I finally did it - went out to buy a car navigation device that is pre-loaded with both Singapore and Malaysia maps. It makes one of those fancy pansy turn-by-turn announcements as you drove or even walk. I know my Singapore pretty well and the only navigation device I’ve had reliably, all these years, is a little globe style compass that sits on my car dashboard (one of my back up careers can easily be as a taxi driver). But the Malaysian maps installed were handy as I make driving expeditions up north not just for cheap gas but also for cheap and good, guess what - makan, of course. So the $64 question beckoned - what to do and where to go with it. Easily answered, and with more than $64 in the pocket, I headed for Johor Baru - after first consulting the web and makan buddies who swear by their cheaper gas and golfing green fees on what and where to chow up there.

1/ Cathay Beef Kway Teow
149, Jalan Lumba Kuda
Inside Ang Kim Chwee Coffeeshop
7am-2pm, close on Mondays

The beefiness of the Cathay beef noodle dish
shines through without being too rich and heavy

This sits just on the other side of the fence that divides Malaysia and the Causeway. You can see the traffic snarls heading back for Singapore as you order a bowl of this very hearty Hainanese style beef noodle. It is quite unlike the gooey sauced Hainanese version in Singapore and it’s more like the Seremban style. Their sauce comes dark, very beefy and lightly starchy, with chunks of well stewed and soft beef, crunchy thin slices of tripe with melt in the mouth pieces of tendons. They use a chewy and thicker rice noodle, much like udon and it was the only factor that did not get my vote. The rest, even the thick and tangy chilli sauce with lime, was spot on. The soup version was just right - a robust beefiness given a light touch treatment. We got lost finding the place despite a very coherent voice in the device that kept telling us to turn into roads that have traffic going in the opposite directions. It was a kind gentleman who volunteered to lead us there in his car, and we did not even pump any gas from his station-bless that soul.

2/ Kedai Makanan Jadi Baru (Botak) - Assam Fish Head Curry.
145, Jalan Lumba Kuda
10am-8pm daily
Hp: +6019 749 6886 (Mr Botak) or +607 2249225

It comes looking rugged, very spicy and piquantly addictive.
This “Botak” assam fish head come sans sugar and is perfect
with a bowl of steamed rice.

Another very friendly Johorean stranger stepped up to me as I was wolfing down my beef noodles and offered, with a smile , “ Mr Seetoh, you have to also try the Botak assam fish head curry just around the corner. It will make you sound like a Johor expert if you knew about the place.” I had no doubt he was serious and just 30metres around the corner was this nondescript coffeeshop cze cha shop that was already to serve anyone their signature assam fish head curry at 10am. It came in a little claypot and the red snapper fish head was all chopped up and simmering in the very spicy and piquant curry. It did not scratch my throat with spice residues and they don’t cook it with hints of sugar at all - the sweetness came only from the fresh snapper fish head (they also offer sea bass heads). It was supremely appetizing and it beckoned a bowl of steamed rice with it.

3/ Salt Baked Chicken
61, Jalan Chengai, Melodies Garden
Call Mr CK Ong (one day advance take out order required)
Tel: +6012 7095566

The little flecks of fragrant and roasty charred bits
lend a gorgeously smoky flavour to the Mr Ong’s salt baked chicken

We called, as required, one day ahead and all his fowls were already sold out for the next day. We pestered and he relented (so easily) but on a condition that we come knocking on their private home kitchen door only after 3pm “after all the main orders are fulfilled.” They supply to major restaurants around and their chargrilled salt baked chicken, wrapped in foil and grease paper was one of the smokiest and best I’ve ever had. The paper looks all sooty and inside, it reveals a clean and juicy smoky chicken. I can clearly taste the smoke. Owner Mr Ong says they cook it in a bed of coals for hours in their backyard (which I requested to see and was downright rejected). They have an aromatic and sweet garlic version but it paled to the signature salt baked classic. They have been in the business for only a year and the response is testament to their quality.