Oyster Omelette at Meldrum Walk
This is a popular fried oyster omelette (oh chien in Hokkien) stall at Meldrum Walk near City Square Mall.
Adventurous Foodie Geographer's Diary with 70 million+ reads 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com
Original KTM Kluang Rail Coffee, Johor. Still the Same since 1938
Updated 14 Aug 2019. Any visit to Kluang town must include a mandatory stop at Kluang Rail Coffee at the Kluang KTM station, if for nothing other than respect for its revered place in the history of Kluang and Malayan Railway.
A. Jabar Kambing Soup @ Meldrum Walk in Downtown Johor Bahru
✍ 27 Feb 2012. There are perhaps 6 or 7 kambing soup (Indian Muslim mutton soup) stalls in Meldrum Walk. They all looked popular and since I have not eaten at any here, I randomly picked one.
Kway Teow Kia (Kway Chap) @ 三楼 San Lou Kway Teow Kia in Stulang Darat, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Who would have thought that those blue coloured zinc shacks on a vacant plot along Jalan Stulang Darat are three popular food stalls.
Every day at about these stalls burst into life like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. This place stays a hive of activity until closing time at around midnight.
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This Jaguar is not my car☻
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One of the most famous here is the kway teow kia stall run by a pair of sisters. They have been running this popular stall here for more than 20 years!
Officially this stall has no name but the locals call it 三楼 (San Lou or 3-storey) kway teow kia, after these 3-storey flats around the corner.
My set of mixed braised pork and innards with a bowl of kway teow kia (flat rice noodles) in braising sauce costs RM6 (USD2).
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| Small intestines |
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| Tongue |
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| Skin and tongue before cutting into bite size. |
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| Intestines large and small |
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| Popular braised chicken eggs |
The braised meat and innards are firm yet tender, naturally sweet and not salty.
Look at this kway teow kia, it is actually not too oily. The little globules of oil floating on the surface are actually fragrant shallot oil.
The lady boils the kway teow kia and then meticulously picks it up to let the water drip away. She makes sure that the customer is served only kway teow kia and braising sauce, undiluted by water.
The soup made from the braising sauce is subtly herbal and is not salty. I finished all in my bowl without realising ☻
Definitely a place I will come back to, for the food and the unique ambiance here.
Restaurant name: 三楼 (San Lou or 3-storey) kway teow kia
Address: Along Jalan Stulang Darat, Johor Bahru
Map: http://g.co/maps/km32z
GPS: 1.472092,103.777295
Hours: 5:30pm to midnight
Non Halal
Visited: 22 Feb 2012
Kluangite's Hometown Favourite Curry Mee @ Gerai Makan Botak in Kluang, Johor
Overseas Malaysians returning home, after mom and pop's cooking, would head out for their favourite hawkers to relive the taste of their comfort foods. Botak's curry mee, an over 60 year old institution in Kluang, is a magnet for locals and Kluangites returning from overseas. Fans from beyond Kluang are also growing steadily in strength.
Penang Fruit Rojak Buah on a Motorbike in Johor Bahru! 新山流动檳城罗惹
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| JB Motor Rojak | Opposite Plaza Pelangi, Jalan Maju, Johor Bahru ⏰ 11am - 5pm (Thurs off) |
According to the rojak man, he came from Penang to Johor Bahru nearly 20 years ago (1990s) riding this very same small motor bike to seek a living. Today, he is a well known rojak man with his fans trailing his mobile stall everywhere he went. He has also set up his family here in JB.
Braised Belly Pork 扣肉 Fried Bee Hoon @ Ban Kee 万记 in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Skudai
This is a Hokkien comfort food served whenever the extended family gathers and is rarely sold in shops. At home, as making braised belly pork is tedious and requires considerable skill, it is often substituted by the canned variety. Ban Kee offers their fried bee hoon with homemade freshly braised belly pork. At this point, I am already filled and have way busted my cholesterol quota with the KL Hokkien mee.
But I just had to try this. Blame the family at the next table for their gleeful faces and loud splurging noises while eating their braised belly pork bee hoon.
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| Only one size - RM14. Enough for 3 big eaters. |
The braised belly pork is tender and the whole dish fried with braising sauce is more naturally sweet and fragrant rather than salty. Slowly chewing the tender layers of skin, fat and lean meat together with the soft fried bee hoon creates a creamy, smoky blended mix in the mouth that seduces the taste buds. Ah…. maybe this dish is a constant feature in extended family gatherings because Ah Kong and Ah Mah (grandparents) can enjoy the tender, lightly flavoured meat together with everyone.
Restaurant name: Restoran Ban Kee 万记
Address: 108, Jalan Pahlawan 2, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Skudai
GPS: 1.522098,103.664171
Hours: Noon to 3:00pm and 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Non Halal
Date visited: 10 Feb 2012
CLOSED Claypot Catfish @ Restoran Shui Sean 水仙 in Taman Daya
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| The cutest restaurant logo that I have seen for a long while ☻ |
The signature dish here at Shui Sean 水仙 in Taman Daya, so eloquently stated by their logo, is their claypot catfish.
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| This claypot catfish for 3 persons costs RM18 |
When the pot of catfish arrived at the table, the sauce was still was bubbly hot and blowing steam. The fresh catfish is cut into large chunks and steaks and braised in a claypot with a spicy savoury sauce.
The flavour of the gooey caramelised sauce is a complex mix of sour, sweet, salty, spicy, hot and savoury. The braising sauce is made with red hot chili peppers, stalks of lemon grass, slices of ginger, onions, fermented black beans and many other spices and herbs. There is also a subtle trace of cooking wine, which I like.
The large chunks and steaks of fresh catfish have bone and skin on. The thick pieces of catfish are moist, juicy and tender. The catfish’s light tasting white meat absorbed the flavours of the spicy braising sauce very well.
The thin smooth scaleless skin of the young catfish was gelatinous and soft, adding texture to the dish. (For those worried about the perceived muddy taste of catfish, there was not even the slightest hint of it here.)
The robust spicy braising sauce whets one’s appetite and it complements the lighter flavours of pearly white rice, soft tofu and fresh choy sum (green vegetable) perfectly. I realised afterwards that I unconsciously ate more than my usual amount of rice ☻
The friendly lady owner does the cooking personally to ensure the highest quality dishes are delivered to the customer. Once again, the pride and hospitality of the eatery owners in Johor made me feel more like a guest than a customer.
Address: 4, Jalan Sagu 38, Taman Daya, Johor Bahru
Hours:
Non Halal
Date visited: 21 Feb 2012
Tandoori Chicken and Naan @ Meldrum Walk in Downtown Johor Bahru
Authentic tandoori chicken and naan (Indian flat bread) made with the traditional clay oven (tandoor) for RM8? No kidding.
Salaam Tandoori Corner is the only tandoori stall in the popular Meldrum Walk. This stall is run by just one man - he does everything by himself. Besides making the naan and tandoori chicken, he delivers the food, collects and washes the used trays, and receives the money.
Watching the artistry of this man in swift action, is in itself an education in multitasking. Really respect this hardworking and cheerful gentleman.
Here is how he makes the naan.
And now, time to grill the chicken using the traditional tandoor.
Date visited: 18 Feb 2012
Salaam Tandoori Corner is the only tandoori stall in the popular Meldrum Walk. This stall is run by just one man - he does everything by himself. Besides making the naan and tandoori chicken, he delivers the food, collects and washes the used trays, and receives the money.
Watching the artistry of this man in swift action, is in itself an education in multitasking. Really respect this hardworking and cheerful gentleman.
Here is how he makes the naan.
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| Each piece of dough is kneaded by hand |
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| Flattening the dough with a rolling pin |
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| Putting the flattened dough into the tandoor (clay oven) |
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| The dough stuck to the inside wall of the tandoor oven |
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| The freshly baked naan just out of the tandoor oven |
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| Quickly sliced with a pizza cutter while it is still hot |
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| Putting the chopped chicken thigh marinated with yogurt, masala and spices into the oven |
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| Chicken baking inside the oven with a ring of fire at the base |
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| Sizzling hot tandoori chicken fresh out of the oven |
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| The finishing touches - a dab of spice and squeeze of lime - before the tandoori chicken and naan is served |
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| The complete set with tandoori chicken thigh, naan, dhal and mutton curry, all for RM8 |
The chicken with some charred bits on the outside is fragrant, tender and moist inside, but not too spicy.
The thick naan is slightly crispy with browned bubbles on the outside and tenderly soft inside.
I love this humble stall. The tandoori chicken and naan are made in the traditional, authentic way and taste as good as any much more expensive Indian restaurant that I have tried before.
Restaurant name: Salaam Tandoori Corner
Address: Stall in Meldrum Walk in downtown Johor Bahru
GPS: 1.460045,103.764673
Hours: to
HalalHours: to
Date visited: 18 Feb 2012
Bakar Stingray @ Kak Long Tomyam in Meldrum Walk
There are several ikan bakar (BBQ fish) stalls in Meldrum walk. With so many choices, I had a hard time deciding on which stall I should bet my precious calories.
So I used the well tried and tested method of seeing where the crowds are congregating.
Then I took a look at the seafood on display to make sure that it is the freshest.
Finally, I observed the chef in action and the cooking process.
Then I took a look at the seafood on display to make sure that it is the freshest.
Finally, I observed the chef in action and the cooking process.
After due diligence, I settled for Kak Long. The stall is made up of two stalls - it looked popular and promising.
I picked a small stingray for RM18. It was big enough by itself to stuff two people.
The sambal sauce is spicy. While my fish was being cooked, the bubbling sambal aroma engulfed the alley and people nearest to it had their noses stung by the pungent smell. I love it but some people may prefer a milder sauce.
The fish is skilfully and lovingly grilled by makcik (Malay for auntie). It made me feel like its mum's home cooking. The way she went about the process, it was obvious that makcik sincerely wanted us to enjoy her cooking which she did with much pride and loving care.
The end result was a perfectly done stingray. The entire fish turned out steaming hot, tender, oozing with naturally sweet juices, and spiced with hot chili sambal.
I thoroughly enjoyed this stingray. Nothing was left of the fish, not even a single bone. I forgot to take a picture of the bed of banana leaves, the only thing that was left after we were done.
Just recalling it to write this post makes my heart sing. Terima kasi makcik :-D
Restaurant name: Kak Long Tomyam
Address: Stall in Meldrum Walk in downtown Johor Bahru
Hours: to
HalalDate visited: 13 Feb 2012
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