I last came to the famous Skudai Duck Mee four years ago. I am so glad that very little changed at this forty year old braised duck shop in a rustic corner of Johor. The boss, Mr Sea in the customary white singlet of Teochew chefs, greets customers with a hearty welcome when he sees you step into his shop.
When I sit at the large bright and breezy corner shop, I enjoyed the entertainment by two familiar sounds.
I love that musical rhythmic ping when Mr Sea's well worn iron blade meets the hard Chengal wood chop block.
Mr Sea soaks up the energy from ancient Teochew operas as he worked. It's background music for all of us :-D
The neatly arranged condiments and chopsticks reflect the loving pride the Sea family has for Skudai Duck Mee established by the patriarch forty years ago (in 1975).
Mr Sea originally from Batu Pahat worked at a braised duck stall along Jalan Sultanah when he was a young teen. After eight years at his sifu's stall, he struck out on his own and runs Skudai Duck Mee till this day.
Skudai Duck Mee serves various Teochew style braised meats such as pig's ears, skin, tongue, intestines and is particularly well known for their duck.
My usual order of duck breast. Skudai Duck Mee lets customers choose the type of cut they like.
Bravo.
Mr Sea is a master in cutting duck. Cutting skill 刀工 plays a big part in the taste of food.
Skudai Duck's thin broad duck slices are tender, juicy and have a subtle, pleasant sweet duck flavour.
To appreciate this duck, I slow down and savour the delicate natural flavours on my taste buds.
I love this a lot :-D
The duck comes with a splash of braising sauce which pools at the bottom of the plate. The braising sauce which is mildly savoury herbal is reputedly kept boiling since the day this shop opened (40 years ago). You can add more savoury herbal flavour to your duck by dipping it in the sauce but I prefer to eat mine neat to enjoy the duck's delicate natural flavours.
For many people, it is the well aged braising sauce that sets Skudai Duck apart but I like to eat this duck just by itself (so taste is a very subjective and personal thing).
My usual side order of braised duck liver and gizzard.
This is no foie gras but I love the taste of Skudai Duck's soft grainy braised duck liver.
Skudai Duck provides a chili sauce which is robustly sour, salty and spicy hot. Personally, I prefer to eat the duck and it's parts neat so that I can enjoy it's nuanced flavours.
My usual order of kway teow kia. They're generic slender flat rice noodles bathed with braising sauce. Next time, I shall try the yellow noodles or rice.
Nice, very mildly savoury sweet herbal soup. Goes very well with the duck and the noodles or rice.
Our lunch for two came to RM18 which I feel is very reasonable.
Next time, I shall remember to try this braised mustard leaves 芥菜 .
Mr Sea's indulgence. His "wife" of thirty years sits proudly at the shop. Mr Sea bought this Bronco jeep thirty years ago as an abandoned rusting hulk. He lovingly restored it and brought it back to life. Mr Sea still drives this shining silver Bronco regularly.
Recommended for you 👍 Skudai Duck Mee is a Johor institution serving delicious old style Teochew braised duck. This shop is one of the top brands that put Johor food on the Malaysia food map. One of Johor's Must Try.
Restaurant name: MIS Restaurant 士古来鴨肉
Address: 31, Jalan Emas Putih Dua, Taman Sri Skudai, 81300, Johor Bahru
GPS: 1.546446, 103.656564 / 1°32'47.2"N 103°39'23.6"E
Hours: Weds to Mon 10:00am to 8:30pm | Tues 10:00am to 4:00pm
Tel: 010 760 0273
Non Halal
Dates visited: 20 Mar 2012, 23 Jan 2016
Skudai Duck Mee 士古来鸭肉 started as a popular roadside stall back in 1975 and is today a spacious corner shop unit in Taman Sri Skudai. The famous large shop has comfortable round table seating inside and spilling over into the bright and airy, covered, open area outside.
Still, it has that old time, laid back, cosy coffee shop ambiance in a quieter part of JB.
Skudai Duck Mee is an long established name in Johor Bahru, and its reputation spread far and wide after it was featured in popular Malaysian celebrity Axian’s food show in 2008.
Besides it’s signature Teochew braised duck, Skudai Duck also serves braised eggs, pork, pig’s ears, tongue, snort, and innards such as intestines.
Besides it’s signature Teochew braised duck, Skudai Duck also serves braised eggs, pork, pig’s ears, tongue, snort, and innards such as intestines.
Despite its fame, many of Skudai Duck’s customers are regulars, some for more than decades including the provision shop owner MR Ng who brought me here and introduced me to the owner of Skudai Duck Mee. (Thank you, MR Ng :-D )
Sitting comfortably in the shop, there was Teochew opera music playing softly in the background. Then there was that rhythmic, quick, chopping tak.. tak.. tak.. sound of the chopper blade against the chopping board.
The huge chopping board cut from a chengal tree trunk is a family heirloom. Sometimes, the blade pinged against the hard chopping board letting off a sound like that of a tuning fork. The Teochew opera and the fluid chopping sound blended together with the chatter of the customers produced a kind of unique Skudai Duck "music". I love this.
I ordered a set of duck meat, gizzard, liver, and kway teow. The set came with a soup and chili sauce. Total bill for this delicious and sumptuous meal was RM8. Very reasonable.
The succulent, juicy duck meat had an appealing light brownish colour absorbed from their famed decades old braising sauce. When I chewed on it, the slightly firm meat felt moist and quickly turned smokey and tender in my mouth. The meat tastes savoury, naturally sweet and slightly herbal from the braising sauce.
The gizzard had an interesting chewy and firm texture, adding fun to the experience. It tasted like savoury and sweet candy – I like it.
The braised liver had that tender grainy feel indicating that it was nicely done just right.
The kway teow stirred with the braising sauce complements the duck and innards well.
(There are altogether 3 braised duck shops in this little corner of Taman Sri Skudai - it's like, this is the Teochew braised duck central of JB. I will be trying them all :-D )
->> This is the braised duck shop that helped put Johor food on the Malaysia food map.
(There are altogether 3 braised duck shops in this little corner of Taman Sri Skudai - it's like, this is the Teochew braised duck central of JB. I will be trying them all :-D )
->> This is the braised duck shop that helped put Johor food on the Malaysia food map.
Restaurant name: Skudai Duck Mee (MIS Restaurant) 士古来鸭肉
Address: 29, Jalan Emas Putih Dua, Taman Sri Skudai, Johor Bahru
Hours: 11:00am to 9:00pm
Non Halal
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