๏ฝƒ๏ฝˆ ๏ฝ‹๏ฝ‰๏ฝŽ๏ฝ„๏ฝ ๏ฝ“๏ฝŒ๏ฝ๏ฝ—๏ฝ“ ๏ฝ„๏ฝ๏ฝ—๏ฝŽ ๏ฝ”๏ฝˆ๏ฝ… ๏ฝ๏ฝ’๏ฝ๏ฝƒ๏ฝ…๏ฝ“๏ฝ“. 

    ๏ผค๏ฝ…๏ฝŒ๏ฝ‚๏ฝ…๏ฝ’๏ฝ” (๏ผณ๏ผง) 

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  3. Hi, Tony, really appreciate what you have done for food lover like me. I have been staying in JB all my live n I din know some of these hawkers exist. Keep up with the good work. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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    1. Thank you, Kathy C. My best wishes to you and your family too.

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  4. Whenever I'm in Johor, my choice has been limited till I stumbled upon your blog.
    Now I have more exciting makan places to explore. At times the pictures looks better than the food itself, however, still glad to try it out.
    Thanks for sharing your passion and I truly enjoy reading your blog for new ideas. Keep up the good job. Happy food hunting and writing. ~ Sunnybee1975, Singapore

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  5. We are thankful for your great effort to document and share with everyone for all the good food that you tasted during your journey.

    It was just recently, I google for a makan place in JB, I came across your website, and went to try one of the stalls. I remembered it was YA WANG near the CIQ. That was great, then I look thru your site and went for a 2nd stall.. and this went on and on.. It was such a fantastic experience till I book a hotel in JB, to follow thru more food at your site !

    I hope that you could keep up your unbiased food review ! This is definitely my number choice for a JB food blog ! Thanks.

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    1. Thank you Patrick for the kind compliments. Wish you more happy reading and happy eating.

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  6. keep up the superb job and we will support you in any way you require to ensure that JK become a food dictionary one day. All the best from the "House of Sarawak Kolomee "

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  7. Hi! I am really enjoying your blog. I see that you have tried quite a handful food from Kluang. Maybe you do not want to miss the Botak Mee and Kuey teow too.

    You should also try the Botak Mee (which is Behind Old Coronation Cinema. Famous Botak Curry Noodles) and Brilliant Theatre Fried Kuey Teow (Near the Botak Mee as well). After you cross the Railway track, heading towards the town, take the right (in front of the TOTO shop),pass JohBase hotel signboard, go straight till you come to a T junction (you will see a Bridal shop on your right of the T-Junction). Turn left and you will pass a big Chinese Hall on your right. After the hall, turn right into the parking area. You will see a stall with an uncle frying kuey teow and with lots of smoke. That is called Brilliant Theatre Kuey Teow - the Chinese hall used to be a Cinema called Brilliant Theatre in olden times. COme out of that parking area (you can actually walk from there to the Botak mee stall), turn right and then take the left into the small lorong just before the river. You will see lots of old stalls on your right. you will find Botak Mee signboard there - it is the 2nd stall with a young chap behind the wok. The mee is given with a sambal and it is just good. Beside it is also the famous Chee Cheong Fun. You can try that as well.

    This is some good food that we never miss whenever we are back in Kluang. Botak curry mee for breakfast or the Kluang Rail coffee bun. I think you shld try the kaya bun from there instead of the bread. And botak Mee or Kuey teow for dinner. :)

    Vithya

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    1. Vithya! Thanks for the info. I must make another trip to Kluang to enjoy more good food that you have suggested :)

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  8. i scrolled my mouse down ur page and realised that u never introduce the food in Senai ! Is it because u didn't know what're the famous and delicious food in Senai ? I can introduce u some of it ! :')

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    1. Yes, yes I am not familiar with Senai and have not stopped to explore. Senai is one area which I must spend more time in. I've heard about lots of good food there e.g. the kuih in the pasar pagi. Thanks for the reminder :)

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    2. Don't forget the laksa beside the clinic ! I ain't sure which kuih stall was the one that you mentioned, but the kuih stall beside the main road is definitely worth for a try! :)

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    3. OK next time I will stop for the laksa beside the clinic. Can you tell the name of the clinic? :)

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  9. Tony,

    you got an excellent food blog on JB.

    I go from Singapore to JB for makan session with friends from time to time. Your blog is so useful.

    Feedback: Your inclusion of Googles Map location URL link and GPS coordinates of the food stall/restaurant is IMPORTANT. Keep doing that.




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    1. Ricohflex, thanks for your support and feedback. Your feedback is important and valued as it helps me to keep updating and improving this blog :)

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  10. Fantastic blog!
    Keep up the great work!

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  11. Just saw the foodie blogger episode about JB and must say you were great on tv. Very natural. Thanks for all the recommendations. Great site with great info. Hope to bump into you someday while stalking out some great food.
    sccheah,jb

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  12. I wondered why you only "praise" those food stalls / restaurants and didn't criticize some awful food. After reading this post I know more about your Johor Kaki Blog mission. I agreed with your approach and thank you for posting many recommendations in your blog even you are not a Johorean. Keep up with your work. Your blog is a "must" read for my daily consumption. Cheers!

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    1. Thank you Canny. Wish you happy reading and happy eating :)

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  13. Hi Tony, you have a great blog and mission! You're my hero and I hope to be on a JB food trail with you some day :) Cheers! - Sam

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    1. LOL Thanks Samantha for your compliments and high regard - I appreciate your support. I do work hard on this project but do not deserve that much credit :P The honour should go to the hawkers. Yes, let's make a plan for a food trail :))

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  14. Excellent work, Tony. Promoting u thru my facebook too. U r showing S'pore food often over-rated n even when good, the price is accounted 4.

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  15. Thank you, Tony. Your blog is a great help for my food hunt in JB. Appreciate your effort. :)

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    1. Thank you Dear Pui, glad you found Johor Kaki useful :)

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  16. Thank you Tony. Your blog is indeed informative and we always check up your blog to find good places to eat. Congratulations on your Rewards.

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  17. Thank you, glad you found Johor Kaki useful :)

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  18. You have such a noble and honorable mission. You're a true food hero Tony!

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    1. Thank you for your encouragement. I am no hero, just a scribe. The true heroes (often unsung) are our hawkers.

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  19. Thank you Tony. Keep up the good work. I too used to lament about the lack of good food in Johor Bahru. You have proved me wrong. worse still, some of the places you have mentioned are actually very near my home. betul betul katak bawah tempurung! Hooray for guys like you!

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    1. Thanks Mrs Pillay. I am glad Johor Kaki has been helpful. There are still many hawkers yet to be covered by this blog. Please do share with us your favourites too.

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  20. Hi Tony , thanks for sharing your Food exploration ! really hope to join you guys if there is a chance ! keep up the good work !

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  21. Where csn l find beggar chicken in jb

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    1. Here - http://johorkaki.blogspot.com/2012/03/beggars-chicken-ban-heong-seng.html

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  22. Hi Tony, I too follow your foods blogs but some foods. I cannot find when I was in JB. Anyway, thanks for nice to eat foods' places. I will try to find when I in JB.

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  23. Thank you so much for your postings Tony! I am a food lover just like you. I have been travelling around Johor based on your recommendations. Most of the food you recommended are very nice ah! Just 1-2 are "not very good" though.

    Please continue with your Blog!

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  24. Hi Tony, I am a Singaporean living in JB. I have been staying there for more the five years. I use Johor Kaki as a source of reference. Perhaps if you are free some day I like to meet you in JB. Thanks

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  25. Tony... job well done.. You are doing great.. Keep it up!!

    Best Regards BobcatSysOp YK CHan.

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  26. Good job Tony Boey. You're old school and I have learned much from you. Thanks for sharing your passion with us. God bless you and your family always.

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