Restoran Ah Bee (former Hwa Mei 华美) Bak Kut Teh is in an inconspicuous part of Johor Bahru (at Jalan Lumba Kuda) that attracts little, if any tourist traffic at all. Still, Restoran Ah Bee (Hwa Mei 华美) Bak Kut Teh is full house everyday.
Ah Bee (Hwa Mei 华美) is a very old name in Johor Bahru bak kut teh. This shop has its roots 50 years ago in the push cart stall at the car park at the old Sungei Segget market known to locals as Pasar Kia (Little Market).
Today, Ah Bee (Hwa Mei 华美) Bak Kut Teh is run by Johnny, the third generation owner and his wife.
At Ah Bee BKT, the entire process of cooking the bak kut teh is done with charcoal fire which requires constant attention to both the fire and the meat.
Ah Bee Bak Kut Teh is the only shop in Johor Bahru that still insists on using charcoal for all its cooking including cooking the rice and even just boiling the water for tea. Sticking to the traditional way for three generations, little wonder then that Ah Bee's regular customers said that the tastes and flavours at Ah Bee's hasn't changed from the Hwa Mei BKT days.
This, of course, is the star at Restoran Ah Bee Bak Kut Teh. The meat was tender yet still had sufficient firmness for a bouncy bite. The firm meat was clinging to the bone yet tender enough to fall off with a light tug with the teeth.
The meat was naturally sweet and had a subtle, lovely porky flavour.
The broth was very mildly herbal and was mainly savoury with slight saltiness. It was not overly greasy and I was comfortable enough to drink it all up. At Restoran Ah Bee Bak Kut Teh, customers can ask for soup top ups 😊
This braised tofu was tender, spongy and heavily loaded with the braising sauce.
The savoury braising sauce gushes out with every bite of the tofu. Don't bite into this too fast if you don't want the braising sauce running down the corner of your mouth or worst, onto your clothes 😝
Another customer's pork soup. This made my mouth water and I must come back for this soon.
The simple menu and price list are prominently displayed on the wall.
For those who are using public transport, Ah Bee (华美) Bak Kut Teh is about 10 minutes walk from JB CIQ building.
👉 One of JB's oldest brand of bak kut teh with its own unique style and loyal local following. Tender but firm meat in a brown savoury, salty, slightly herbal broth.
Ah Bee Bak Kut Teh (then known as Hwa Mei) was one of my first blog posts in Johor Kaki. At that time, Ah Bee was still at the shop though I did not have a picture of him 😓 During the early days of Johor Kaki, I was a little shy about taking pictures of hawkers. To this day, getting rapport with hawkers to understand them and their food better still requires my shy self to pluck up a bit of courage. Fortunately, I have developed thicker skin now.
Restaurant name: Restoran Ah Bee (Hwa Mei 华美)
Address: 146, Jalan
Map: http://g.co/maps/f2esq
GPS: 1.460851,103.767564 / 1°27'39.1"N 103°46'03.2"E
Tel: +6012 700 1776
Hours: 08
Non Halal
Dates visited: 31 Dec 2011, 17 Apr 2013, 4 Sep 2013, 30 Dec 2015, 18 Dec 2019
normal only la. like kueh chap in sg
ReplyDeleteThe service is good, place is nostalgic. However the soup has got a considerable amount of MSG to numb my cheeks. The food is ok. I still prefer Singapore's version of bak kut teh.
ReplyDeleteWent to shop today. Oct 1. Food is great. But too much MSG. And I hate MSG. Johor Kaki one down for your recommendations.
ReplyDeleteToo much MSG. Will not go back. Johor Kaki one down for You
ReplyDeleteHaven't been back for a while. Didn't have MSG issue before. Time to visit again.
DeleteDear KS Lee, thank you. Six of us revisited on 30 Dec 2015. We ate a lot of BKT that day. Non mentioned MSG afterwards. Will update if there are changes in the future. Thank you.
Deletethis is one of the most potent BKT i've tried in jb. its very intense, so if you're used to the SG type or the clearer more drinkable types, may assume its msg. I can only eat this one with a bowl of rice because its that intensely herbal.
ReplyDelete27 Sep 2011. Boss Ah Bee.
ReplyDelete新山華美肉骨茶 Wah Bee Bak Kut Teh aka Restaurant Hwa Mei
146, Jalan Lumba Kuda, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor, Tel: +6012-7013818
Operating hour: 10-2pm. Off days : Usually Mondays
GPS Co-ordinates: N1 27.656' E103 46.039 (where my car was parked at the Car Park)
I have been eating there since Jan 1981 with my ex-colleagues (that's 30 years already) and I was told Ah Bee have been operating BKT business for over 40 years now, initially managed by the boss and his wife at thos same coffee shop. I spoke with the Boss Ah Bee today and I was told the bad news when I did not see his wife there but a younger man and younger lady taking orders and serving customers. Ah Bee is now doing all the cooking of BKT using charcoal (as before) at the rear end of the shop under a tree. He said that about 1 year ago, his wife died of cancer and she had struggled with it for the last eight years while the last 3 years was a relapse. Now, he got his nephew Johnny and his wife helping out at the front end while he still faithfully cook his BKT the good old ways since 40 years ago. He told me that his 32-yr old son only helps out in the shop as and when he feels like it. A sad thing but there's nothing he could do to convince his son to help out or take over his business.
Thank you Uncle Bob for the insights. Appreciate much.
Delete