Permas Go-Kart Circuit, Johor Bahru…The karts are a little beaten up

If you have the need for speed and are looking for a way to get the whole family’s or department’s motor running, then go-karting may be just the sport. Put that sibling rivalry to rest or promote healthy competition with a ten-minute race around the track.

Also known as Johor circuit or Plentong circuit, Permas Go-Kart Circuit is not the biggest track in the world but serves it’s purpose. The karts are a little beaten up, but most are mechanically sound. Some are slower than the rest and a couple are best avoided because you lose control when you jam on the brakes. Place needs to be re hauled, brought up to code, wiped down, cleaned up and then maybe it will be worth it.

If you’re looking for some speed and adrenaline, I recommend looking for a better track. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Restoran Famous Seremban Favourites, Petaling Jaya…..drool-inducing char siu

To many Chinese, the mere mention of char siu (BBQ pork) would conjure up a mental picture of juicy, tender, savory, fatty BBQ pork belly dripping in a savory, sticky, and uber delicious sauce, sliced into thin pieces and served with steaming white rice. Here in Restoran Famous Seremban Favourites the drool-inducing half lean and half fat meat (pun fei sao) caramelised meat is slightly charred around the edges. In the mouth, the square chunk of fat releases bursts of flavour with every bite. I have been liberated!

The awesome hakka noodles comes with a bit of shredded pork and it goes hand-in-hand with the Char Siu. The noodles was good; being springy and coated with just the right amount of sauces; most evidently the drizzle of lard oil coating/lubricating the strands. The toppings of minced and savoury pork was the crowning glory.

For the uninitiated, this restaurant is not located in Seremban. As its name suggests, this restaurant specializes in hawker foods that are popular in Seremban but this restaurant is located in PJ. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Guangzhou Restaurant, Guangzhou…the thing that stood out about this restaurant was the absolute poor non existence service

‘Number One Restaurant in Guangzhou’ The concierge told me. I’m not sure why concierge has such esteemed description for this place.

Well what can I say, the thing that stood out about this restaurant was the absolute poor non existence service. Waitress did not utter a word, literally moved my table (including all my food) while I was mid-way eating!! Now I normally don’t mind a hole-in-the-wall restaurant with non-existent service if the food is delicious. The food here was lukewarm and mediocre tasting.

I would advise anyone reading this to walk to one of the many other Chinese restaurants in Guangzhou. The poor service, non-service might better describe this place, makes it a stressful dining experience. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

 

 

Hudson Eats, New York City…..gourmet options from popular NYC restaurants in a food court

To review a food court is a difficult proposition because, at least in this case, each vendor has a primary residence elsewhere. Hudson Eats is a fancy, airy, marbled and luxurious food court by Two World Financial Center with floor-to-ceiling windows offering sweeping killer views of the Hudson and the Statue of Liberty. There are 600 seats over 35,000 square feet of sleek space.

This is a one-of-a-kind food court with over 14 gourmet options from popular NYC restaurants. Grilled cheese specialist Little Muenster is a vendor. You would be able to enjoy the diet-friendly, delicious Buffalo cheese pie from Skinny Pizza and seriously sugary cupcakes from Sprinkles. There’s Umami Burger, proudly peddling flavor bombs on buns and made-to-order salad maestros like Chop’t.

Overall Hudson Eats is an OK place but $20 lunches is not for the everyman. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Pots ‘n Pans, Hanoi…don’t read this on an empty stomach, unless you’re into drooling uncontrollably

Let me just begin by saying that I love this place! Customer Service is great! This restaurant is the merging of traditional Vietnamese flavors and textures in innovative new ways  and beautifully presented in portion sizes that won’t leave you popping out for a late night bowl of pho. On my visit it never got packed, or too loud, or hectic. The pace was slowed down. Which is fine, because debating what you’ll order may take time.

To start, they serve you with crispiest turmeric bread you will ever taste… with the olive oil dip and three levels of spice to add, they are so yummy! The twice cooked pork belly with beetroot puree, apple compote, pickles and Vietnamese herbs ticks all the boxes for pork belly punters like me, with large chunks of meat that is all crispy skin on the top, soft and juicy everywhere else. This, right here, is what dreams are made of. The grilled king prawns with lemongrass, lime leaf, mushroom satay pudding and Vietnamese herbs were beyond succulent; insanely flavorful, awesomely rich. I nearly licked my plate! Well, to keep it classy, I scraped it clean with my fork. And if you have not had the crispy banana spring rolls with chocolate sauce and cinnamon ice cream, get off your computer, get your keys and go… Like right now.

As you may expect, Pots n Pans isn’t cheap but just by these 3 dishes I would recommend this place and come back again. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

The House of Dancing Water, Macau…..a daredevil’s dream but not on my top three must-watch shows

Touted as Macau’s most expensive show at HK$2billion, this 90-minute aquatic spectacle is a bit like watching the merrymaking of semi-naked Greek gods, their physiques so perfect and weaving elaborate stunts, dives, and explosions into a love story. The plot doesn’t quite make sense and only serve as a thread to connect each stunt.

My first impressions of the 360 stage was that it looked immersive and I don’t really think there’s a bad seat in the house. A pool at the centre of the stage appears and disappears throughout the show. Right off the bat it got pretty exciting with a spectacular and bizarre mix of theatre, acrobatics, stunts, dance and water.  Then nothing…  Though it was very poetic and aesthetically beautiful, there were scenes where it appeared the actors were just stalling for time, (which they probably were), but in this case it was super obvious and boring. The 15 minutes Evil Knievel stunt show was exciting but seem so out of place.

Though the stunts throughout the show are a daredevil’s dream, but the overlong House of Dancing Water is definitely not on my top three must-watch shows. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

iHop, New Jersey…Excellent pit stop before shopping at The Mills at Jersey Gardens

I have been told by quite a few folks that iHop is not worth visiting. iHop is the International House of Pancakes. It’s not the international house of shrimp or the international house of milkshakes! It’s the international house of freaking pancakes! iHop is not a fancy steak house. Get over it!

The iHop I went to is actually a rather large space – they have plenty of seating. It’s right across from Jersey Gardens.

The original buttermilk pancake is the signature favorite they’re famous for but for all that brouhaha, it is pretty average. So is the bacon cheeseburger. The ham and egg melt features a fluffy omelette topped with ham, Swiss and American cheeses on grilled artisan sourdough bread and it’s incredibly satisfying and filling. Helllooo delicious! Another wonderful dish is the loaded country potato soup which was hearty, creamy and filled with variance of texture and bits of bacon. And most of all…it made me close my eyes, sigh, and feel like everything till the end of time is going to be okay. This soup will warm your ever-loving heart and soul. I absolutely promise.

I will keep coming here as long as the door stays unlocked! This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Hock Heng Pandan Beef Ball, Johor Bahru…Goodness gracious, great balls y’all!

As someone who loves meatballs but is also super-picky about meatballs, I was either going to love to or hate this place. The original Hock Heng opened in Kampung Pandan more than sixty years ago by the founder, hence the famous name, Pandan beef ball noodles. When I was a young lad, my grandpa would occasionally drive me there for a bowl of noodle. This Hock Heng place still maintains its mojo — but it’s just missing a bit of extra oomph.

Having had gazillions beef balls since my childhood sojourns to Kampung Pandan, I was, therefore, expecting some kind of badass beef noodle — after all, good first impressions stick with you for life. This branch at Taman Sri Tebrau was quiet mostly deserted. The signature beef balls are pretty good – meaty, firm, springy (I’d swear they could bounce on the floor if I’d dropped them) and crunchy – not too over-the-top.

Though not the lip-smacking great, I am happy to report that this is Johor Bahru’s best! Keep on ballin’ Hock Heng! This is the true truth as I say it as it is…