Anyway, upon entering the café, the first impression that comes to me was a refreshing outlook brought by their greenery wall with lighted  Q HOUSE letters in the middle of those artificial greenery plants.

Jom with me as I share with you my dining experience with them in line with my ongoing #JomtaraletsSupportLocal campaign stories.

THE FOOD

While looking for their food menu, it actually took us some time to choose the dish. You know why—because they have a lot of choices to select from. It’s really a lot and the way they packed their set was really fabulous.  Anyway, I saw in the catalog that they have other outlets aside from their Taman Pelangi Branch. These outlets are located in Sutera Utama, Tun Aminah, Taman Gaya, and Mount Austin.

Overall, the dining experience was remarkable.  For a small family like us, I think the food serving is reasonable according to its price. Their Herbal Chicken Soup set comes in a mini hot pot with fire gel to make the soup hot while enjoying their healthy and tasty Herbal Chicken Soup.

The soup comes with a bowl of plain white rice topped with minced flavored chicken meat (if I’m not mistaken) to make it more appetizing in the eye. This set also comes with aside dishes such as their Kimchi, Potato Salad, and protein taufo. The price of this set was affordable. I can say that it's really a recommended one. 

In terms of taste, I would definitely recommend this to everyone to try. The whole set for me was superb.

Meanwhile for the kids, we ordered their kid's meal with sausages, chicken, fried rice, a slice of sweet corn, and Vitagen. Overall, I can say that my kids loved it.  My daughter actually likes munching their sweet corn. While my son loves munching also their crispy prawn set.

As a finisher, we tried their beverage that is mixed with sugar, milk, sweet balls (something like tapioca ball/back tea). This set was really awesome. It’s very rich in terms of sweetness. I can say it showcased sweetness overload.

DISCLAIMER:

Reviewed food was based on the date the food was ordered. Comments given were based on honest feedback. The featured restaurant may also have better menus which may even better according to your preferences.

For dine-in and other transactions amid to the SOPs due to CMCO status of Johor, please seek updates from their Restaurant Management for further assistance.

Readers were curious how was the process for the quarantine period. Maria (not her real name), shared her experience throughout this process and this is how it goes: 

What were your preparation(s) before your flight to the Philippines?

Why do you need to register to OASIS?

By registering in OASIS, you (the OFW) are providing necessary information to DOLE, POEA, OWWA, and POLO that will enable them (these Government offices) to respond to your concerns and provide appropriate services in view of the CoVid-19 pandemic, such as testing, quarantine, and transportation.

For repatriation assistance, the organization also encourage everyone to accomplish the online registration form at least five (5) days before your scheduled flight.

What are the requirements for the OASIS online registration?

The registration is via this link: http://oasis.owwa.gov.ph/. You can also do your application via this link OASIS Downloadable Form. You are also required to register to Philippine Red Cross e-CIF System at https://e-cif.redcross.org.ph/ at least three (3) days before your scheduled flight.

What happened right after your flight from Malaysia?

How long is the quarantine period?

The officer said it will take 7 consecutive days.  On the fifth day, I undergo a swab test to check if I am clear for this CoVid-19. We are required to have this before we go back to our home town. The swab test results will be given to us within 24-42 hours according to the health officer.

Did you pay for your quarantine accommodation and everything?

No. All were covered by the OWWA. I am very happy for this assistance given to us OWWA. To be honest, the quarantine period is very expensive, especially for our accommodation, food, transportation, and the swab test. It really helps us to save on these expenses.

What happened after your quarantine in Manila?

What advice can you give to those OFW who will be returning soon to the Philippines?

Get in touch with your embassy. They will guide you. Register yourself to the OASIS and Red Cross. It will help you a lot. There are cases that during the registration process for the OASIS, your entry may be not be accepted but you can download the form and submit it manually. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my warmest thank to our OWWA and their team for ensuring that we are safe throughout the process of this new normal. Their sacrifices to assist us are highly appreciated. I am very thankful for their kindness. Thank you OWWA.

It's good news that the cases of new Covid19 infection in Johor are decreasing. This gives a chance and hope for the F&B industry and other businesses to recover and start a new day again. Hence, we shall continue to #supportlocal and do our part to make our economy rise up again. 

In support of this, allow me to share with you my #JomtaraletsSupportLocal campaign stories about my food take away experience from Trove Johor Bahru Hotel. I would say that their set was surprisingly awesome.

THE FOOD  

We ordered there Bolognese Chicken, Fish and Chips, Garlic Beef, Nyonya Fish and an ala carte fries for the kids.

Overall, the whole food adventure was great. We actually love every bite of their set. The Bolognese Chicken (which actually an Italian cuisine that originates in Bologna City in Italy) gave a very nice taste to my palate. The taste of that minced chicken mixed with their tomato sauce blends well in my palate. It was such an amazing combination.

The amount of minced chicken was good to the serving of the pasta. I like every bite of this set, especially when mixing with their dried parmesan cheese. The cheese gives an additional light flavor to the strong taste of the tomato sauce. It was a superb meal for me. In terms of price, it was a reasonable set so I guess there would be no reason for everyone to try this out.

Their Fish and Chips were served with a crispy fillet of fish and tartar sauce. The set comes with fries and salad. My kids love it. I would say it wasn’t oily. This for me was reasonable in terms of taste and pricing too. Perhaps this can be a good option for fellas out there who love fried fish.

In terms of texture, the beef was cooked well. It’s not chewy and it was actually tasty. My tastebuds are actually enjoying every bite while mixing with their soft white rice. The portion of the set for me was generous.  

Overall, I think this food for me is a good recommendation for everyone to try out especially this month. They have their ongoing promotion with an affordable bento set that you could consider.

You can try their Old Malay Char Kway Teow. It is served with flat noodles with chicken bits, prawns, and choy sum.

They also have other sets such as their Kampung Style Fried Rice that comes with chicken bits, prawns vegetables with egg. FYI, this set is spicy yeah. Other than that, they also have their lamb curry set that has an intensely aromatic blend of spices prepared in coconut milk.

DISCLAIMER

Reviewed food was based on the date the food was ordered. Reviews given were based on honest feedback. The featured restaurant/ hotel may also have better menus which may even better according to your preferences.

For dine-in and other transactions amid to the SOPs due to MCO status of Johor, please seek an update from their Restaurant Management for further assistance.

When it comes to food destinations in Malaysia, I believe that Old Town White Coffee would be one of the best options for everyone. As a newcomer in Malaysia in 2016, I have been hearing a lot of good reviews about this food chain in my workplace and also among my circle of friends.

Old Town White Coffee has a lot of branches all over the country including in other countries like Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and China. This Kopitiam / restaurant is serving various types of local cuisines and western food. They are actually one of the largest halal-certified Kopitiam / Restaurant chains and they were established in 1999.

Let me share with you my food discoveries to this restaurant in line with my ongoing #JomtaraletsSupportLocal campaign to support our local products with this ongoing worldwide pandemic. Let's find out.

THE FOOD

We tried their Mushroom & Chicken Steamed Rice, BBQ Chicken & Fried Wonton Dry Egg Noodles, Oldtown Nasi Lemak, Kaya & Butter Toast (Double), Curry Puff, and French Fries for the kids.

Their BBQ chicken and Fried Wanton Dry Egg noodle was also good for fellas out there who are looking for a light meal. In terms of the texture of the noodle, I cannot give a full comment about it cause the noodle was packed for few minutes, hence it was saggy compared to when you eat on the spot while dining in at the café.

The Wanton was not that crispy anymore (maybe because of the moisture during the delivery process). With this, I would not suggest taking away these types of noodles especially if the distance of the shop from your housing area may cover more than 15 minutes of traveling time.

The Oldtown Nasi Lemak for me (I think) could be improved. I may be wrong but I think, this could have been better if the serving of nuts, anchovies (ikan bilis), and sliced egg increased to justify its price. The serving of the rice cooked with coconut was okay—at least it is not dry at all.  

I took a bit of their sambal too and I think it’s okay too however, I hope it could have been better if the used oil is controlled to make it balanced.

Their Kaya and Butter Toast (Double) was nice. I think it is one of the best I tried before. The way it was toasted was really tasty on my palate. I am sure this could even more fantastic if it was eaten on the spot. The crunchy texture and the unmelted butter will make it more interesting on my palate. 

The curry puff is also good, the spicy level was controlled and the combination of ingredients inside was superb. I love it. the whole set was not dry and the curry fillings were just nice on my palate. 

For their fries, I would say it was okay since my kids loved it too.

DISCLAIMER:

Reviewed food was based on the date the food was ordered. Reviews given were based on honest feedback. The featured restaurant may also have better menus which may even be better according to your preferences.

For dine-in and other transactions amid to the SOPs due to CMCO status of Johor, please seek updates from their Restaurant Management for further assistance.

My lady employer talked to me in January 2021 including the reason for ending my contract. She explained to me how they are going to go about it. They talked to my agency about the procedure and so my work permit in Malaysia was canceled. They bought my flight ticket and I was supposed to fly back to the Philippines somewhere on the last week of January 2021. 

I stayed at my employer's house while waiting for my flight to be confirmed. My flight has been canceled three times due to the rising cases of Covid19 from January to the early week of March 2021. My flight was booked thru Air Asia then moved to Malaysia Airlines. My employer told me about all those cancellations and constantly updating me about my flight status.

I actually want to go home so I can be with my family especially during these difficult times.

How did you react when your flight was canceled?

I am really disappointed. I called few Filipino friends whom I know and share my frustrations. They advised me to be positive as this is for my own welfare. We can’t do anything if the flight is canceled. My employer paid for everything. They paid for my flight including my food throughout my stay at their house. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive any salary from January to March as my contract has ended.

What did you do from January to the early week of March?

As an OFW, I don’t want that those months to be waisted so I asked my employer if I can work part-time with other employers. However, they informed me that once I step out of their house, I will already settle my accommodation including my transport from Johor Bahru to the Airport during that time. At least they gave me an option so I decided to stay in their house and continue to help in whatever I can.

I also asked for some advice from Filipino friends and they told me that it's difficult to find a job right now since the case of unemployment is really high due to bad economy. 

How does it feel during those times?

I went overseas to work and earn money for me to save before returning to the Philippines- this is my intention. But with this pandemic, everything has changed. Safety is our main priority. Of course, the feeling was different. I am just staying at their house without doing much and at the same time, wasting my two months without any pay. 

On the other side of the coin, I am also thankful because I have shelter, a room, and food to eat while waiting for my flight back to the Philippines to be confirmed (which was very uncertain at that point in time).

So how did you go to the airport as interstate is still not yet allowed in Malaysia?

The father of my employer sent me to the airport from Johor Bahru. That is about a 4-5 hours drive by car. I am very thankful to him. He also needs to go to the nearest police station (in Johor Bahru) to acquire the Travel Permit for our Interstate Travel as the CMCO in Malaysia won’t allow interstate (for now). If you violate this, the penalty is very high. It can be up to 100,000 if converted to Philippine money. 

We started our journey from 2 AM and reached the airport around 6 something in the morning. The journey was smooth and luckily there was no roadblock along the highway.

I am thankful for his help.

How was your boarding experience?

At the airport, the immigration officers were really careful. Wearing a mask is a must. The airport was quite empty.  I had an experience in an international boarding as I have been traveling from Saudi Arabia to the Philippines, but this time around, the situation was totally different—we need to follow protocols due to the CMCO from the Malaysian Government. Everyone was really careful.

I am one of the few passengers waiting for our gate to open. The immigration officer asked to me wait for the gate to open before we are allowed to wait at the boarding gate and chop our passport that we are exiting Malaysia.

We also need to fill up a Health Declaration Card about ourselves including our personal details.

Did you go for a Swab test before your flight to the Philippines?

Yes. My employer paid all the costs. The experience was horrible. They inserted that cotton into my nose and the feeling was really uncomfortable. There were tears came out of my eyes that time. The sensation was so weird and a bit painful. 

I am so happy that I am tested negative. They gave me the result and I keep it for future references.

How was the flight?

The flight was totally different now. I am very tired and a bit dizzy from our trip from Johor Bahru. My muscles were aching as we need to walk quite far to get to our boarding gate. There were few Filipinas also who are waiting for their flight same as mine.

Do you think you can go back again overseas to work?

At this point in time, it will be different. The cost of flights and quarantine is very expensive. I am not sure if my (future) employer is willing to pay for all these things. But I do hope that in time I can go back again and work abroad.

What can you say to other OFW staying out there?

Always be thankful to an employer that is very supportive.  Don’t get panic when things don’t go according to what we are expecting. Pray to God that we are all safe at all times.  If you need help, we have our Embassy who are actually willing to help aside from our agency who brought us to Malaysia. Ensure that you have the contact details of our Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Get in contact with fellow Filipinos working in your place so that you have someone to contact in case you need help during an emergency. 

Few weeks down the road, sad to say that the hotel has to follow the "No Dine-In Order" due to the rising cases of Covid19 infection in Johor and other parts of Malaysia. After almost three months, I am so delighted that dining is again allowed with a strict implementation of SOPs on the ground.

My family decided to visit this hotel again to take their buffet after staying at home for almost 3 months since January 2021 due to Movement Control Order 2.0 (MCO2.0) in Malaysia. This will be our official first buffet dinner together as a family for the year 2021.

Jom with me as I share with you my dining experience here in conjunction with my #JomtaraletsSupportLocal campaign stories. 

At their café, the staff assisted us to get to our reserved table. They provided us with disposable plastic gloves that we need to use when taking the food to ensure that the hygiene of the dishes is not compromised throughout the entire buffet session.

THE BUFFET SESSION

They have displayed quite a good variety of cockles (clams), prawns, soft shell steamer clams, roasted lambs, satay (grilled on the spot), chicken rice set with roasted chicken, fish salt and pepper, peppered chicken, mixed vegetables, mushroom soup, dim sums, chicken and beef satay, local cuisines, and of course their dessert section where they displayed a variety of moist chocolate cakes, chocolate fountain, and fruits including fruit cocktails for you to enjoy with.

What I love the most during that session was their roasted lamb.  The lamb has a strong flavor and aroma and I can say it's a bit "gamey". The red meat has a very clean and almost sweet-like flavor. It was easy to chew. It was not dry and every bite was sensational on my palate. 

I love mixing it with their version of Primavera Pasta. The combination to me was awesome, The pasta wasn’t overcooked and the savory taste of the pasta mixing it with lambs gives a nice combination in my mouth. Woahhhh, my taste buds are really enjoying it.

You may ask me what is Primavera Pasta. This Pasta is actually an American dish that was believed to be invented in the 1970s. The pasta is usually mixed with tomatoes, tomato paste, broccoli, carrots, onion, zucchini, green or red bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and a bit of sugar to bring out a sweetish after taste.

Chicken Hunter is actually called “Chicken Cacciatore”. It is a chicken braised in a tomato-based sauce and often added with wild mushrooms.  It is called such because the word “Cacciatore” (in Italian) means Hunter.

In terms of taste, I would say that this has something similar to a Filipino dish called “Chicken Afritada”. The taste is a bit similar as it is sweetish and it has a savory aftertaste. Similar to Chicken Afritada, this is also braised chicken cooked in tomato-based but for Filipinos, this dish is mixed with green peas and topped with pepper to make it more appetizing.

Of course, the buffet also serves local cuisines such as Curry Daging (this one is very spicy), ayam masak merah (spicy), and some mixed vegetables to make the whole buffet more interesting with a variety of dishes to look upon too.

When it comes to their satay (both chicken and beef), I would say that the way it was marinated was superb. It was not dry and every slice is nice in my palates. Usually, locals here mixed this satay with a creamy peanuts sauce but for me, I am already satisfied just eating the satay as it is without any sauce. I love the taste and the aroma of this fabulous street food in Malaysia.

As we end up our buffet, I would also give credit to the way they presented their dessert table. It was full of stories. Every corner is really busy. There are a lot of choices that we can have. They have fresh fruits, quite a good number of chocolate slices, fruit cocktails, jellies, and also coffee if you are a coffee lover.  

Overall, I would say that our dining experience here was really superb. It never failed our expectations. It was a recommended buffet for everyone as we continue to support our local businesses.

 DISCLAIMER

Reviews given were based on honest feedback. The featured café and the hotel may also have better dishes which may even better according to your preferences.

For dine-in and other transactions amid to the SOPs due to CMCO status of Johor, please seek updates from their Restaurant Management for further assistance.