License To Grille

CAR LICENSE PLATING

Malaysian Drivers Love To Trick Out Their License Plates

I had written in my previous post about how I enjoy buying local cars to restore them to their original glory - something I was not able to do in Singapore due to the high cost of cars on the island.  In Malaysia, not only are the cars more affordable, you are also spoilt for choice in terms of the make and model - given the number of rich & titled VIPs around the Peninsular - who more often than not own no less than a few cars which they would dispose of after a few years to get newer make and model of cars.  So there is no dearth of used cars for car buff like me with a budget and on the prowl for car projects to add to my kampung garage.

My only beef with the cars here in Malaysia is that the license plates they come with kinda diminish the styling of the car.  For me, I have always told my partner that the wheels and rims of a car, is like the stocking and high heels an elegant girl dons.  All dressed up and pair with wrong shoes or leggings - the entire look is destroyed - like they say - "call the FASHION POLICE"!




Always Like The SG Plate Which Looks More European

Likewise, no matter how fierce or sleek your ride looks, put on the wrong size of wheels or style of rims - the entire styling goes down the drain.  So a car's license plate is comparable to an oufit's accessories?  One wrong match and it looks like a disaster.  Unwillingly, my partner agreed with my point of view and permitted me to change all the license plates of our cars...one of the very few battles I have won, mind you.

I like the Singapore license plate style as the letters and numbers are bold and big - and the spacing - professionally called kerning - of the characters are done almost like the European style.  So we went license plate shopping around the old Johor Bahru area - KSL Mall & Sentosa workshops - but to no satisfaction.  Most shops who display some sample signs (see below) - are most likely jobbers - meaning they take in the orders, mark up the price and make you come back a week later.  They charge around MR120 to MR160 for a pair depending on the style and quality of the plates - which for this Asing is a tad pricey - especially when I was on a budget to replace the plates on a few cars.


MR120 For One Pair Of New License Plates - Double The Price!

So imagine my absolute ecstasy when we were on way to the Premium Outlet for browsing one day and we drove pass the most brilliant sight I would never have imagined seeing - LICENSE PLATES HAVEN!  But to my acerbic-tongued partner, it was more of a license plate graveyard because all these plates (in the photos below) were discarded after the drivers drive off with brand new plates - leaving the two brother owners to give them their final resting place!

Si Nai Plate & Sign Maker - Creative Brothers



Si Nai license plate & signcraft shop is a non-descript shop along Lebuhraya Senai near 55 Senai Highway, Taman Senai Utama.  When you are driving near it, keep left and slow down (turn on your hazard lights) so that you can find the shop as it is tugged inward further than the shops along the road, so you may miss it if you are driving too fast.  Look out for Trust Tech tire shop - they are beside each other.  I got my Singapore-plate-esque license plates for just MR60 a pair and they make it right before my eyes - heaven! I was able to control the type face, the kerning and the type of plate material too. 

The brothers who own the shop also hand make and paint beautiful kites - which my girls absolutely love.  If your kids or yourself do not fly kites, they could make great wall art to dress up a bare wall?  By the way, the shop is just 5 minutes drive to Johor Premium Outlet - there, you can kill two birds with one trip!

Malaysian Kites



The Plate Maker Is Just Next To Trust Tech Tire Shop

You can go Jalan Jalan for license plates and kites at Si Nai near 55 Senai Highway, Taman Senai Utama, Senai, Johor,

Tel: 607 599 9104

Email: www.longwu@gmail.com

GPS Coordinates: 1.6042338, 103.6469638

Love You Long Time

LOVE FOR BANGKOK - ASOKE SUKUMVIT 

Our No. 1 Boutique Hotel

Many friends and relatives I have spoken to about Thailand Bangkok, indubitably stay at Siam Square or Sala Daeng areas where each locale offers shopping, luxe cafes, street food and night bazaars in their unique ways. 

At Siam Square you will find throngs of Singaporeans and Malaysians plying the shophouse district opposite Siam Center for shopping bargains and local food treats.  The famous Som Tum Nua (to which tourists the world over flock for their famous local-spiced and fried chicken wings) is tucked away at a street corner of Soi 5 Siam Square, near the equally popular Siam Novotel Hotel.  If you chance to visit Siam and would like to savor the Som Tum chicken wings, be sure to go to the original birthplace of the wings.  They have a new branch at the swanky Siam Center opposite its Food Republic food court, but I find sadly they were not able to replicate the deliciousness of the wings you find at its less opulent parent.

My Idea Of "Luxe" On A Budget

 At SalaDaeng area - or my kids would call "the area with a lot of gay things" - you will also find plenty of boutique and luxe hotels alike lining the Silom streets.  Why my kids would label the area "gay" beats me, but we suspect its due a night market experience there where they witnessed lots of phallic-symbol paraphernalia near Patpong and guys-only massage palors lining the main thoroughfare that left an indelible impression on the young minds.  No matter how hard we try to expplain to them that the area is as touristy as the other areas of Bangkok and that those tourist souvenirs were purposely shocking to invoke purchase - SalaDaeng will forever be a "happy" place to the kids (the other being the Sathorn area).. 


Cozy & Conveniently Located At Asok BTS

So it is no surprise that in our last years of back and forth between Thailand and Malaysia/Singapore, we find ourselves staying at the Asoke / Sukumvit area.  We do so whenever our tenant in Bangkok is not travelling and hence would not be able to cede our condo to us for the few days we are in Bangkok (our lease agreement provides for this arrangement, and wherefore the tenant would be duely reimbursed based on a pre-agreed daily rate - part of my 3-Pronged Retirement Living Strategy). 

Money Is No Object - Then Terminal21 Is Your Bet

The reason why the Asoke - Sukumvit area is attractive to us is because my partner and kids absolutely adore Terminal21 shopping over the Singaporean favouraite Siam Paragon and Siam Center.  Sure the latter two are very swanky - but are they not a dime a dozen in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur?  But Terminal21 is different perhaps of its themed shopping and a certain ambience of je ne sais quoi.  As for me, I like the fact that it is near to Little Italy - my Italian cuisine haunt few Singaporeans and Malaysians know existed - which is just at the opposite Terminal 21.  And in the mornings, I have to go for the Cafe Chu breakfast that makes me a very happy travel companion through the day.  And in the evenings, we always have the option of going for a good massage at Urban Retreat near the Asok BTS before retiring. It's these endless selection of body & soul pampering coupled with restaurants, cafes and street hawkers down the street of Soi 23 near Little Italy that make Asoke / Sukumvit one of my favorite area to stay whenever we go back to Bangkok.

Pullman - Stylish & Modern Just steps from Sukumvit MRT

There are plenty of luxury hotels and serendipitous boutique lodging in this area.  Some of the ones we had stayed and liked are:

PRICEY DECADENCE  BY “ASING IN JB” STANDARDS (And 50 Steps To Hotel From Train Stations - By My Partner's Standards)

Grande Centerpoint Terminal 21 (sheltered Train-To-Shopping-To-Hotel for the sun averse)

Pullman Grande Sukumvit (ultra modern luxury experience)

The Continent (near Little Italy and Soi 23 - my favorite)

AFFORDABLE  LUXE  BY “ASING IN JB” STANDARDS (And 50 Steps To Hotel From Train Stations - By My Partner's Standards)

S Sukumvit Suites (walk half a minute to Cafe Chu)

Sacha's Uno (the French Cafe "Chez Charlie" breakfast just opposite the hotel is DIVINE! I will feature another time)

S15 (just beside Asok BTS and Terminal 21)

OR BE EN-CAPSULATE-LATED IN BANGKOK

Take a walk on the wild side, let your hair down, break from tradition, whatever you want to call it, we had a memorable experience staying at a Capsule Hostel in Bangkok.

You can click here to Booking, Agoda or TripAdvisor for their best promotional rates.  Sabai Sabai Kup!

HDB Or Condo

To Buy Or Not To Buy?
That Is Not The Question.

The Question Is What To Buy NOW?

I believe the penchant for property investments runs deep in the blood of most Asians.  This can be attested by the fact that all posts related to properties on Asing blogsite garners the highest traffic, and with the highest readership by country nationalities  - no prizes for guessing right where most readers are from - they are from Singapore, followed by Malaysia and then Taiwan and Hong Kong.  I was therefore also not surprised that the posts with the highest readership are:WHY SINGAPORE MALAYSIA & THAILAND and
SINGAPORE REAL ESTATE - REALLY?

The news today is certaining singing to the same tune - well may be just the facts from the news are backing up what I had been hawking -  that if you are thinking of buying your first home or making an investment for passive income, do your research and viewings now and then buy that home before things get stirred up into unreachable prices again.

I am not saying that the prices now are low - but at the very least the prices in Singapore are still about 10 to 20% lower than say those smaller units in Hong Kong.  And if you ask me, Singapore remains a high net worth destination to the rich, and hence the capital appreciation (and hence passive income) opportunity is always there. 

Remember my 3-Pronged Approach to having your passive income so that you can be more financially free - from the above link WHY SINGAPORE MALAYSIA & THAILAND - buying a property in Singapore is de rigueur if you are in working in Singapore now or have a fat bank account to buy an investment property.  Then make the property work for you while you move to a much cheaper living environment - like Malaysia.  Young and first time buyers, make use of the government subsidized HDB to make a good profit years later.  Condo seekers - location location location!  Any condo next to an MRT station is a investment GEM.



Click Photo For News Clip

I said above that news these few days had backed up my call for action if you are looking to buy.  Just look at the sky high HDB prices.  It is a sign that HDB flats are over bought and hence elicit a sense of over expectation from HDB owners in terms of their home value.  Therefore, buyers are now flocking back to the condominium scene - as can be seen by private property prices inching up since March.   

For sure there are naysayers - analysts from big name banks like UBS and overseas newssite such as CNBC - have played harbingers of bad news on Singapore property. I for one had never relied fully on their suppositions.  I had bought and sold 6 properties in Singapore.  Most of them were bought when the market was down - Gulf War, SARs, SubPrime crisis, etc.  I bought when everyone was waiting for the bottom.  And when the upswing came fast and furious, they still refuse to buy  citing "miss the opportunity of buying at the bottom".  Its best to believe in your own research and gut feeling, taking the analysts' opinions with a pinch (or ton) of salt - they are not interested in your early retirement plans - you are. And as Warren Buffet said, if they are such great analysts, they would not be sitting behind a desk! (Or something to that effect). 

So go Jalan Jalan and do your own research and buy when your gut feeling tells you THAT'S THE ONE - BE IT HDB OR CONDO!

USEFUL NEWS

Since publishing the above post, the HDB property market has indeed shown to be stirring, registering the highest resale figures for April2016 since 3 years ago! Click "highest" above for Straits Times May 5 report.

If you are buying HDB - why not look at Yishun & Jurong?

Jurong will be the next big thing - so the first mover gets the advantage.

HDB resale prices starting to fall due to owner's over expectation of their home value.

Woodlands, Pasir Ris & Toa Payoh to be rejuvenated.http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/rejuvenation-plans-pasir-ris-toa-payoh-and-woodlands-released

Wet Dream

Some Like It Wet

Life Is Perfect

Despite all my insistence to do marketing for fresh produce at the hypermarkets around my kampung neighborhood this morning, my partner cum breakfast buddy-in-crime proceeded to her favorite wet market near the Skudai Bus Interchange.  I could only raise a weak veto knowing that it was a lost argument since she was firmly at the wheels.  Well I will fight another battle another day.

Salty or Sweet You Tiao

She knew a hungry man is an angry grouch - so the first thing we did was to go for my local kopi and - she knows how to win me over after I had given her the silent treatment - my favorite You Tiao, which is kind of similar to the churritos in the West.  The churritos are dipped in powdered sugar, which I absolutely love with a good cup of black coffee, but the local You Tiao comes in both savory and sweet. 
And I was bribed to be a uncomplaining groceries-carrying partner with a huge serving of the sweet You Tiao.  The crunchy sugared exterior complements the sesame and the fresh fried dough - life is perfect after this.
I always presribe the wise adage "you only live once" when I eat more than my aging body could handle.  So I ensure that my partner  agreed (so that there will be no blame game later when we read our cholesterol levels at home) on sharing a lontong and a nasi lemak - again, sinful but what's life without local Malay cuisine every now and then.

Cholesterol Busting Nasi In The Morning

The stall owner is a chatty Malay Aunty who truly knows good PR goes a long long way.  She would chat up every customer, and making jokes while she loads up the plate of nasi with her best fried kampung chicken (at least in my book) and a host of other staples like tempeh, tofu, etc.

She Keeps Me Coming Back For More

Ode To Old Recipe Longtong

I always savour the longtong here as it reminds me of the first time I tried the dish when I arrived on the shores of Singapore decades ago.  She makes it the way I remembered:  slightly lemak (coconut milky) and with all the trappings like one whole boiled egg, lots of cabbage and long beans, a trigular fried tofu, and of course her famous dollop of chilli ikan bilis (which I opted out this morning due to the heat).  My partner swears by this stall's chilli - in fact I always asked her "Why do you like taking chili with nasi instead of the other way around?"  Her answer is always "You Asing will never understand."  Like they say, whatever floats your boat, but in this case, whatever whets you honey.

The wet market is also her favorite as she refers it to as our Little Tiong Bahru market in Johor Bahru - where you get great food and then do your wet marketing.

The wide array of fresh local produce is enough to keep us coming back here at least once a week, and what's more, just like in Tiong Bahru - you get to squeeze in a little shopping for clothes and home knick knacks - but less than half of prices in glitzy Singapore.

Breakfast Al Fresco!

To go Jalan Jalan at our Little Tiong Bahru, please view map below: 

Printer Secret

 Desperately Seeking Cartridge

I am not sure if any of you techies out there had been frustrated by your home (or for that matter office) printer?  This personal computer and peripheral ignoramus has always been challenged (and lost) by my home electronics.  From frozen laptops that does not want to turn on to printers that spew ink and refuse to print properly - you name it.

Recently the kids had to submit a project which entails their PC skills.  That means they have to research from the laptop, type on Word document or Powerpoint slides and then print them out from the home printer.  Luck had it that the printer ink ran out and printed only grey blurry images and text. 

We went to Aeon Bukit Indah - the largest shopping center around Nusajaya area - also popularly known by the supermarket name Jusco that is within its mall - and NO ONE HAS INK CARTRIDGES for my old Cannon Printer.  I was greeted with cynical sales folks who either said they had not heard of the above model, or expressed mock surprise that I was still using "that old model".  Well, if I showed them my retirement bank balance perhaps they would be more empathetic.  The printer was hardly used, save for those times when we had to print our  budget airline itinerary and boarding passes.

Huge IT Mall For Handphones To PC Needs

In come the white knight in the form of IT Mall near the Woodlands Causeway called Danga City Mall.  We were carrying our printer from one shop to another Desperately Seeking Cartridge and boy did I want to kiss the owner of IDEAINK when he said he could modify my printer to a bigger cartridge which would cost less and last longer. Without hesitation I dropped off my printer for his 1.5 to 2-hour modification. 

We had shopping to be done so we went down to the basement for groceries, and then roamed around looking at furniture, carpets and handphone accessories.  My ancient printer taught me a lesson on IT - that models change faster than the seasons.  So I bought 2 of handphone covers for my old Samsung which I would not trade up ever lest the covers go out of stock.  True enough, the only ones I found were on sale, from MR69 down to MR10 and they were only 5 left.


Danga City Mall Bargains 

We even had time for a quick bite at the Malay Cafe just at the main entrance - small pizza for MR10, Clam Chowder for MR6.50, you know the drill - great food great ambience at great prices.  Time was up and we triapsed up to IDEAINK and voila, our printer - upgraded and ready to go.  The gentleman owner who personally modified my printer told us that we could easily get replacement cartridge with the upgrade as my "new" printer now uses universal cartridge.  All that - modification and a new higher capacity color cartridge for just MR110 - and supposedly it would last about 5 to 8 times longer than my old Canon cartridge which used to cost me MR135 (at a much smaller capacity) to replace and yet does not last very long.

My "New" & Modified Printer With Bigger Capacity Cartridge

IDEAINK is on Level 3, Unit 32, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Danga City Mall, Johor Bahru
Tel:   +607 221 3618
Open 11am to 9pm

Leisure Farm

Sprawling Vistas With Varied Homestyles

 



Bungalow Homes with ready built swimming pools

Equestrian Club for the riding enthusiasts

In my previous posts I had featured some noteworthy properties which I thought you should look into if you are looking at properties in Malaysia, and specifically Johor.  You can read more on Forest City, East Ledang & Country Garden developments by clicking on them.

 

Leisure Farm must have been the first major developer who saw the potential of building an upscale residential cum golf resort near to Singapore in Nusajaya to attract the high net worth retirees and expatriate community to live and play in Malaysia, while working in Singapore.  In the last 20 odd years when I lived and worked in Singapore, we must have visited (and then contemplated buying a villa in Leisure Farm) the resort living development umpteenth times for its Leisure Farm villa stays - an initiative which we thought was very innovative in marketing its products to would-be buyers.  Alas, given that it is an upscale precinct, our bank account just was not fat enough to buy into Leisure Farm - but all's well that ended well - as we are very happy with our kampung home nearby.

 

What is different in Leisure Farm is it caters to the rich's varied home configuration preference - from acre-lot homes with sprawling backyard and flowing creek to townhomes with lake views.  We stayed in several of the model homes leased from our very friendly sales manager Ms Poreen - as we were then seriously contemplating living in Leisure Farm.  Our weekends were spent lounging by the poot or having teas at the Equestrian Club while the kids rode on Dolly the mare.

 Source: Leisure Farm

 Over the years, we had also organized many a gatherings and parties at the above facilities - from our anniversaries, birthdays to festive holiday get-togethers like Christmas and New Year's Eve coutdowns - at the upscale Bale clubhouse.  The staff mostly speak English as the expat community there is rather large - and they are very helpful and diligent in getting all the facilities and equipment in place within a short notice.  However, you would need to go to the venue at least once or twice before the event to ensure what they are offering tally with what you need and expect - email communication or phone conversation may not work so well in terms on both parties being on the same page.

 

USEFUL INFORMATION

Going there is best by driving your private car or rental vehicle.  From Singapore Woodslands Causeway, take the new Coastal Highway towards Nusajaya or Legoland.  Look for Gelang Petah and follow the "Leisure Farm" signs to destination. 

 

From Singapore Tuas 2nd Crossing, it is just 10 minutes' drive after the Malaysian toll.  Look for the Gelang Petah exit on your left (it will be just after the Rest Stop as you pass the toll) and then follow the "Leisure Farm" signs to destination.

 

If you are not buying into Leisure Farm - do go Jalan Jalan there, your idea of lux living will be sublimed by this haven.

 

Nurseries in Johor Bahru

Green Green Grass  Of  Bloom

Tropical Fruits Galore

I see many of my friends trying to buy plants and bonsais back to Singapore and are always being stopped at customs as plants and vegetation in soil condition (even in pots) are not allowed.  So visitors need to bear in mind on top of a host of forbidden items at customs, live plants are also not allowed to be crossing customs without proper documentation.

Here are some of the best around Johor Bahru area for your next nursery visits in Johor Bahru. 

KATSURA GARDEN

Katsura Garden
At Katsura, near Sutera Mall - which I will feature in future posts - you will find your family spoilt for a lazy afternoon soiree.  While some family members shop for plants and garden items at the sprawling compound, others could laze at its cool tiki huts for their afternoon tea break.

Besides the usual tropical plants, shrubs and bonsais, Katsura stocks a wide array of home and garden pottery ware.  We bought our front door Fu Lions from here, and most of our landscape plants are also delivered and planted by its friendly staff.

The garden tiki hut serves coconut drink, refreshingly cold and quenching fruit rojak, nasi lemak, otak and such.  And if you are looking for fresh fruits, this is the place too.  All seasonal fruits from durians, rambutans, jackfruits, longans, lychees on top of the staples like bananas, melons, papayas etc are always stocked to the brim due to its location along the main thorougfare where local residents and Singaporean visitors ply.

Katsura is along near Sutera Mall, driving towards Bukit Indah at Jalan Sutera Danga, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Johor Bahru, Johor.










Riverview Flora
Driving along Taman Sutera towards Bukit Indah, half way you will find Riverview Flora – this is where we had bought bigger ticket items – outdoor palms and oversized decorative urns and stone furniture for the garden.  Its owner Joshua is a young and helpful entrepreneur.  We had wanted a species of beach grass for our garden – and he was able to source for us, albeit after a few weeks.  My very specific-in-what-she-wants partner was elated as the grass now decorate the front entrance of our home.

RIVERVIEW FLORA

Although it does not have as wide an array of garden decor knick knacks as Katsura, it does carry unique items which you may not find in other nurseries.  Our garden water-mist fans for example were bought from here for just MR500 each, when in Singapore we were  quoted more than twice as much I recalled.

Riverview is along Taman Nusa Bestari heading towards Sutera Mall at PTD 118566, Jalan Danga, Taman Nusa Bestari, Skudai, Johor.

BL Blooming
Finally, is the new kid on the block which sprang up from Katsura Group due to the number of new homes achieving their occupancy permits and new residents seeking landscaping for their new gardens in the area.  As you can surmise, given that it is the closest to where most Singaporeans and expats live in Nusajaya, you probably have to pay a little more for the well-kept nursery.

BL BLOOMING

 It is even starting to showcase pets for the kids to have fun and taking selfies with (pets caged of course).  BL is just off Sultan Iskandar highway along Jalan Rawa at Lot 51713 PTD 32090, Jalan Rawa, Taman Perling, 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor.

 

Chicks Galore

KAWAN KAWAN means FRIEND FRIEND

If you chance to be staying or be around Good Hope Hotel - there is hope for good food just around the corner. Restoran Kawan -  just steps across from the old but quaint hotel - offers morning spread of local fried bee hoon with their famous home condiments such as runny & sunny side ups, bean curd skin, tofu, the nine yards. 

What we find different is that the condiments to go with the bee hoon are more fragrant and tasty - perhaps due to the stall's home-made ingredients and food being fresh-cooked in the kitchen out back. 

By 7am, local folks rushing to work are already making a bee line for the delicious fare, while those who have more time to enjoy a lazy morning cup of coffee and breakfast - could chow down their food al fresco at the shady and breezy sidewalk.

Whenever we visit this neighborhood, we have to pair our been hoon with the chicken, char siew and roast pork rice - sinful but you only live once!  The plates are just MR4 or S$1.40 each - how divine is that to find traditional fare cooked to perfection, and served quite appetisingly if I may add - at Singapore prices of yesteryears?

I had mentioned before that my mornings are never complete without a good local cup of kopi.  Here at Kawan Restoran they serve the Ipoh White Coffee which I had also learned to cherish - so each time we are here, I would pair the scrumptious food with their white coffee - served piping hot in a mid-size glass mug....sedap (delicious) !!!

Thank you Kopi Soh (I was told to call her that and it means Coffee Aunty) for making my mornings with that delicious mug of white coffee!

Go Makan & Jalan!

Kawan Restoran is opposite Good Hope Hotel on Jalan Ronggeng 11.
GPS Coordinates: 1.529863, 103,664882
Open Mondays to Saturdays from 7am until food runs out around early afternoon.

You can stay at Good Hope on a budget at Agoda or Booking.

Breakfast At Tiffany's

Our Helpful Server's Name is Tiffany

With increasing frequency, we are encountering "foreign labor" of a different kind in Malaysia.  When we are in Kuala Lumpur, we were very often served by staff from Pakistan and India.  Over in Penang and Melacca, we believe most F&B staff were recruited from Nepal or the Philippines who speak good English for the sake of the tourists.

TONG SENG EATERY

Over in Johor Bahru, we find more and more service industry employees are from far flung states of Malaysia like East Malaysia.  They may be Christian Malaysians who look Malay, since they go by Anglo names.  We were served by Tiffany this morning when we went for our favorite morning Wonton Noodles and freshed rolled Chee Cheong Fun at Jalan Perwira 3 corner coffee shop, I believe it is called TONG SENG kopitiam.

The place is non descript so please do not expect bells and whistles.  But the flurry of local folks in their work clothes and jammies makes you feel nostalgic and that you have chosen the right spot for great steaming local fare - not the pre-cooked air-conditioned Food Court fare.

Wonton or Wan Tan - just as delicious!

The wonton noodles is one of the best in this vicinity.  The roast pork is of the lean kind, unlike some I tried in Singapore and Malaysia who use fatty pieces.  They provide five generous dollops of wonton in a bowl of soup.  Just like I like my spaghetti al dente, my noodles must be like what my partner said "kew kew" for springy.  SLURP!

Fast Disappearing Craft of Fresh Rolled Chee Cheong Fun

Another favorite of mine is the fresh hand rolled chee cheong fun (steamed rice flour rolls).  You can order plain or rolled with roast pork or prawns.  The samba chilli is not my cup of tea, but according to my ascerbic tongued partner - it is to die for!  Rarely can you find these fresh rolled delicacy in fast-pace Singapore as hand rolling the dish takes time.  But this gentleman makes it an art and the steaming velvety rolls make it well worth the short wait.

Tong Seng eatery can be found at junction of Jalan Perwira 4 and Jalan Perwira 3. GPS coordinates: 1.523891, 103.664137.  They are closed by the early afternoons.