Bev C - Cafe & Fashion Retail Store (Malaysia, Johor Bahru)

Lemon Tea Ice Cube Drink and House Special Espresso Ice Cube Drink with Chocolate and Milk

Singapore and Malaysia are closely linked to each other in many aspects, even food. Just like how the number of cafes have emerged in Singapore in recent years, the number of cafes in Malaysia and Johor Bahru have also increased. One such cafe with a unique concept is Bev C.

Bev C is located around 15 minutes walk away from the the causeway / City Square. It stands out among the other cafes because of its unique concept and design. It is both a cafe and fashion retail store!

Bev C is uniquely design. From its appearance, it would not be a sweeping statement to say that a tremendous thoughts and effort had been placed into its design. It is suitable photo shoot, be it OOT (Outfit Of the Day), selfie or welfie.

Looks at these pictures.

There is even a cozy corner with a bed! How cool is that!

House Special Espresso Ice Cube Drink with Chocolate and Milk RM 12.90

As for their drinks, they are not only thirst quencher, but also Instagram worthy and unique. Most patrons will come here for their ice cubes drinks which are one of the must tries at this cafe due to its unique concept. The concept is not to use (normal) ice cubes which dilutes the drink. Hence, for this House Special Espresso Ice Cube Drink with Chocolate and Milk RM 12.90, it came with Espresso ice cubes!! Cold milk is then poured into the glass filled with  espresso ice cubes and chocolate.

Lemon Tea Ice Cube Drink RM 12.90

Another popular drink that is enjoy by patrons from all walks of life is the Lemon Tea Ice Cube Drink RM 12.90.

Lemon Tea Ice Cube Drink RM 12.90

Yes, you saw this correctly, there are lemon tea ice cubes. It is so refreshing and perfect for this scorching weather!

White Chocolate Truffle Pie RM 13.90

The White Chocolate Truffle Pie RM 13.90 is one of their best sellers at this cafe. Very forgiving in terms of taste and not overly sweet. The truffle flavour was on the faint end though.

To me, Bev C stands out more as a cafe compared to a clothing retail store. With its unique design and menu, it is bound to attract even more attention from both sides of the causeway although it is located along the same alley with many other cafes. Great place to chill out at! 

Bev C - Cafe & Fashion Retail Store (Malaysia, Johor Bahru)
54 Jalan Tan Hiok Nee 
80000 Johor Bahru
Tel: 07 221 3530
Opening Hours: Tue to Thur, Sun 11am - 8pm 
                         Fri to Sat 11am - 10pm 
                         Closed on Monday
Website

View FoodieFC's Malaysia Map in a larger map

Heap Seng Leong Coffeeshop (Lavendar)

Coffee with Butter (Kopi Gu You) $1.10, Kaya Toast $1.20 and Soft Boiled Eggs $1

Heap Seng Leong Coffeeshop (Lavendar) is located at Lavendar at the back of ICA behind Lavendar MRT station. It is 5 minutes walk away from the famous Tai Wah Minced Pork Noodles (Bak Chor Mee).

When I first stepped into the coffeeshop, it felt as though I had stepped into a time machine and travelled back to the past! 

It is as if time has stood still in this coffeeshop while everything else outside becomes modernise. The white tiles are brown, ceiling fans, no false ceiling, orange coin operated payphone and even abacus! 

This is the 78 year old owner. He is wearing a singlet and old style pyjamas pants which seems out of place in today's context. But this was the way people wore in the past. Most of the customers in the coffeeshop were elderly folks who are reading Chinese newspapers while sipping their coffee. Only the owner's son and I were using smartphones!

Coffee with Butter (Kopi Gu You) $1.10 and Kaya Toast $1.20

Coffee with Butter (Kopi Gu You) $1.10 

I have never tried Kopi Gu You (Coffee with Butter) before. Yes, if you are wondering, it is literally coffee with a thin piece of butter floating on top! The butter would then melt and form a layer of grease on top. Give it a good stir before drinking it. 

Surprisingly, I did not hate this! I was initially worry that it would be greasy/oily. It was not! Taste wise it was rich and complex with a salty caramel taste. Moreover at $1.10, this is so affordable. 

 Kaya Toast $1.20

The Kaya Toast $1.20 was quite well executed too!

 Kaya Toast $1.20

 Interestingly, the owner would use the top of a milk can to scrap off the charred parts of the toast. 

Soft Boiled Eggs $1

I was initially worried the Soft Boiled Eggs would be under or overcooked. Hence, when the Soft Boiled Eggs $1 arrived, I was thrilled that it was cooked perfectly! Do note, the eggs are cooked only upon order. Hence, there is a need to wait around 6 to 8 minutes for this.

At the counter, there are many plastic containers filled with local confectionery (snacks). There was also a orange coin operated payphone which was a common sight in the past! Now, with the high mobilephone penetration rate in Singapore, I cannot even find such phones anymore. Do you spot another item from the past?

Abacus

Yes, its the abacus!

I can forsee more trips back to this coffeeshop. My breakfast consisting of Coffee with Butter (Kopi Gu You, Kaya Toast and Soft Boiled Eggs cost just $3.30! This is so affordable. Furthermore, it was delicious, what a bonus!

Heap Seng Leong Coffeeshop (Lavendar) 

Blk 10 North Bridge Road, #01-5109

Opening Hours: Daily 4 am to 8 pm

View FoodieFC's Singapore Food Map in a larger map

Nha Hang Ngon (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

Bánh hỏi chao tôm cuốn bánh tráng (Grilled Pounded Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane served with Rice Vermicelli, Rice Papers and Vegetables) 140,000 VND (S$8.40)

Nha Hang Ngon used to be called Quan an Ngon and located along Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street has moved to 160 Pasteur road. The Vietnamese name of the restaurant is called Nhà Hàng Ngon. “Nhà Hàng” means "restaurant" while “Ngon” means delicious in English.

Nha Hang Ngon with its yellow, colonial style villa was hard to miss. It had a huge sitting capacity with both indoor and alfresco dining areas.

If you were to walk around the alfresco area, you would notice numerous food stall stations where the various dishes are created are prepared and cooked, ranging from appetisers, sides, mains to desserts. It was an interesting experience walking around to look at the different type of food available and how it was prepared. I do have one concern which was hygiene as I noticed there were a few flies flying around the food.

The interior of the indoor dining area. Look at how elegant it was.

The setup on the tables. The menu had both English and Vietnamese languages on it.

Cà  phê sữa đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Milk) 40,000 VND (S$2.40)

The Cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Milk) 40,000 VND (S$2.40) got us off to a great start. The coffee was so aromatic and fragrant. The coffee taste was intense and rich, and was too sweet. But once the ice melted and diluted the drink, it was excellent! One of the best Vietnamese iced coffee we drank.

Gỏi đu đủ tai heo (Green Papaya Salad with Sliced Pig Ears) 50,000 VND (S$3)

We started off with an appetiser; Gỏi đu đủ tai heo (Green Papaya Salad with Sliced Pig Ears) 50,000 VND (S$3). It had a good balance in taste when everything was mixed together. In addition, the pig ears provided lots of collagen.

Bánh hỏi chao tôm cuốn bánh tráng (Grilled Pounded Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane served with Rice Vermicelli, Rice Papers and Vegetables) 140,000 VND (S$8.40)

The Bánh hỏi chao tôm cuốn bánh tráng (Grilled Pounded Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane served with Rice Vermicelli, Rice Papers and Vegetables) 140,000 VND (S$8.40). The waiter helped us to cut the grilled shrimp paste into almost equal thickness. Anyway, we saw a small fly flying around the rice vermicelli. Not wanting to kick up a fuss, we threw off quite a few of  the rice vermicelli where the fly flew around. It certainly makes us wonder about the hygiene factor.

Bánh hỏi chao tôm cuốn bánh tráng (Grilled Pounded Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane served with Rice Vermicelli, Rice Papers and Vegetables) 140,000 VND (S$8.40)

It was served with rice paper, fresh vegetables and herbs, slices of unripe banana and star fruit. The way to eat it would be to place the fresh vegetables and herbs, slices of unripe banana and star fruit, rice vermicelli and grilled shrimp paste onto the rice paper. After that roll it up and dip it into the sauce provided. Frankly, this dish was average. Did not find it delicious.

Bánh canh cua (Thick Noodle Soup with Crab Meat and Pork) 58,000 VND (S$3.50)

Having had such a wonderful experience Hoa Dong's Bánh canh cua, the partner decided to order it again. The Bánh canh cua (Thick Noodle Soup with Crab Meat and Pork) cost 58,000 VND (S$3.50). It was a major let down. The stock was thick but not flavourful. In addition, the serving of ingredients given were so little. To make things worse, the prawn was not fresh.

Bún ốc (Vermicelli in Soup with Snails and Tomatoes) 54,000 VND (S$3.24)

I ordered the Bún ốc (Vermicelli in Soup with Snails and Tomatoes) 54,000 VND (S$3.24), as I had many people complimenting about this dish on the internet sphere. It was served with fresh herbs which could be added into the soup.

Bún ốc (Vermicelli in Soup with Snails and Tomatoes) 54,000 VND (S$3.24)

This was another let down. The soup had a strong hint of fishy smell. Although the snails were large, they were too tough and chewy.

Chè  sương sa hột lựu (Jelly, Water Chestnut, Tapioca Pearls and Coconut Milk) 27,000 VND (S$1.60)  

We were still not satisfied and decided to order a dessert; the Chè sương sa hột lựu (Jelly, Water Chestnut, Tapioca Pearls and Coconut Milk) 27,000 VND (S$1.60). It was a pleasant surprise. Very refreshing and flavourful. The coconut which was so fresh made it so addictive.

Needless, to say, I made the wrong choice coming over here. I did extensive research and heard about how highly raved this restaurant was. So much so that when my Vietnamese friend advised us to give this a skip as the locals do not eat over there and the food was so-so, we still went ahead.. Should have just listened to her!

If you are reading this, my advise would be to just visit Nha Hang Ngon for its Cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Milk). The rest of the food are really just so-so (i.e. average). 

Nhà Hàng Ngon (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

160 Pasteur

Phường Bến Nghé, Quận 1

Hồ Chí Minh,

Tel: +84 (08) 3827 7131

View FoodieFC's Vietnam Map in a larger map

Hoa Dong (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

Bánh Canh Cua (Glass Udon Soup with Crabmeat) 65,000 VND (S$3.90)

Hoa Dong (Quán Hoa Đông) is an eatery located in District 1, near the North Gate (Cửa Bắc) of Ben Thanh Market. 

The small humble, no frills eatery with less than 35 seats. We chanced upon this eatery by accident. Despite the fact that it was not air conditioned, we decided to step in to the shop as we were hungry. We did not regret it. In fact, it was one of the best decision we made that day.

Some of the food (e.g. Grilled Pork and Grilled Shrimp Paste wrapped around Sugarcane) being displayed.

Menu 

Menu

The owners of the eatery did not understand English. Luckily, the menu had both Vietnamese and English language with prices clearly indicated. We had to rely on sign language to seek "clarifications" on how to eat certain dishes.

There was a set of condiments, bottle drinks, spoon, chopsticks and even toothpicks at each table.

We ordered the Bún Chả Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork served with Rice Noodle), Bánh Canh Cua (Glass Udon Soup with Crabmeat) and Café Sữa Dá (Coffee with Condensed Milk and Ice).

The beansprouts were for the Bánh Canh Cua (Glass Udon Soup with Crabmeat) while the rice noodle (vermicelli), lettuce leaves and Vietnamese leaves aka fresh herbs (i.e. Vietnamese basil, mint leaves, betel leaves)  was for the Bún Chả Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork served with Rice Noodle).

Bún Chả (Grilled Pork ) being grilled

Bún Chả (Grilled Pork ) being grilled

The Bún Chả Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork served with Rice Noodle) being grilled over a charcoal stove upon order.

Bún Chả Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork served with Rice Noodle) 60,000 VND (S$3.60)

This is the Bún Chả Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork served with Rice Noodle). The grilled pork were soaked in a clear light brown sauce which had a unique flavour with a tangy kick (which I have to confess, turned me off at first).

Bún Chả Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork served with Rice Noodle) 60,000 VND (S$3.60)

The right way to eat the Bún Chả Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork served with Rice Noodle) 60,000 VND (S$3.60) is to add the rice noodle and the different leaves into the dish and give it a good mix (note: you should need to remove the stem from the leaves for better texture and experience).

Despite the sauce being tangy, when the ingredients were mixed in it, they tasted pretty good. The sauce made a whole world of difference to the taste of the usually tasteless rice noodle. In addition, the different leaves enhanced and added a different dimension to the taste depending on which leaves we ate in that particular mouthful.

The Bún Chả (Grilled Pork) was superb, in a different league of its own. It had the right blend of taste with a unique rich and smoky flavour. It was so addictive and delicious. A must try!!

Bánh Canh Cua (Glass Udon Soup with Crabmeat) 65,000 VND (S$3.90)

The Bánh Canh Cua (Glass Udon Soup with Crabmeat) is a Vietnamese cuisine which is popular among the locals. Most foreigners/tourists would be more familiar with Phở (Vietnamese beef noodle) compared to Bánh Canh Cua. Bánh Canh Cua (Glass Udon Soup with Crabmeat) is essentially a thick crab and shrimp stock with udon noodles and crab meat.

Bánh Canh Cua (Glass Udon Soup with Crabmeat) 65,000 VND (S$3.90)

The Bánh Canh Cua (Glass Udon Soup with Crabmeat) 65,000 VND (S$3.90) at Hoa Dong was very well executed. The stock was (slightly) thick, robust and flavourful. The thickness of the stock complemented the udon noodles perfectly as each piece of udon noodle was well coated with the flavour of the stock. The chunks of soft and fresh crab meat was the icing on the 'cake. Shiok! A must try!! Definitely not from tin cans. In case you are wondering what to do with the beansprouts, they are to be added into the bowl and mixed.

Café Sữa Dá (Coffee with Condensed Milk and Ice) 20,000 VND (S$1.20)

The Café Sữa Dá (Coffee with Condensed Milk and Ice) 20,000 VND (S$1.20) on the other hand was just average. It was simply too sweet and not aromatic enough.

Nevertheless, the food at Hoa Dong was amazing! We were so impressed that we squeezed this in as our last meal just before we flew back to Singapore.

Do note, as this is located near the Ben Thanh Market. This eatery together with the other eateries located near tourist attractions normally tend to be more expensive compared to other eateries which the locals go to. 

Quán Hoa Đông (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

121 Lý Tự Trọng, Phường Bến Thành

District 1, Hồ Chí Minh

Tel: +84 (08) 3823 7647

View FoodieFC's Vietnam Map in a larger map

Hua Mui Coffee Shop 华美茶餐室 (Malaysia, Johor Bahru)

Hua Mui Coffee Shop 华美茶餐室 is a popular two storey Hainanese coffee shop (aka Kopitiam) located near the causeway. To be exact, it is a 15 minutes walk away from City Square! This coffee shop has been operating since 1946, serving both both Chinese and Western cuisine (do note they have been certified halal). I first read about this place through Johor Kaki Blog and had shortlisted this as a place to try one day. That one day came 2 years later!

When we arrived on a weekday morning, the ground level of the restaurant was full. We headed up to the 2nd level. Do be careful, as the steps are quite steep at the upper half.

The 2nd level had more seating capacity compared to the first. It was well ventilated. It was a pleasant surprised when I found out that my mobile phone was able to detect Singapore's M1 service at the 2nd level! =)

Menu Cover

The menu cover.

Menu

Menu

Menu

The extensive menu which offers a variety of western, rice, noodle, meat, sides, soup, sandwiches, bread, prata, beverages and even desserts.

Condiments

The condiments on every table. There's also the green chilli which was not on this table.

Tea RM1.60 , Coffee RM1.60

I drank the Coffee RM1.60. It was really just so-so. It was thick, but not aromatic and was too sweet for me. Most people patronise Hua Mui for its coffee. Maybe its just me (who do not like the coffee).  

Butter and Kaya Toast RM1.60

The charcoal grilled Butter and Kaya Toast RM1.60 was also just averaged.

Mee Hua Mui RM6

I saw most people ordering the Singapore Style Bee Boon. But coming from Singapore, I refused to ordered this dish and decided to try the Mee Hua Mui (did not see anyone ordering this) instead. It was a stupid decision, I should have followed the crowd.

The Mee Hua Mui RM6 was just average with nothing much to shout about. The gravy was a disappointment as it was flavourful enough and it was not well mixed; some parts were just too gooey with lumps.

Hainanese Chicken Chop RM12

Just when I thought that it was a mistake coming here, the Hainanese Chicken Chop saved the day!

Hainanese Chicken Chop RM12

The Hainanese Chicken Chop RM12 (signature dish) served with green peas, tomatoes, potatoes with light brown mushroom sauce was superbly executed. On the exterior the batter was thin while both the batter and skin was fried till it was so crispy! The interior was amazingly succulent. The light brown mushroom sauce was light yet tasty. The only complain I had was that the sauce was cold.

This coffee shop still uses the traditional way of delivering food to the 2nd level.

To keep the authenticity of the outlet, they have retained the traditional pulley system! As you can see in the above photo, the food for customers at the 2nd level are placed on the tray linked to the pulley system. Then one of the staff at the 2nd level would use the pull system to pull up the tray of food.

The Hainanese Chicken Chop is a must try at Hua Mui Coffee Shop! If I come again, I will also want to try the Singapore Style Bee Hoon. If you have tried it before, do let me know!

Hua Mui Coffee Shop 华美茶餐室 (Malaysia, Johor Bahru)

No 131, Jalan Trus
80000 Johor Bahru
Tel: 07 224 7364
Opening Hours: daily 730am to 930pm

No 50, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4
Tmn Sutera Utama, 81300Skudai, Johor

View FoodieFC's Malaysia Map in a larger map