Category Archives: Leisure & Travel

Road trip to Kluang, Johor

Posted in Everyday Life, Food and Drinks, Leisure & Travel, Places to Eat, Reviews by

Once my husband and kids came back from their holiday in Aceh, we went on a road trip to Kluang. On the way there, we stopped at one of the best asam pedas place in Muar, Asam Pedas Kak Yah. They had a lot of dish options with thick, flavourful gravy. Despite its bright reddish hue, it was not spicy at all. If you haven’t tried a dish called asam pedas before, now is the time.

After a hearty lunch at Kak Yah, we continued our car ride to Kluang. Since it was the school holidays, Kluang seemed like a good choice for a low-key family getaway. The main objectives of this road trip are to enjoy good food and a swim in the pool, especially for the kids. We soon reached Prime City Hotel. Mr Husband booked one room for us and another for his mother and nieces.

Prime City Hotel

This is a 3-star hotel that may look non-promising from the outside. However, it gets really cosy and hospitable once you step into the room. The air-conditioning was working fine, and it had the basic amenities. Though the swimming pool area may not look luxurious, the kids still enjoyed it. Just make sure they are under adult supervision. Check-in time is 3 PM. We managed to get our room at about 230PM. The bus station is just beside this building, and there are plenty of places to eat nearby. This place reminds me of Jasin.

The breakfast buffet has an adequate spread. It was very basic, yet we are thankful for the great food that was offered. As long as the nasi lemak served is delicious, nothing else matters.

We stayed here for 2 nights. The hotel is located near Ngepot Kabin, an outdoor eatery that’s like a food court. It has a variety of food stalls. I did not take any pictures there. Basically, you scan the QR code and tap in your order. We had dinner quite early on the first day, as we needed a good night’s sleep after that drive from Melaka. Even as a passenger, it is still tiring. Ha ha ha.

Kluang Rail Coffee, Bandar Kluang

What is a trip to Kluang if we’re not going to visit at least one of their viral restaurants? Initially, we went to the Kluang Railway Station itself. The authentic, OG place where everything starts. The winding queue seemed impossible to wait in. After taking a few photos at the station, we headed to their other branch in town. We still had to wait, but it was more bearable. I ordered their Laksa Johor. And of course the coffee. I had an iced cham. It is a drink that blends strong black tea with coffee and milk. You could find it in any good kopitiam.

The portions were acceptable. Not too huge. I also ordered their Kaya Toast. I mean, how could you not order Kaya Toast when you’re in a Malaysian kopitiam? It is almost disrespectful. Ha ha.

Nasi Lemak Wak Kentut

After a scrumptious brunch at Kluang Railway Coffee, we had dinner at Nasi Lemak Wak Kentut. I get that people are saying, ” It’s just nasi lemak, how special can it be?” Indeed, it is just nasi lemak. But if you’re looking for a delightful staple dish worth your money, this is the place to go. The place is tucked in a quite isolated area. A friend told me that I should go to the one at Kota Masai. Even then, the food is still good, although the owner appears a bit nonchalant in his business approach. The rice portion is huge. I could actually divide the rice into 3 portions. The sambal and the fried chicken were nice. The chicken was super crispy and juicy at the same time. My MIL was unable to come with us as one of my nieces was already fast asleep, so we tapau-ed one for her to eat in her hotel room.

Apart from eating, swimming in the pool and sleeping in the room, we did not do much at Kluang. That was pretty much the point of our staycation. We certainly did not plan for a trip to a nearby zoo or theme park. Everything was just low-key, and I pretty much enjoyed it too. I did have to complete my 10K steps in the hotel room, but it wasn’t an arduous task. It forced me to become creative in finding ways to achieve my goal. After 2 nights in Kluang, it was time to hit the road again. Our next destination was Pengerang.

Places I ate during my solo stay at MITC Melaka

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First of all, there is a 24-hour McDonald’s restaurant just beside the MITC Hotel that you can walk to at any hour of the day for a meal. There’s even a Petronas Mesra in case you yearn for something as simple as a Gardenia roll or mineral water. Better still, walk over the huge MITC carpark and make your pick of the restaurants sat nicely in the row. Further down, there are a few other restaurants worth mentioning, such as Maniss Cafe, Bangsawan, Mi Tarik Lanzhou, Restoran Akar, Asam Pedas Nek Jarah, etc. Even Mixue is there if you need a quick sugar fix.

Anyway, these are the places I went to for my dinner during my 4D3N stay at the MITC hotel. All within walking distance. My walking distance is 30 minutes.

GEPUK KE KUNYIT

I dined at the place and chose a Daging Kunyit dish. It was RM13. Looking at the menu, it looks mid-range and very family-friendly. My meal set comes with refillable drinks. The rice portion was huge. I think it is best shared between 2 people. The soup was nice. It did not give me a headache, as some salty ones can do that. I requested sambal biasa, meaning mild version. It was palatable. After the meal, I spent 30 minutes at the big MITC carpark, brisk walking to get my metabolism going.

BRUH KITCHEN

I read a positive review of this place. A friend at work recommended the Brisket. Hence, I walked from my hotel, The MITC Hotel, to this restaurant. I reached there by 6 PM. Malaysians tend to have their dinner much later, and so there was no crowd. I ordered my meal via QR scan, and it arrived in less than 15 minutes.

I agree with the 5-star Google reviews. The brisket is to die for. Mine was the Beef Brisket Menangis priced at RM42.90. It came with 3 different sauces. One had a tangy taste, the other was spicy, and one had a familiar taste. The tangy one was nice. I also had the house special drink, the Avocado Milkshake.

After eating this meal, I had to walk longer to digest everything. I felt that the cream overpowered the avocado taste, but yes, I would definitely bring my husband and kids here again, to appreciate the wonderful food they have at this place.

MIXUE

I feel that I need to specially mention this Orange Punch drink. I love it. Even with 30% sugar.

SECRET RECIPE

This restaurant has become a household name for its cake selection. I was desperate for a cake on one particular day. I think I went here on a Friday night. I had beef lasagne and an Indulgence cake. Of course, it was delicious. This branch is located in front of Mydin Mall. Then I did my 10K steps in the mall and around Kota Fesyen.

BOTANICAL GATEWAY CAFE MITC

I had lunch here, just after my hair spa session at Poppy Beauty Spa. I believe this cafe was once Richiamo Coffee. The layout was the same, only they sold other food. It still has pastries, but I was going for a heavy lunch. I chose the Fish and Chips. It did not have the classic tartar sauce, which is a shame. I had my meal with plain water because I wanted to have Gigi Coffee afterwards. It was OK, but I prefer the ones from Windmill station.

This sums up my dining experience during my MITC staycation. Hope it helps.

Solo stay at MITC Hotel Melaka

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My husband brought the kids over to Acheh for the Raya Haji celebration with my dad and his new wife (and kids). Mi amore knew that I was NOT on leave in that particular week due to the usual ‘kuota cuti’. Although my response to his proposal to bring the kids to Acheh was a sing-song ‘you can do that, saya tak cuti‘, the most appropriate response is to CANCEL EVERYTHING. But no, he took it at face value and went ahead on the trip. After more than 10 years of marriage, masih lah tak faham faham. Ha ha.

So, I did the next best thing to console myself. *giving myself a butterfly hug here*. I booked a solo stay at one of the nearest hotels to my workplace. The MITC Hotel. It was only a 15-minute journey to work. I checked in on the evening of EID and just enjoyed the great hospitality. I booked a Superior Double room for a 4D3N stay through Agoda.com. My total was RM 492.94, including taxes and fees. I even have breakfast included. I did have to pay the Melaka Heritage Fee separately at RM3 per night. The fee may vary depending on the hotel’s star rating.

Parking was obviously easy. I can see why some comments on Google reviews mentioned that the room seemed small. It is because the bed is not big, risen and bulky. It looks like our ordinary double bed at home. It feels like a Hobbit home. The pillows were fluffy but a bit odd-sized. It felt like sleeping on the chest of a really muscular bodybuilder. The hotel was pretty generous with its beverages. They provided one cup of instant noodles on arrival. The coffee and tea sachets were replenished daily. The air conditioner was superbly cool. I loved that there was a hair dryer too. There is no fridge in the room, so I basically get my cold water from work and bring it with me to the hotel. I need my cold water.

Do bring your own toothbrush and paste

The location is great. There are plenty of restaurants near the hotel itself. If you are willing to walk a bit further like me, you can go towards the roundabout and find your way to Mydin Mall. Apart from what is in Mydin itself, there are also a few other nice places to eat at Kota Fesyen. I was able to get my steps in daily after work in the evening. Every day, I had dinner outside and would usually come back to the hotel just after Maghrib. I will write about my dinner adventures in a different post.

Breakfast at the hotel starts at 7 am. That means I get a quick 30 minutes at the restaurant before I drive off to work. I only managed to enjoy the buffet at a leisurely pace during my last day there, since it was a Saturday. I have to recommend their Nasi Lemak. The sambal was really good. I put it on top of everything I can, the roti canai, lontong, everything! If they are serving this particular Nasi Lemak as part of lunch, I would actually come here to have lunch. Coffee was OK. It did come from those automatic machines. I also enjoyed their noodles. It was nice. The roti canai and curry were delicious too. Thankfully, the school holiday crowd has yet to arrive during my stay there. Thus, my breakfast was quite peaceful and less hurried. Meaning, I don’t have people staring at my table, wanting to sit there once I get up.

The swimming pool was cute. I think my daughter would have loved it. There was a beautiful courtyard for private events just beside it, too. The overall service and hospitality were great. The staff were so polite. Always with a smile and a tiny nod. The manager even called me a few minutes after checking in, just to make sure that everything was up to my expectations, since I will be staying there for 4 days. No wonder it is a 4-star hotel.

part of the pool
the courtyard

There was no sight of a gym. Even then, as I said earlier, I managed to get my brisk walk in after work by strolling the area. There were so many things to see and try. You will never go hungry because there is a 24-hour McDonald’s restaurant right beside the hotel. I would definitely come here again if I ever need another solo moment because I really felt safe as a female guest.

MammaBunz – stress breaker food

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I was introduced to this bun by a work colleague. She had a stressful day and came back after lunch with a plastic bag full of MammaBunz. There were at least 15 of us working on that day, and every single one of us got the bun. She did not specify the reason for her stress. The only thing she knows is that she needs to alleviate her stress by being on a shopping spree. And the most budget-friendly with positive (sedeqah) after effects is by buying lots of MammaBunz for us, her workplace colleagues. The signature bun is less than RM4 per piece, whereas the Queen Butter Bun is priced just above RM4. You could buy it à la carte or get it in a set with drinks.

Indeed, the warm buns were rich in flavour. The butter could just melt away any of your stress right away. Naturally, I bought some for my husband and kids much later. So that they could also appreciate the nice things the wife/mother gets to eat at work. My daughter loves it, and we’d usually get it during our grocery trip on the weekends.

If you’re someone living outside Malaysia, you might wanna try it once you set foot in this country.

Snap N Snack – celebrating husband’s birthday

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Celebrating the birthday of family members is probably one small gesture one could do as a family to appreciate their presence. To honour them as a gift to the family. This is because, despite saying that family is important, our actions may suggest otherwise. We either get caught up in work or prioritise other commitments. Hence, to put aside a small portion of your time to spend at least an hour on a simple meal and a birthday cake suffices in some families.

We did just that for my husband’s birthday. He is a busy man at the workplace and is very committed to his side quest of becoming fit. Probably doing Intermittent Fasting. Or being on a product/medicine that he wants to be discreet about. Either way, agreeing to his own birthday dinner is great. I chose a place close to home called Snap N Snack.

I honestly have to tell you. This may not be the best place to get your fix of Western dishes. However, it does boast an Instagrammable venue with a comfortable vibe for family dinners. The latter being the reason why I opted for this place to have my husband’s birthday celebration. By the way, this year, I gifted him some probiotics. A box of Watson probiotics (+ collagen) and a bottle of GKB Lactobacillus Plantarum. I hope he has (better) guts this year.

At the restaurant, my daughter ordered the mac and cheese. The cheese was on the heavy side and was likely prepared by a young cook, as it was salty. Youngsters nowadays seem to be desensitised to sugar and salt. Fortunately, my kids are able to tell when a particular dish is flavourful due to its original taste or burdened by preservatives. My quesadilla was not on par with what I had before at a different restaurant. Even then, I respect that it is their own recipe, only that it was not to my liking. The birthday man had pasta. I ordered a banana split to substitute for the birthday cake. It was alright. In fact, perhaps the only thing we loved about the place was the ambience, the banana split and the service.

The workers did try their best, including the cook. It was just not up my alley. Thus, I chose not to submit my Google review of this place. I will come later and try other dishes. Maybe then I’d find something I like and be able to give a balanced rating for Snap N Snack.