Kah Hoe Rong Shu Xia Kway Teow Kia (Kway Chap) near Pelangi Plaza, Johor Bahru 榕树下粿条仔

Rong Shu Xia Kway Teow Kia 榕树下粿条仔 | Jalan Cermat 2, Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru ⏰ 7am - 1pm (Weds off)

✍ 23 Sep 2024. Kah Hoe Rong Shu Xia Kway Teow Kia was one the first places I wrote about in my Johor Kaki blog. A lot has changed since 2012 but what about the taste? 

Ka Hoe is actually the name of the kopitiam. It once had many food stalls, and Rong Shu Xia kway teow kia was a push cart stall located at the front corridor (not even inside the kopitiam proper). 

Since then, Rong Shu Xia stall had taken over the whole Ka Hoe coffee shop. 

Actually, Rong Shu Xia has also taken over the coffee shop next door to Ka Hoe as well. 

RSX has come a long way from a push cart under a pair of Banyan trees in Pelangi in the 1970s to today's two shop units. 

A kway teow kia legend. 

Steven 鄭祝偉 has taken over the business, his mum Mdm Fung 房秀英 has retired (though she still comes to the shop occasionally). Steven has been working with his mum for a long time. I first saw him in 2012 at the stall. 

Eating kway teow kia is like a mini buffet. You just tell Steven what you like to eat and he will cut them up for you. Customised order and service by the boss - it's a privilege only traditional hawkers provide. 

My breakfast for RM23. This is average pricing in today's market. 

The kway teow kia was the thin type and done a little soft, so they tended to break but taste wise was alright, soaking up the soup's distinct Chinese 5 spice, followed by savoury then kum kum sweet flavours.

The rice noodles didn't come with any garnish or oil dressing.

The san cheong 生肠 was firm tender springy chewy crunchy, almost too firm for me. Not much flavour of its own except for mild savouriness from the braising stock. But, I enjoyed it more and more as my meal progressed. 

The thing about being Chinese is, some of our food we enjoy just for its interesting texture. 

The thicker part of san cheong which was soft crunchy chewy tender. 

The pig tongue was marvellous. It was soft tender crunchy chewy moist firm and milky sweet savoury. 

The pig skin was soft tender with little crunch or spring. 

Ordered pork blood curd just because we can't have it in Singapore. Actually, otherwise there is no compelling reason to order it. It's tender firm curd with slightly grainy texture and a mild flat savoury briny taste. Needs chili or aromatic sauce for more flavour. 

RSX's chili sauce was very good! Sweet sour savoury then spicy which comes last but the heat and sting intensifies and has a long tail. Yet, it is not overly hot.

The secret of this stall to me is their freshly fried shallot oil, lard and soy sauce blend. The aromatic oil sauce blend has a bit of savoury sweetness that elevates everything it touches. The oil, lard and sauce pooled at the bottom of the plate, providing a potent base to the flavours of the whole dish. 

Pro-tip (note to self): Next time, slather some of this oil-sauce blend over onto the rice noodles. The taste with be transformed.

I finished up my kway teow kia noodles but still had some pork items to go. As I didn't want more carbs, I asked if they could give me a soup top up, which they gladly and kindly obliged with steamy hot bowl of goodness. 

A good kway teow kia stall. The innards were all well prepared, so there is not funky smell or taste, none. The textures were generally on the slightly firmer side, so great if you are those who like more chew to your bite - I prefer this over the overly soft, over braised type. Soup and braising stock have slight Chinese spice taste and smell. RSX's double barrel of secret weapons - their lard, shallot oil, & soy sauce blend, and their chili sauce. 

Stall name: Rong Shu Xia Kway Teow Kia 榕树下粿条仔

Address: Jalan Cermat 2, Taman Maju Jaya, 80400 Johor Bahru

Hours: 7am - 1pm (Weds off)

Read more 👉

#ShotwithHONOR, #HONORMagic6Pro, #HONORSingapore, Breakfasts in Johor, Kway Teow Kia, Taman Maju Jaya, 

Rong Shu Xia Kway Teow Kia in 2015 👈 click

I like this blog (in Chinese) but unfortunately, blog is no longer active

Join 78K Johor Kaki followers

Written by Tony Boey on 23 Sep 2024

✍ 5 Feb 2012. Wow! One small stall commands all these customers! Well, nearly all. Ka Hoe kopitiam has stalls selling other food but I observed that most people were here for the kway teow kia 榕树下粿条仔 (known as kway chap in Singapore).

Restoran Ka Hoe is located along Jalan Maju, near Pelangi shopping centre. The Ka Hoe kopitiam sign board is hidden behind other signages, so it is not easy to find unless you are on foot.

Even though the 榕树下粿条仔 stall was extremely busy, the cheerful lady boss patiently and systematically took down each customer's specific orders.

Each order was delivered according to the specific combination of pork parts the customer wanted. I am amazed at how she was able to deliver every order according to customer specifications.

After overhearing other customers raving about how good their pork tongue was, I made an additional order. Even though she was extremely busy, the lady boss took my additional order cheerfully and without fuss. Super efficient and customer oriented 😄

Overall the dominant flavour and taste was the natural sweetness of pork with subtle suggestions of soy sauce, herbs and spices used to braise the fresh meats and offal. Added pleasure came from the varied textures of the various parts of pork and innards that tickled and delighted our taste buds in different ways.

My order of meat, tongue, skin and small intestines including the bowl of kway teow kia came to RM5.

The pig skin was springy and had excellent mouth feel. The bouncy bite was fun (I guess fun is the best way that I can think of to describe the feel of the pork skin).

The thinly sliced pig tongue was naturally sweet and was tender and firm.

The 3 layers of pork - skin, fat and lean meat - is the best way to enjoy pork though it is hazardous to our heart health :-P  I splurged my entire week's cholesterol quota on this with no regrets at all. Oops... I hope my doctor won't be reading this.

The small intestine was nice and chewy.

Just look at her intense concentration in slicing the meat

The skill in cutting and slicing the pork and innards is crucial to achieving the right taste and mouth feel. Each part must be artfully cut or sliced to get the best taste and bite out of the pork in the same way that coffee must be brewed by a master to get the best aroma and taste.

Another pleasant surprise I need to mention is the fried shallots. Usually I pay no attention to fried shallots as more often than not they are like tasteless factory fried "wood chippings". I was surprised at the flavourful and still crunchy fried shallots that had soaked up the aromatic and flavourful braising sauce.

As I was eating, I was already thinking of those kakis whom I would be bringing to enjoy a 榕树下粿条仔 kway teow kia feast together.

(I have been asked many times where to find pig's blood in Johor. Ka Hoe serves boiled pig blood in cubes which is very popular.) 

Restaurant name: Restoran Ka Hoe 榕树下粿条仔

Address: Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya (near Plaza Pelangi)

GPS: 1.480811,103.767425
Hours: 6:30am to 12:30pm

Non Halal

Date visited: 5 Feb 2012



Return to home page