Fourteen years ago, today...

 

Fourteen years ago, when My Johor Stories the blog, was launched on March 11, I did not know – until later – that this date on the calendar coincided with the day when a horrific earthquake and tsunami happened in Japan.

 

Two cover pages of Travel Times, a pull-out
section of The New Straits Times 

While this cataclysmic natural disaster had such a devastating effect on the affected nations, this also made it easy for me to remember the significant date when my blog went ‘live’ on social media that very same day.

 

My blog aimed to store pieces that were first published in the print media so that readers who follow my stories, may go to my blog to read at leisure.

 

More than 14 years ago, I was contributing pieces to mainstream media in the Travel section of The New Straits Times, called Travel Times, a pull-out section that was later rebranded, Life & Times.

 

Centerspread of Travel story of
the Cover page at Left [Above]

This allowed me to share Johor stories to a wide reading audience because this pull-out section of the newspapers was distributed nationwide.

 

In 2008, when the Editor assigned me to cover an excursion through Melaka and Johor to meet with craftsmen and women who were keeping our culture and heritage alive, I was pleased to publish their stories in a two-part series.

 

I was deeply encouraged to see these two pieces, On the handicraft trail and They cherish their crafts, in the Travel Times but felt that it was a pity that such good stories about local craftsmen were published only once.

 

Two cover pages of JB = Johor Buzz, the
Southern section of The New Straits Times

I strongly felt that culture, arts, heritage and human-interest stories like these about traditional craftsmen, should be shared with more readers.

 

This led me to take the bold step to approach the then Bureau Chief of The New Straits Times office in Johor Bahru to introduce myself and seek his permission to publish my stories on the Johor craftsmen again.

 

At that time, The New Straits Times had another pull-out section for the Southern region, first called J-Buzz or Johor Buzz, that was published daily on week days.

 

Cover story in Johor Streets;
Photo features baby Peggy with
mah-jie, a maid from China

This section of the newspapers, was rebranded as Johor Streets and later evolved to Streets Johor.

 

The Bureau Chief was familiar with me as the Johor-based writer for the Travel Times and welcomed me to contribute regularly to Johor Buzz. And because I am a true-blue Anak Johor, he also invited me to share more about Johor in opinion pieces for the, Your Say, Your Johor or My Johor page of this pull-out section.

 

I am always grateful for this opportunity to share news and events in Johor, draw attention to destinations and good food as well as meet a host of colourful characters to write exciting stories to inform and interest readers through the pages on Johor Streets.

 

When the Bureau Chief encouraged me to consider the Johor that I grew up in and to share it against present-day Johor, this sparked off a series of stories that were supported by old Black & White photographs from my dad’s collection.

 

Jalan Dao' Wilson was part of the
Johor Bahru General Hospital
compound, my first home address
in Johor Bahru, when I was born
 

My dad had a hobby in photography and his collection of photos became a valuable resource that supported my recollections and made my storytelling more meaningful.

 

I learnt from the Bureau Chief that readers connected very well to my stories in the opinion page and started to fondly call them my grandfather stories.

 

I did not know it yet but I was steadily attracting a following of readers who thoroughly enjoyed my Johor stories published in this section of the newspapers.

 

Then the Bureau Chief told me that he was receiving calls from readers to talk about my grandfather stories and he had fun replying their curious questions about me.

 

Deeply encouraged that my stories resonated so well with readers, I worked hard at crafting more interesting tales about Johor which I believed, readers could easily connect with.

 

Mugshot published with my byline

At one point, the newspaper required that that writers not only had a byline but must also insert a mugshot (Read: portrait photo) with each published article. While I was very reluctant to do so, I had no alternative but to comply. So readers could then attach a face to my name.

 

By then, the local community was already familiar with me because I was contributing to the Travel Times, published nationwide, as well as Johor Streets, a daily weekday publication.

 

With my feet firmly planted on two boats, I sailed on to share Johor stories, both nationwide as well as locally in two publications, much to the delight of the stakeholders.

 

I received plenty of invitations and had fun covering both community and private events that highlighted Johor people and places, published with photos in front page and centerspread pieces of the Travel Times and Johor Streets.

 

Our family home at No. 154
Jalan Ngee Heng, Johor Bahru

While I was out in the malls, readers sometimes stopped to chat with me. And when I heard that they were buying the newspapers just to read my stories, I was both happy and humbled.

 

But when they failed to get a particular issue of the newspapers, they were very disappointed. They did not want to miss any of my stories and I was often asked, “What was yesterday’s story?” or “What is your story tomorrow?”

 

My reply was, “I don’t know,” because my pieces were submitted to the Bureau and they joined a queue to be published. So I did not know when my pieces would be out.

 

What I did know was that people liked to read about themselves and their events.

 

My readers’ keen interest made me consider how they may enjoy reading my stories at their own leisure and convenience. In 2011, My Johor Stories the blog, was then created to store published stories as well as stories written exclusively for the blog.

 

Cover page of Johor Streets...

When Johor Streets ceased to be published in 2015, I continued to contribute to a page dedicated to My Johor Stories in The Iskandarian, the official newspapers of Iskandar Malaysia, with the published pieces also stored in my blog.

 

The contents of my blog have connected people to Johor and I had my fair share of exciting adventures, both local and from abroad, who came to Johor because they had read something from my blog that mattered to them.

 

For instance, in 2018 a researcher with Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Centre for Chinese Language and Culture, in Singapore, wrote to introduce herself and said she enjoys reading My Johor Stories blog, especially the stories on author, Han SuYin.

 

Zhang must have read, Our Han SuYin Connection, first published in Johor Buzz in 2008 and then stored in my blog. This researcher asked if I would meet her for a chat about Han SuYin when she visited Johor Bahru.

 

... and Centerspread feature on
lefthanded Johor rockstar, Man Keedal

My experience with Zhang on her visit to Johor Bahru was documented in, Han SuYin, the ‘missing period’ in Malaya, as a typical example of how My Johor Stories connected others to Johor.

 

In March 2019, a collection of such exciting experiences was presented in my TEDx Talk titled, Connecting People through My Johor Stories.

 

While presenting a TEDx Talk was a whole new experience, another exciting discovery was when two people – at separate occasions – who told me that my blog was the inspiration for them to start their own social media adventures.

 

I could not help but basked in the reflected glory, aware that My Johor Stories had inspired Tony Boey of Johor Kaki fame and Sonny Cosme of Jomtaralets as they developed their content and firmly established their brands in the community.

 

At 2017 Meet-the-Author event hosted at the
MPH bookstore in Johor Bahru City Square

Meanwhile, Think City, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khazanah Malaysia, has been reviving cities like Penang and Kuala Lumpur and when Think City came to Johor Bahru around 2015, they discovered My Johor Stories and me.

 

When Think City Johor Bahru encouraged me to publish a collection of My Johor Stories in a book, I finally accepted the challenge to embark on this book project.

 

My Johor Stories was Think City’s first book project in Johor Bahru that was published in partnership with MPH Publishing Kuala Lumpur.

 

On the first week after my book, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage, was launched on July 15, 2017, this title reached the Number One spot in the MPH Non-Fiction Bestsellers list.

 

A page dedicated to My Johor
Stories in The Iskandarian

The collection of stories in this book comprised some of the most popular posts in my blog with sections on Johor culture and heritage, Johor people who have impacted other lives and Memories, some of my best-loved grandfather stories.

 

My book stayed on the MPH Bestsellers list for consecutive weeks and months, and in December 2017, My Johor Stories was counted among the Best of MPH in 2017.

 

I am ever grateful to readers who are homesick for Johor because it was their support that spurred me on to publish two more books to complete the trilogy of My Johor Stories books.

 

My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People, was published in December 2018 while My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now, was published in December 2022, after a delay due to the global pandemic.

 

My collection of stories in the latter two books – as their titles suggest – are a mix of interesting stories about places in Johor and people whom I met, along with carefully researched exclusive stories to document a slice of Johor heritage.

 

The trilogy of My Johor Stories

Since 2021, I have had the pleasure to share My Johor Stories ‘live’ in events like, Storytelling by the Sea, Stories by the Sea with German Journalists, and Meeting Media from the Middle East.

 

In 2022, My Johor Stories was featured in Let’s Talk, one of the English television shows on Astro Awani and in 2024, I had the privilege to be featured on BFM Radio.

 

To celebrate National Day in 2022, My Johor Stories was featured in Bicara Karya, a Facebook ‘live’ event hosted by the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Library.

 

Needless to say, I was more than pleased that My Johor Stories popped up in the MPH Non-Fiction Bestsellers list again in August 2022.

 

Another unique development was how some hotels and resorts share my sentiment that People liked to stay in a Place with a Story, and placed My Johor Stories books in their better rooms, suites or lobby for the guests’ reading pleasure.

 

My Johor Stories, still on the MPH
Non-Fiction Bestsellers list in August 2022

From reading My Johor Stories during her stay at the One & Only in Desaru Coast, a guest reached out to me to help her family publish a book as a tribute to their father. This book project was particularly meaningful, both, for me and the Tan family.

 

Under a 2023 Think City grant aimed at bringing life back into the city after the global pandemic, I hosted Heritage Walks with small groups to share about Johor culture and heritage in Downtown Johor Bahru.

 

These were another form of My Johor Stories ‘live’ experiences that continue to be held with participants, both local and from abroad, in Heritage Walks tailored to their requirements.

 

Also in 2023, the trilogy of My Johor Stories books was proudly presented to the Sultan Ismail Library to join their Malaysian Collection of books, received by the Johor Bahru City Mayor on behalf of the library.

 

All this and more, started from a blog of the same name, My Johor Stories, launched 14 years ago on March 11. As I count my many blessings, Time moves on and my journey continues…

 

Important Note: My Johor Stories books are available from MPH bookstores nationwide and online from mphonline. As all the MPH bookstores in Johor Bahru have closed, JARO has some stock of my books for sale.

Mykonos, the first Greek restaurant here

 

When I received the invitation from restauranteur, Stefan, to the opening of Mykonos, my thoughts flashed to Mykonos, a Greek island that lies South-East of Athens.

 

Facade of Mykonos Greek Restaurant
at Horizon Hills, Iskandar Puteri, Johor

Stefan, who operates a group of restaurants at the commercial square in Horizon Hills, was proud to tell me that it will be the first Greek restaurant to be opened in Johor Bahru.

 

After tasting the menu at Coppola Pizza, a woodfire pizzeria that was opened since 2014, I had the pleasure to review the food at Istanbul Ottoman Turkish Cuisine in 2019.

 

It was good to learn that Stefan will be kicking off an exciting new venture in a Greek restaurant named after Mykonos, a major tourist destination in the isles of the Mediterranean region and did not hesitate to accept his invite.

 

Mykonos, a Muslim-friendly
and family-friendly restaurant 

While I prepared myself for a media dining experience at Mykonos, I was amused to think that I will not need a passport, air-ticket or any visa to go because this exotic destination was in nearby Horizon Hills.

 

When I arrived at the forecourt of Mykonos, the sun had not set yet. In the wide pavement that complimented the façade of this Greek restaurant, a small fountain gently trickled, reminiscent of picturesque market squares in Mediterranean towns.

 

The charming ambiance was further enhanced by live music entertainment provided by a one-man band, playing lively Greek tunes on his bouzouki. As he played non-stop, I could not help moving involuntarily to the rhythm as I recognized familiar Greek dance music.

 

Raising our glasses for a toast
with Souer Cherry Soda

Ever the gracious host, the affable Stefan welcomed us into the restaurant where guests were seated in rows of comfortable booths.

 

While the high partitions offered a sense of privacy to each booth, the sound level was a comfortable hum with occasional bursts of laughter as each course of the tasting menu was served and sampled.

 

Stefan himself, came to serve us the welcome drink of Souer Cherry Soda, a fizzy-tangy soft-drink, which he was proud to declare, came all the way from Greece.

 

Throughout the evening, this phrase, “…came all the way from Greece…” was often repeated because much of the fresh produce like fish and vegetables as well as traditional condiments, were delivered from Greece on a weekly basis.

 

Poseidon, Greek Peach Ice Tea,
Watermelon Lemonade [Left to
Right], Airan [Front]

In addition to the welcome drink, we had the opportunity to taste mocktails as well as popular Greek beverages like Airan, traditional Greek yogurt drink and Greek Peach Ice Tea.

 

Poseidon, as its name suggests, is a Greek mocktail created with peach puree, mint blue ocean syrup, lemon and lime juice that reflected the colour of the azure seas in the Mediterranean.

 

Meanwhile, Watermelon Lemonade is a refreshing tall drink with watermelon puree, lemon syrup, lemon juice and soda.

 

To whet our appetite, a number of Appetizers or Meze were served. It started with a Trio of Meze Dips (RM39) to savour with homemade Pita bread.

 

Trio of Meze Dip

The trio of dips were Tzatziki, made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic and dill, Melanzano, smoked roasted eggplant and garlic, and puree of Fava beans from Greece.

 

Another cold Meze to enjoy was Dolmades, rolls of vine leaves stuffed with rice, quinoa, dill and parsley (RM29 for four and RM49 for eight pieces).

 

Stefan recalled that he used to eat homemade Dolmades that were made in more robust rolls and declared that he enjoyed it so much that he could eat several in one sitting. 

 

Warm Meze of Prawn Saganaki

While the size of the rolls served at Mykonos were, however, more dainty, he was ready to receive larger orders from diners who also enjoyed the taste of Dolmades.

 

The next cold Meze served was traditional Greek Salad presented with wedges of juicy tomatoes, chunks of cucumber, capsicum, Kalamata olives and Greek capers, topped triangles of Goat Cheese and drizzled in olive oil (RM29).

 

By this time, I was ready for a taste of a Warm Meze. This was a shallow dish of Prawn Saganaki, four whole Tiger Prawns in a rich prawn butter and bisque topped with crumbles of Feta cheese.

 

Souvlaki Chicken from the
charcoal grill

The first taste of this rich bisque reminded me of the gravy for Chilli Crab but only milder. This dish comes in two sizes, Half (RM29) and Full portion (RM49).

 

This was followed by a serving of Souvlaki – chunks of chicken grilled on a skewer – served with Pita bread, Tzatziki dip and a side of salad (RM39).

 

Always the gracious host, Stefan stepped forward to help with removing the chicken chunks from the skewer and presented us with the platter to eat more comfortably.

 

It was a delight to sink our teeth into the smoky chunks of chicken, flavoured with the dip sauce, and wrapped in Pita bread.

Next, Stefan came to the table with a tray laden with two fish – still raw – to introduce the fresh catch from the Mediterranean Sea: Greek Tzipura or Sea Bream (RM177) and Greek Lavraki or Sea Bass (RM188), each weighing about 700 gm, before they were cooked.

 

Stefan helping to remove the
chicken Souvlaki from skewer

He said the fish will be prepared in three ways for us to taste. While the Tzipura will be charcoal grilled, one Lavraki will be oven-baked and another Lavraki baked in a salt dome (+RM29)

 

While the fish were being cooked, a piping hot fresh-from-the oven, traditional Moussaka was served. It comes in three sizes, Small (RM39), Medium (RM59) and Large (RM88).

 

Made with beef and lamb mince, Greek spices, potato and eggplant and topped with creamy cheese and egg bechamel, this was a hot favourite in more ways than one.

 

Then the fish were served one-by-one. Stefan was in his element as he skillfully removed the fish bones and served a portion each with a side of salad, to the table.

 

Restaurant facade after sunset

Sometime during the meal, I stepped outside of the restaurant for a view after the sun had set and saw that the forecourt was warmly lit up with the fountain, a centerpiece in the charming façade.

 

I also took a walk into the other wing of the restaurant and saw a counter where fresh produce, traditional ingredients and sauces were displayed for sale.

 

Then it was time for dessert. A glance at the menu revealed a tempting list of Greek desserts that included Portokalopita or Orange Cake, Bougastsa, Baklava, Kataifi and Profiteroles or Custard Cream Puffs with a side of ice-cream.

 

I do not know how but there was always space for dessert. After a taste of the Portokalopita or Orange Cake (RM25), we discovered that the Mykonos Baklava (RM29), the traditional island-style version, was fragrant with Rose water and stuffed chockful of crunchy pistachios.

 

A serving of Mykonos Baklava

As the meal drew to a close, conversation was louder and suddenly the music was even louder because the musician was indoors, playing a lively Greek dance tune.

 

The event came to an exciting end as Stefan led his media friends in learning the steps to dance Greek-style with linked arms, through the restaurant. In the tradition of Greek folk dance, the music started slow and gradually increased with speed…

 

Mykonos Greek Restaurant [No Pork, No Lard] is at No. 11 & 15, Jalan Hijauan 3, Horizon Hills, 79100 Iskandar Puteri. For enquiries and reservations, Tel: +6016 761 5824.

 

Turmeric celebrates tradition and togetherness

 

In recent years, I have had the privilege to often visit the Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas in Desaru Coast for food reviews at Sea.Fire.Salt and Turmeric as well as for events hosted with foreign media at The Observatory.

 

View of the resort pools and landscaped garden
to a backdrop of the South China Sea

Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas is the Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas group’s first luxury hotel in Malaysia, designed within lush tropical gardens on the exclusive Desaru Coast in Johor.

 

After a smooth and uneventful drive on the Senai-Desaru Expressway, I am at the resort again for a media preview of their Ramadan breaking-of-fast dinner spread in the theme, Citarasa Rempah Warisan.

 

I always feel that walking in from the main entrance was like stepping through a portal to another world within… I know I will never get tired of that stunning view in shades of blue, the dazzling panoramic view of the resort pools and landscaped garden to a backdrop of the South China Sea…

 

An array of gravies in the Lauk Kawah

Staying true to its Thai brand, the décor throughout the Anantara, from the wooden furniture to the stuffed cushions, clearly reflected a typically Thai identity.

 

After a few minutes of drinking in this familiar, fabulous view, I walked down the wide flight of stairs and was warmly welcomed into Turmeric restaurant.

 

I watched the culinary team as they were putting the finishing touches to the buffet being set up within the dining hall and headed outdoors to see the live-cooking stations and the rows of kwali that served Lauk Kawah traditional rice and gravies.

 

Mouth-watering appetizers to savour
with traditional sauces

It soon became clear that the Citarasa Rempah Warisan buffet spread is a tribute to the rich cultural heritage of Malaysia that honours the tradition of Ramadan with an ambiance that reflects the warmth and spirituality of the holy month.

 

Rice, a staple is the Malaysian diet, is presented in choices of Lamb Briyani, Nasi Minyak Kismis or rice steamed with raisins, and Steamed Brown Rice, to savour with the mouth-watering gravies in this hot buffet.

 

I liked that gravies in the Lauk Kawah were clearly labelled with Malay names along with English translation as well as brief descriptions of the main ingredients, preparation and State of origin.

 

Lemang to top with various types of Serunding

A closer look at the labels revealed that the gravies in this menu were meticulously presented to showcase specialties from various States in the nation.

 

Among these interesting gravies were Ayam Masak Nomsoon Bambangan or Chicken cooked with Bambangan Mango (Sabah), Kurma Ayam Adabi or Chicken Korma (Selangor), Itik Salai Masak Lomak Cili Api or Smoked Duck in spicy gravy (Negeri Sembilan), Kambing Masak Hitam or Lamb cooked in spicy dark sauce (Kedah), Ikan Pais Kukus Daun Pisang or Fish with Spicy Shredded Coconut steamed in banana leaves (Perak) and Sotong Katok Serai Wangi or Squid with Lemongrass (Kelantan).

 

A serving of Laksa Johor

There were also popular gravies like, Asam Pedas Ikan Bawal or Hot and Sour Pomfret Fish (Melaka), Kari Kepala Ikan or Fish Head Curry (Penang) and Rendang Daging Penanggah or Braised Beef in traditional spices (Johor).

 

While the Patin Masak Tempoyak translated as, Silver Catfish cooked in Fermented Durian, may be a favourite among fans of fermented durian, it was very good that info was provided in English to help diners make their gravy selections.

 

The Citarasa Rempah Warisan spread in the outdoor section also features popular breaking-of-fast items, freshly made from live-cooking stati0ns.

 

A choice of comforting broths

In addition to stations for Laksa Johor, Thai Soup Noodles and Soto Ayam, that will be served on rotation, there was also a Pasta station that serves the diners’ choice of pasta topped with premium seafood in artisanal sauces.

 

Nearby, the Grill and Tandoori section serves Percik marinated Beef Fillet, Thai marinated Lamb Chops and Prawn on skewers, along with popular Beef and Chicken satay with condiments and a range of sauces.

 

Seasonal favourite, Kambing Golek, whole roasted lamb on a spit, remains a popular choice for meat-lovers who patiently joined a queue to be served.

 

Indoors, the spread included a range of Appetizers with mixed salads and ingredients for diners to create their mix of local greens or ulam-ulam topped with traditional sauces of their choice.

 

Turmeric serves Bubur Lambuk Ostrich

A hot buffet of Ramadan specialties features comforting broths like Chicken Soup, Tom Yum Mushroom and traditional Bubur Lambuk rice porridge, uniquely brewed with Ostrich meat.

 

The taste of tradition continues with Lemang, steamed coins of glutinous rice, to savour with a selection of Serunding or savoury meat floss.

 

A section dedicated to Thai cuisine served items like Talay Pad Prik Pow (stir-fried seafood), Gaeng Panang Neup (Red Curry Beef), Gaeng Massaman Gai (Chicken in Massaman Curry) and Plamug Tod Gratiem (deep-fried squid with garlic).

 

There was also a platter of Miang Pla Too for diners to make their own lettuce wraps filled with Mackerel and condiments.

 

A range of sauces to taste with Seafood-on-Ice

To complement the breaking-of-fast meal, there is a range of refreshing drinks and sweets to enjoy in a range of local cakes, cookies, puddings and pastries as well as shaved ice specialty, a chocolate fountain and fresh cut fruits.

 

There are also traditional sweet porridge choices like Bubur Pulut Hitam (black glutinous rice) and Bubur Jagung (corn) to enjoy.

 

I was pleased to see a choice of dried dates as well as a traditional treat in mini triangles of Kueh Dodol to savour in a few flavours including fragrant Durian.

 

As I joined diners to linger over the meal, it was clear that this spread was designed to bring families and friends together for a breaking-of-fast experience with a sense of unity and gratitude.

 

A traditional treat of mini triangles of Dodol

The Citarasa Rempah Warisan dinner buffet at Turmeric restaurant will be served served from March 2 to 29, daily from 6.30pm to 10pm. Price at RM228+ per adult.

 

Group bookings for 30 persons and above will enjoy 25% savings while CIMB Cardholders will enjoy 20% savings for up to 12 persons.

 

Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas is located at Persiaran Pantai, Desaru Coast, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor, just a smooth drive away from Johor Baru city via the Senai-Desaru Expressway.

 

For reservations, email: fb.ades@anantara.com or chat on the Anantara app.

 

For more information on Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, visit webpage: www.anantara.com