Al Maidah Halal Restaurant in Tsim Tsa Shui Hong Kong

Al-Maidah is a small food joint located in between shops in Tsim Tsa Shui, Kowloon. The restaurant has obtained the Halal Logo and Certification from Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong. The address is:

G/F, 13, Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion, 

83-97 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, 
Tel : 23677288

In between Sasa makeup shops alongside Nathan Road, look for an old looking building known as Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion. Go inside entrance 13, you will see a small joint with few seating areas which probably can only fit 8 people at most.

Tsim Tsa Shui Mansion

Alongside the walkway of Tsim Sha Tsui mansion, there is a big signboard of Ziafat halal restaurant which is a step away from Al Maidah.

Al Maidah is a convenient joint to stop for starving shopaholics in between browsing Sasa makeups and Prada handbags. During a trip to Hong Kong with a shopaholic girlfriend, we have had lunch and dinner several time at Al Maidah.

There are several other choice of halal food around here too. I cringed remembering our experience of having to use stairs of Chung King Mansion. We stucked in the elevator situation as there is only one lift serving every block. It is not because of going down the stairs with high heels or being an unfit person. I have done 37 flights while rushing down barefoot in Jakarta during earth quake chads, therefore going down six floors is nothing. Chung King house is old dilapidated building full of rubbish,smelly and claustrophic. While running down the stairs and not touching the handrail I prayed hard not to bump into a thief, pimp and drug dealer.

Al Maidah serves middle eastern food such as biryani rice, arab salads,pratha, shawarma, kebab, kofta and curries. The food was good and come in a big portion. However, the price is pretty steep compare to other nearby halal restaurants. The cook and waiter were friendly and nice. My friend who is in a habit of shopping and leaving her shopping spree everywhere has left hers at AlMaidah overnight. The waiter was nice enough to keep  the goods for her.

 For more address of halalfood in Kowloon and Hong Kong you may purchase AN EXTENSIVE GUIDE FOR HALAL RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS IN HONG KONG. Click here

Halal stalls at Koh Phi Phi wet market

We had a family gathering in Phi Phi island which include seven children, tweens and teens. The intention was to unwind for a week by the beach, read good books and allow the young ones to let loose for a week. It turned out that Koh Phi Phi was the perfect location. It was fairly safe for a group of 7 cousins to roam around even at night. There were no cars but only bicycles and motor bikes. Halal food was easy to get. I will talk about this in a while. There are a lot of activities in and around Phi Phi for them like snorkeling, hiking to view point, swimming all day at the pool and kayaking. At night Phi Phi is alive with beach bars. Some of the bars are a bit appalling to children but there are beach shows organized by bars alongside beach like fire show. You need to walk down to Loh Dalum beach at night to catch a fire dance show. A group of dancers with sticks of fire were doing all sort of acts. I got a shock that Amanda came back at night showing me a video of drunken woman who tried to participate in the fire show and burned her hair but was still laughing, probably of too much of Singha beer.

The vacation was organized by my brother, who frequent all nearby islands to satiate his addiction in scuba diving. I used to dive around Malaysian water but have decided to hang my licence on the wall and opt for a much simpler activity, which is snorkeling.

We stayed at Charlie Beach Resort which conveniently located right close to Loh Dalum beach and just besides Ton Sai Village shopping areas ( or town?). The resort is an affordable basic room with air condition, tv, coffe making facilities and fridge. My top of the list requirements which is cleanliness was fulfilled so I have no complaint about the resort. Kids had a blast at the infinity swimming pool overlooking Loh Dalum bay. My sister in law and I was amused with the rows and rows of shops outside Charlie.

Halal Stalls in Ton Sai Village Wet Market
One top secret that was disclosed by my brother is about a row of halal stalls at fruit/wet market in the middle of Tonsai village. This has kept our budget at bay during our one week stay. Besides dining together at night at seafood restaurants, breakfast and lunch and tea were mostly spent at the stalls. Price of food at beach restaurants can be pretty steep and may not taste better than stall food. The stall food price was very reasonable starting from 15 baht for skewer of veges, meat or fish. Most stalls located at the wet market are halal. Just look out for Bismillah or halal logo or hijab clad women attending the stalls. For a 100 baht you can get prepacked lunch of mixed rice with 3 dishes.
The stalls open during breakfast and throughout the day until diner.

Phi Phi Island Map. Circled in red is Ton Sai wet market and Al Aslah Mosque

How to get there? It is a bit tricky but don't worry as you will not get lost in Ton Sai Village. You will need to walk through the shopping alleys (see map) and just ask locals where is talad (market).

Walk pass this alley to reach wet market

Our favorite breakfast is sticky rice eaten with fried chicken and Khanom Cheen (or thai laksa). Khanom Cheen is fish based green curry with thin rice noodle and garnished with lots of thai salad. 

Menu is hardly in English as the stalls are meant for locals. The sellers do not speak English or very little English. However, there were few bigger stalls with english menu and proper dining area. Once we tried to order food with an stall and almost gave up when a waiter appeared at the stall, happily taking order in english for eight people. He then carefully translated our orders to the cook and turned back at us and said, "anyway, I don't work here , I am a boat kapitan (captain) and I want to eat too."

I tried green curry paste with rice and ice tea that cost me less than 400 baht. The food was yummy and fulfilling. A tray of delicious local fruits sold at 30baht per tray. My favorite fruit was exotic sweet and sour pomelo which cost 30baht/tray.

 tweens & teens waiting for food

menu for lunch and diner

Depilated stall but yummy food

Ready packed rice cost from 70 to 100 baht is useful for snorkeling trips on nearby island. We booked a private boat for snorkeling and swimming which was worthy as they took us at a secret spot for swimming in between the cliffs and rock formation. We had a blast swimming in the emerald green water.

For a complete list of halal food around Krabi, Phuket and Southern Thailand please refer to Halal Ebook, click here

Bangi Kopitiam in Denpasar and Ngurah Rai airport

My latest holiday in Bali was during Christmas 2013 with my usual partner in crime which i described as a hectic holiday. We arrived almost near midnight and our first blunder was that the guy that I usually rent a car from has mistaken my arrival for a different date or different month probably, I normally drive myself around in Bali but do not recommend this for first timers. The drivers seem to have unwritten rules and as a driver in Bali you are given an extra job scope to watch for  safety of motorbike riders. However, once you ventured towards more remote and quieter neighborhood driving is a such a bliss. It is rewarding passing through row of rice terrace in Gianyar, beautiful lakes near Bedugul, small winding road to Lovina to name a  few.

During my few recent visits I have noted that Malaysian based coffee shop, Bangi Kopitiam is now opened in Bali.You will definitely not missed the one at located Ngurah Rai airport. This is convenient for visitors who arrived late and want a quick halal grab prior to starting a holiday in Bali. Personally I try not to feast upon any home based food when abroad.

Another bigger branch that can be easily spotted from the main road (even when driving a manual car and looking after the safety of bikers) is located at Jalan Teuku Umar, Kecamatan, Denpasar Barat, Bali. For a complete list of 100 Halal Restaurants in Bali, please click here or go to Halal e book page.

Frustrated by the car rental blunder we took a cab to our resort in Sukawati nearby Ubud town. It cost us 350k rupiah to get there. We reached the remotely located Bhanuswari resort by 1 a.m. Half day of the next day gone to looking for a rental car in Ubud town. Due to a long Christmas holiday all cars were taken. Finally we got an old MPV with a manual transmission. My left leg has developed handsome muscles as a result of driving for 4 days due to the car's stiffed clutch.

One experience worth to mentioned is the communal bathing in Bali. To get to Bhanuswari, from the main road to Goa Gajah, we took a turn to a smaller road that  passed through villages along a small stream. I was curious passing through group of partially clothed villagers near the stream. It was a communal bathing spot for the villagers. The population is dominated by Hindu but halal food is ample in Gianyar area.

Please go to Halal ebook page for a complete guide to Halal Bali.

Halal Canteen at Masjid Ammar, Wan Chai Hong Kong

Halal food in Hong Kong is quite limited and expensive in comparison to price of non halal food. There is a canteen located at the 5th floor of Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Center which is a great alternative to indian and middle eastern food which is abundant in Hong Kong.The most important is the food is cheap and delicious. The canteen is well known for its dim sum that is served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The canteen get a bit crowded with visitors around the world during lunch hour. It also open for breakfast and serve Cantonese food for diner.

The mosque is a bit difficult to find. It takes a bit of walking from Wan Chai MRT station. My advise is don't go there when you are hungry thinking that a 10 minutes walk will take you there. During our first visit, we used a google map as a guide and we walk through shops, park and dilapidated buildings. My tiring food was about to give up, triggered with growling tummy and cold air. At that moment, we saw a building with a dome that looked like a mosque. We practically ran to the place only to find out that it was a Sikh temple. Out of frustration I wanted to turn back but then we saw Oi Kwan Road which led us to the mosque. My second visit to the mosque was a breeze walk from Johnston Street to Wan Chai road to the mosque as shown in the wan chai mtr sreet map.

If you arrived during lunch hour, the canteen is a bit busy filled by muslim visitors mostly from south east asia. The waiters do not speak english but the menu is written in english therefore you just need to point which food you want to order. The food was prepared pretty fast. The taste is authentically chinese and delicous. It is actually worth going (or walking).

Masjid Ammar is at no 91. Get full map of Wan Chai street here

Once you are done with the lunch walking back to Wan Chai MTR seems like a short walk and made me feel that this canteen is to be visited again when i come to Hong Kong.

For a complete list of 50 halal restaurants in Hong Kong click here.

Eat Pray Love in Bali

Pretty woman, Julia Roberts starred in Eat Pray Love Movie adapted from Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir. Juliaplayed a divorced and depressed writer who travelled to Itali (Eat), India (Pray) and Bali (Love) to seek solace and find herself. Bali was the last place Liz stopped after stuffing herself with pasta, pizza and gellatos in Italy and prayed in India. I couldn't help but get all excited watching the movie, tracing the places that Julia Roberts had gone in Bali. There is something common that I share with Julia and Liz. We straddled bikes in Ubud and fell of the bikes. In my scene, I was not knocked down by Javier Badiem but I lost control of my bike on a steep road in Monkey Forest. After visiting Bali several times, I upgraded my bike to a cute but rugged jeep which is similar to the one Felippe was driving in Eat Pray Love.

In the movie Julia visited Pak Ketut Leyar, a toothless dukun (shaman) who taught her about looking the beauty of life through her liver (heart). A toothless Pak Ketut was hillarious in his broken English. Pictured (top) was a scene where Julia visited Ketut. If you go to Penastanan Village in Bali's central foothills, a dull, blue-stained signboard points toward the house of Ketut Liyar,a ninth generation of medicine man. Ketut is now famous with Julia and Liz's fans seeking for his advise and for palm reading.

Shooting of Eat Pray Love were done in Banjar Bentuyung, Banjar Nyuh Kuning, Pengosekan, the Ubud Art Market and Monkey Forest Park, all within Ubud/Gianyar Regency and some other venues including Jimbaran and Uluwatu in Badung Regency.

Pictured below is Julia Roberts and Javier visiting Ubud market.

Halal KFC in Bali

KFC outlets are certified Halal by MUI Bali

Here is the address of KFC scattered in Bali.

DENPASAR
Jalan Dewi Sartika, Duta Plaza
0361233463

Dharma Bali
Jl Hasanuddin No 59 Denpasar
0361488056

Gatot Subroto
Jl Gatot Subroto No 356
0361 427898

KUTA GALAEL
Jl Raya Kuta no 105
0361 757161-2

Kuta Square
Jl bakung Sari No 1, Blok C 1-2
0361 752155

Ramayana Sesetan
JL. Raya Sesetan No 22

NUSA DUA
Jl By Pass Ngurah Rai Shop Centre
0361 7724

SANUR
Jl By Pass Ngurah Rai, Simpang H
0361 285874

Discovery Bali
Jl. Kartika Plaza Kuta
Denpasar Bali (0361) 769567

KFC Airport Ngurah Rai <>
Domestic Arrival Ngurah Rai Airport
0361 760221

For a complete guide to Halal Fast Food Restaurants check e-book, A Guide to 100 Halal Restaurants in Bali

McD I'm Lovin it in Bali

I'm-lovin-it McD has more than many outlets in Bali. They are easily found in tourist crowded areas and in the town centre.The famous one is at Ngurah By pass junction. I dont fancy fast food especially in Indonesia where there are real good food available. But if you want halal certified food, fuss free and hygienic, Mc Donald is the place to go. Travelers with children would love McD. After all kids love McD's burgers and fries. We are aware that kids are less adventurous with new food especially the hot and spicy Balinese cuisines. However you can still try local food as McD cater to locals with meals of crispy chicken served with rice, soup and egg.

Mc D Legian

Jl Legian, Tel 0361 757555

Sanur Bali
Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai 109, Sanur, Bali
Phone +62361285162

Jl Uluwatu Sanur Tel 0361 704260

Jimbaran
Jl. Uluwatu II No. 01, Jimbaran, Bali
Phone +62361704260
Mobile +628111927492
24 Hours 

Kebo Iwa Bali
Jl. Kebo Iwa Selatan No 177X, Denpasar
Phone +62361428077, +62361414758 
Mobile +628111927573
24 Hours

Kuta Beach
Jl. Pantai Kuta, Banjar Pering Kuta, Bali (Dpn Htl Maharani)
Phone +62361756147
Mobile +628111927476
24 Hours

Kuta Square 
Komplek Pertokoan Kuta Square, Jl. Bakung Sari I, Blok A/2, Denpasar
Phone +62361752226
Mobile +628111927446

Nangka Denpasar
Jl. Gatot Subroto No. 238, Denpasar 80231
Phone +623619009168
Mobile +628111927741
24 hours

New Dewata Ayu
Jl. Panglima Sudirman 20, Denpasar 80210
Phone +62361234890
Mobile +628111927372
24 Hours

For a complete guide to Halal Fast Food Restaurants check e-book, A Guide to 100 Halal Restaurants in Bali 

Lesehan at Ayam Bakar Wong Solo

Lesehan at Ayam Bakar Wong Solo

Jalan Raya Kuta no 887 Kuta,
phone 0361 7435459
Jalan Merdeka 18 Denpasar
phone 0361 231191

If you would like to experience a local Indonesian cuisine, Ayam Bakar Wong Solo restaurant is the answer. I have recommended Wong Solo restaurants to my friends, family, and anyone who would ask for a reference of a local halal food. There are two Wong Solo restaurants in Bali. My favorite is the normally less crowded one located at Jalan Raya Kuta near Tuban.

Housed by a green wooden traditional Jawa structure, you may opt for exciting seating areas on the 1st floor for lesehan. ‘Lesehan’is to have meal on the floor with a low down table, something like Japanese style dining. I fancy lesehan as the area is based on open concept, with no walls but only with blinds. The relaxing environment persuades you to sit back and laze on a pillow after hearty meals. However, for those with stiff limbs and less flexible you may choose to dine at normal dining area the ground floor.

I checked out Denpasar branch which is bigger that draw more crowds. It turned out that even though the food is as good but the ambience is different there.

Wong Solo originally from Solo in Central Jawa. Solo does not suggest that Wong is a single man. As posted biography brief in his restaurants, Wong Solo has four wives. He used to name the dishes with Polygamy juice, Polygamy cah vegetables etc. But the word does not go well with local Balinese who does not practice polygamy and the menu changed to a more acceptable normal menu titles. Wong Solo success story came with more than 50 branches in Indonesia and there is even an outlet in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia too. I have tried the food in KL, but psychologically, I don’t feel the same ambience which makes the taste different. Strange enough, even the one in Jakarta does not have the same flavor.

As the name suggested, Wong Solo specialties is Ayam Bakar (grilled chicken). It tasted sweet and spicy dip with special kecap ABC (thick and sweet soy bean sauce). If you are not into meat, try the Grilled fish, (Gurame bakar). I would usually have to order more than one portion to avoid any food ‘fighting’ amongst us. Sup Sayor Asem (a sour soup with corn and local spices) goes down well with rice. Another favorite soup is Sop Bontot (Ox tail soup). There are a variety vegetables dishes and fresh food juice too.

For more details on local restaurants, check our e-book "A Guide to 100 Halal Restaurants in Bali ". on Halal ebook page.

ACC Minang Restaurant

ACC Minang Restaurant is located in front of the Horse Statue (Patung Kuda) roundabout, just a couple of minutes by car/taxi once you leave the airport compound.

Every time I touched down in Denpasar, Bali, my first agenda is to have a meal at ACC Minang restaurant. On the other hand, my last agenda before departing Bali (Denpasar), is also to have a meal at ACC Minang. The reason is that the food is extremely addictive and it takes less than 2 minutes upon leaving the airport.

When you are leaving from the airport building, get a taxi but do not right away go to your hotel or wherever is your destination is. Instead, politely ask the driver to stop for a meal at ACC Minang in front of a Horse Statue (Patung Kuda) roundabout which is on the left side to by pass road. Also, there is a mosque at the corner of this restaurant too.

ACC Minang is a Padang Food originated from Sumatera. Take note that Minang is an ethnic group from Sumatera whom is almost 100% Muslim. Therefore, nasi Padang is halal. As a rule there would be “Bissmillahhirahmanirrahim” hung in Padang restaurants. In addition, you would savor the dishes and please be rest assured that the restaurant is MUI halal certified.

ACC is an air conditioned restaurant and pleasantly clean set-up. The food served is original nasi Padang with a menu consist of Rendang Sapi (thick beef curry), ayam pop (fried chicken) which I believe make that “pop” sound when being fried as the chicken is cooked and boiled first, dendeng (beef jerky surprising nicer than it appears but slightly oily), chicken curry, fish curry, sambal ijo (green chilly paste) if you like it hot and spicy and many more dishes. There is an interesting menu like cow's brain which I never bring myself to try yet but many people love this exotic meal. There is also cow’s skin keropok (crackers) also which I have never sampled. My favorites are Gurame (fresh water fish) fried fish, Dendeng, and Rendang Sapi. These dishes are normally served with rice. I usually go on diet first before going for my Bali trip. I have to loose at least 2 kg before leaving to Bali as it is normal that I would not pay any special attention to my diet when I am in Bali.

It is a norm at the Padang restaurant that the waiter would serve the customer with all the available dishes. The waiter would carry and serve the customers with at least 20 plates of dishes which he carries in both hands. If all these 20 dishes would end up on your table, please don’t worry, you only eat what you like, and you will be charged on the dishes that you ate only. However, the portion of the dishes that you have touched or partially consume is considered fully consumed and considered sold.

During my earlier visit, I failed to recall the restaurant's name and have advised my parents to look for AC Milan instead of ACC Minang restaurant that my poor folks could not locate it, ever.

The cost for a decent meal is approximately Rp 100,000 (USD10) for two persons at ACC Minang would be considered inexpensive for Western and Middle East tourists but the locals would perceive the food at this restaurant is moderately priced.

On my return before leaving Bali, what I would normally do is to check in at the airport including my luggage, catch a taxi that I pay around Rp30, 000 and request the taxi to take me to ACC Minang restaurant where I would have a hearty meal for a Bali holiday happy ending episode.

For more details on local restaurants, check our e-book "A Guide to 100 Halal Restaurants in Bali "at halal ebook page