Lontong Kering @ Warung Saga in Jalan Mahmoodiah, Johor Bahru

Enjoy a unique Johor dish in a special Johor Bahru warung.

Warung Saga is well known among JB foodies and JB residents for its traditional Malay fare.

Warung Saga is not easy to locate if you are going there for the first time. It is located at the junction of Jalan Mahmoodiah and Jalan Air Molek. Look out for RIMA College which is across Jalan Air Molek from Warung Saga.

Much have been written and said about the numerous photographs of dignitaries and celebrities that adorn every available wall and flat surface in Warung Saga.

Warung Saga has no signboard, but once you step into it, these photographs will let you know that you've come to the right place.

One of Warung Saga's claims to fame is their lontong kering.

Eating lontong kering is like enjoying an upscale version of ketupat (boiled compacted rice cakes) with the peanut sauce of satay (barbecue kebabs). Besides the peanut sauce - sambal, curried vegetables, fried tofu, an egg, and a piece of chicken are added. 

Though the sauce looks fiery, it is actually not overly spicy. The peanut sauce, sambal, vegetable, egg and chicken complements the soft, pearly white, plain sweetish rice cakes perfectly. Every mouthful is full of flavour and varied textures from the mix of ingredients and spices in this dish.

If you have not tried lontong kering, Warung Saga is highly recommended - it might even become one of your favourites.

Besides the delicious food, I also love the unique ambiance in Warung Saga - those photographs on the walls did give this place a certain rustic, dignified charm. The atmosphere is cool, easy going and cheerful - the perfect place for a relaxing break and chit chat over teh and kueh.

Many people have asked about why this stall is called Warung Saga. There are many theories including one that it is named after the large pokok Saga tree outside the stall. 

So, I asked Encik Ismail himself for the answer. It turned out to be very simple. Warung Saga is named after the car Proton Saga which was launched around the same time that Encik Ismail opened his stall on 19 January 1986. (Update: Encik Ismail passed on in 2016 and Warung Saga is now run by his son.)

I must come back for Warung Saga's famed nasi lemak, laksa Johor, tauhu bakar and satay.

Restaurant name: Warung Saga

Address: 5, Jalan Mahmoodiah, Johor Baru

Map: http://g.co/maps/svavw

GPS: 1.465533,103.753075

Tel: +60127829427

Hours: 7:00am to midnight (closed on Fri)

Halal

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Written by Tony Boey on 25 Jan 2012 | Updated 16 Jan 2021

Date visited: 25 Jan 2012

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