Tony Johor Kaki Travels for Food · Heritage · Culture · History

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Famous Kam Long Ah Zai JB Curry Fish Head @ Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Downtown Johor Bahru near City Square

Kam_Long_JB_Curry_Fish_Head_金龙咖喱鱼头

Kam_Long_JB_Curry_Fish_Head_金龙咖喱鱼头

This is a gem just across the Causeway in JB.

How to get there 👟👟👟? If you take a bus, just exit City Square after clearing immigration. When you are on the main road (i.e. Jalan Wong Ah Fook), turn to your left and walk in the direction of Singapore (head south). At the first traffic light, make your way across and keep walking straight ahead along a row of old shop houses (on your left). From the traffic light, you will arrive at the famed Kam Long curry fish head 金龙咖喱鱼头 in about 10 minutes of leisurely walking. 

Kam Long Restaurant 金龙 has thrived and became famous with only one item on its menu for over 25 35 years - their popular curry fish head 咖喱鱼头.



Kam Long is always full and there is always a queue of people outside, waiting for seats or waiting to take away. Actually, your nose will catch the wafts of fragrant curry as you near the shop. Follow your nose and you won’t miss it.

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This place is a little harder to locate if you drive as their sign board is set inside and is overshadowed by the big yellow sign of the Johor Bahru Market Stall Holders’ Association – so look out for the Association’s yellow sign and shophouse instead.

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Kam Long is a typical old style Chinese coffee shop (kopitiam in Hokkien). Décor is nonexistent. The floors are laid with mosaic and walls are covered with plain yellow coloured tiles and whitewashed. Bare bones Naked fluorescent tubes on the ceiling lit the windowless interior. No air con. Rickety multiple wall and ceiling fans whirl nosily over our heads providing ventilation. Wires dangle between appliances and yellow stained chunky old style switches. Flimsy, pasar malam (night market) plastic stools. Minimalist service. You either love it or hate it.

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Like all good kopitiams, the clients looked pass all these and focus only on the food. In Kam Long, it is their signature curry fish head. 

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Cooking of the fish head and all the accompanying fresh vegetables starts only after an order is made. This ensures that the curry fish head is fresh and also a longer waiting time before the food is served. So be prepared to wait, especially during peak hours.

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Only fresh red snapper fish heads are used - look at that clear fish eye peeping out from under the plastic sheet. The fish heads are cooked with curry, coconut milk, okra or lady’s fingers, cabbage, long beans, fried tofu skin 腐皮 and tau kee (soy bean sticks). The concoction is cooked and served in a clay pot.

When the fish head curry arrived at the table, the curry was still popping hot steam bubbles. Typical of Chinese style curries in Johor, it was a little sweet savoury, spicy but not stinging spicy hot. The aroma and fragrance came from grainy ground spices and the curry was not saturated with coconut milk. So it was easy to slurp up the curry without getting the jelak (bloated) feeling.   

The flesh of the fish is tender firm and has that delicate sweet taste that only comes from the freshest fish. The fluffy white rice goes perfectly with the curry. The whole meal for one person – curry fish head plus a plate of boiled rice come to RM16.00 (2011 price).

Click on the picture below to read what another blogger says about Kam Long's curry fish head.

Kam Long Curry Fish Head 金龙咖喱鱼头

I will be back for sure 😄



I have been back to Kam Long numerous times since this post, sometimes bringing friends and other times alone when I happened to be downtown and wanted something nice and convenient. Business has been growing by leaps and bounds but I am glad that standards have been maintained consistently. Price adjustments have also been very small, if any. I updated the post in 2015 👈 click

Other popular curry fish head stalls in Johor:


Mui Seng @ Taman Melodies 👈 click


Century Curry Fish Head @ Cedar Point 👈 click


Jaybee Garden @ Taman Ungku Tun Aminah 👈 click


Botak Asam Pedas @ Jalan Lumba Kuda 👈 click


Mak Limah @ Batu Pahat 👈 click


Kam_Long_JB_Curry_Fish_Head_金龙咖喱鱼头

Restaurant name: Kam Long Restaurant 金龙咖喱鱼头
Address: Jalan Wong Ah Fook
Map: http://g.co/maps/27rwh
GPS: 1.459763, 103.764549
Tel+60 16752 8382
Hours: Monday to Sunday .

Non Halal - No Pork, No Lard

Written by Tony Boey: 27 Dec 2011 | Reviewed: 4 Apr 2022





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18 comments:

  1. Yes, 3 thumbs up!

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  2. yea botak and kam long rocks!!! (u can find many kam long out in jb as they supply their curry)
    another of my fav is Restoran Mui Seng in Taman Melodies: fish head curry + tauge kiam he + pai kuat curry + sambal belacan!!! speak to ah boon, mui seng's son he's a really friendly dude... another one i like is in cedar point but u've prolly tried that so.... ;p

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Shall try Mui Seng soonest possible L)

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    2. ahhh looks like u have no review of mui seng yet... i guess not you cuppa eh, oh well

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    3. LOL I tried it today. It's my next post :-D

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    4. OK yi07. Post on Mui Seng up. The Nyonya curry fish head was nice. Thanks for your recommendation :-D

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    5. HAHAHAHA so ngam!!! yahman 3 years! hahaha
      and i was nearby mui seng yesterday too! i was having at lunch at the nearby hakka mee :P

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  3. Best in Singapore, JB and some say Batam. Must try. All time favorite. The curry is so nice that every time I drink it dry. The tau kee mixed with curry is heavenly. Die die must try!

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  4. Looks tasty enough to try! There's always a long queue everytime i drive by the shop..

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  5. HI johor kaki, there is also a jalan wong ah fook KAM LONG curry fish head at KSL food court...
    thinking are they from the same shop?

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    Replies
    1. I believe the curry is supplied by Kam Long. Not sure if the vendor is a relative or a business partner.

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  6. I almost kill myself because of the fish bone. lol! but yah it was quite nice.

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    1. Yes, yes, eating fish head with lots of bones can be quite hazardous. Everyone please be mindful of the bones.

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  7. I live in singapore. After trying this curry I would like to make this curry at home as well because its too far :( any tips?

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  8. is it open on monday? can't remmeber whether they close thanks!

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  9. Kam Long gets it's curry gravy from a supplier, I heard that one of their family members split up with them and is selling the same curry fish head nearby the same place.

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  10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  11. Is this place halal??

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