Volcano Coffee House, Lei Cha (Thunder Tea) - The Little Boy with the Adorable Big Eyes

The little boy's eyes peered from behind the wall as we drove up, the wall barely hiding his mischievous cheeky smile.

As we strode in, his eyes lit up further in excitement and anticipation. He knew we were not the regular locals that patronize this popular eatery, but out of towners descending upon their quiet but amiable surroundings.

Happy Land at Johor Bahru - Of Chocolate Ice Kachangs and Nasi Lemaks and Rojaks

In life, if we can get to do one thing really well, we would be very fortunate. If we can even do 2, it's a blessing. But to accomplish 3 is a near miracle.

And that was probably what we witnessed in JB at this delightful little cafe that is so aptly named Happy Land.

Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock - Heartwarmingly Delicious in Johor Bahru

Sometimes, it takes a trip out of Singapore to realise the things that we are missing in our homeland. And I not just talking about food.

It's the little things, that when combined together, make up a greater whole that is sorely lacking in Singapore today. And that's why, it was such a great pleasure to be eating at this humble looking place in Kedai, Johor.

Hollandaise Roast Chicken Thighs with Butter Rice and Garlic Sprouts - A Simple Tasty Meal on a Sunday

Here's a simple weekend dish you can whip up for our family, and using only the simplest ingredients you can find in any supermarket here.

There are so fancy gimmicks here, so 30 hr sous vide proteins, or shellfish that costs a bomb, or special grains of rice that you have to travel a million miles for.

A Splendid Hainanese Lunch - Soul Food That Is Homecooked Food At Its Best!

11.45 and we were on the way up when Soundman's call came through. "Is it the right address? No one seems to be answering the door."

And as we were getting into the lift, the signature aroma of Hainanese Chicken Rice was already infiltrating the entire block, all the way down to the first floor. Yes, we knew we were in for a real treat today. And then some.

Malaysia Boleh - Penang Chendol and KL Wanton Mee

We had originally wanted to visit the Power Nasi Lemak at Boon Lay, but it was closed for the day. Well, funny how some things turn out, but we eventually ended up at Jurong Point's Malaysia Boleh and was thrilled to find some gems there.

For those who are not in the know, Malaysia Boleh is a new food court concept started by the people behind Fei Siong, and while you may have some reservations over their other offerings, Malaysia Boleh is an altogether different proposition.

Vietnam Splendor - The Scooter City of Hanoi

The city of Hanoi is literally filled with scooters. Cars are utterly swamped with the weaving in and out of scooters on every corner and every junction of the city.

From a visual standpoint, the traffic here seems even more dense than that of Bangkok, but for some reason, it never seems chaotic. In fact, there is some weird order in chaos voodoo magic working in the streets.

Yusof Arni's - Cooking With Heart and Soul

I get cynical when people tell me they are cooking with their heart and soul, as I always discover that those that really do so do not need to trumpet so loudly the essence of genuine cooking.

Cooking with real heart and passion is about the actual delivery on the plate, not a slogan you need to brand. And thankfully, this is what I got from the couple that is Yusof and Arni, and at their humble eatery at Far East Plaza, appropriately called Yusof Arni's.