Nenek in Forest

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Recommended)

Address: B228-B230, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Wadi Hana, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/W2DMscHpzsreM9xt5
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

Signature Mixed Kopi Peng (Less Sugar) = RM8.90

1991 Colonel Chicken Chop = RM24.90

Service Charge 10% = RM3.38

Click here for the Full Menu and Receipt 
(Opens in a New Tab, Price is accurate as of Posting Date)

This was a Very Big and Beautiful Restaurant that is located at the Back of the Gim Shew Shophouses in Wadi Hana. I thought the name was quite interesting. "Nenek" means "Grandmother". 👵 Hahaha the name "Grandmother in Forest" 🌳 sounds Adorable or Creepy depending how you look at it. 😅

As you can see in my Video, the Whole Place has a Very Greenery Nature-Based Feel. 🌳 Very Atas Looking and Beautifully Renovated and Nicely Air-Conditioned. ❄️ The Staffs are Very Friendly, Polite and Welcoming and they will even open door for you as you enter. Although they weren't fluent in English, they do still understand abit and I had no issues ordering my Food. 👍 Free WIFI is available, although you have to ask for it. The Kopi Peng was served up in 7 Mins and the Chicken Chop was up in 10 Mins. Everything was up in 10 Mins.

Signature Mixed Kopi Peng (Less Sugar) = RM8.90

I had originally order their Chiller Lemongrass (House-Brew) at RM8.90 but it wasn't available so this was the Alternative. 🤔 Unfortunately you cannot ask for Zero Sugar with this, but you can still request for Less Sugar. The Malay Phrase for Less Sugar is "Kurang Manis". Its served in a "Overflow Style" in a Beautiful Ornately Malay-Styled Designed Cup and Saucer and a Paper Straw. 🥤

Now I'm no Coffee Connoisseur, but I feel taste of this Kopi Peng doesn't really taste much different to the ones thats sold in our Singapore Foodcourts. 🤔 Taste really similar in Profile. I do appreciate that they really did do Lesser Sugar though. But overall, I just feel this tasted like Normal Kopi Peng. 😅




1991 Colonel Chicken Chop = RM24.90

This had a Very Nice Freshly Fried Aroma when served up. Beautifully Presented, the Whole Dish looks Very Colourful and Appetizing that is also served in an Ornately Beautiful Plate. 👍 The Brown Sauce has a Slight Tart Sourish Taste that tastes like its Powered by Pineapple and Tomato. 🍍🍅 Slightly Sweet and not Overly So. I thought it was quite a Bold Choice to use Pineapple and Tomatoes instead of a more Conventional Mushroomy Savoury Sauce for a Chicken Chop. 🤔 Not something I prefer, but I still thought it was an Interesting Culinary Decision to do this.

The Chicken Chop itself if a Big Fat Thigh Meat thats resting on the Sauce. 🍗 The Batter wasn't too thick has a Grainy Look and Consistency. Despite how it looks however, it doesn't have a Crispy Crunchy Bite Feel, but more on the Softer Crunch Side. Meat was Slightly Salted, Fat, Tender and Juicy. However, I disagree with the Decision to have this resting on the Sauce which of course made it abit Nua Nua. 🤔

If you remembered my Previous Review that I did for "Sin Bee Chew Restoran" in Penang, I didn't like my Chicken Chop sitting on Sauce like this. 🤔 That said, the one thing that this place did better is that at least its Freshly Fried compared to Sin Bee Chew so at least it tasted a Tad Crispier and Less Nua Nua.

I wished they have the Sauce on the Side instead of doing it this way. 🤔 Personally, I feel if they really want to have the Chicken Chop sitting on a Sauce like this, a Grilled Version instead of a Fried Version like this would have been Much Better Choice. 🤔 But thats just how I feel. Unfortunately, as the Meal went on the Chicken Chop got more and more Nua in Texture for me and started to become more and more Jelak to eat. I almost couldn't finish the whole thing. 😅

The Fries were Good to eat though. 😋 I loved that they are Actual Skin-On Cuts from Actual Potatoes instead of a Frozen Supermarket Pack. 🥔 The Potato Meat is Fleshy and Noticeably Salty in a Good Way. These Fries are Above Average Decent Tasting. 🍟 The Side Salad looks Beautiful with a Lettuce Leaf Base with Bits of Carrots, Cucumbers, Onions and interestingly Pomegranate Seeds. 🥗 This Combination gave a Nice Veggie Crunch with a Hit of Sweetness. This is a Nice Palette Cleanser. 👍

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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At RM8.90 (S$2.70) for the Kopi Peng, I feel is not worth the Money because I really feel that this tasted like a Regular Kopi Peng you'd get from a Singapore Foodcourt. 😅 There is nothing special about this. Feel free to skip this one.

At RM24.90 (S$7.50) for this Chicken Chop is worth the Money because I feel this is Affordably Priced close to a SG Kopitiam-Level Chicken Chop that is made at a Higher Level. 👍 Having said that, there are some Very Bold Choices they made with this Dish especially with making the Brown Sauce taste Tart and Sourish instead of a More Conventional Savoury Taste. 🤔

I disagree with their Decision to rest the Chicken Chop itself on the Sauce making it Nua Nua. 🤔 So all in all, although this is a "More Affordable than Kopitiam, yet Higher Level than Kopitiam" Chicken Chop, it is not to my preference. 🙅‍♂️ But I won't mark this down because even though this Dish is not for me, there may be someone else who may appreciate it more than I do.

Ultimately, despite both Items not appealing to me, I can still recommend this place because of how Beautiful this Restaurant looked. 👍 The Staffs are Polite and Friendly and made me feel Very Welcome. I thought this would be a Great Choice of a Restaurant for a Young Dating Couple.