Lao Wu Rojak Jalan Seroja Johor Jaya JB 老吴啰吔 ⭐⭐⭐

Lao Wu rojak 老吴啰吔 is one of the best loved and most famous rojak stalls in Johor Bahru. This little mobile stall is located at Jalan Seroja 24 in Taman Johor Jaya from day 1 when old Mr Goh 老吴 arrived in JB nearly 30 years ago.



The Goh family hails from Penang, and old Mr Goh Eng Seng first moved to Ipoh where his rojak stall became the favourite among Ipoh people. The newspaper cutting dates back to 1989 when Mr Goh was still in Ipoh, quoting his fans raving that 老吴's rojak is Malaysia's best.



In 1990, old Mr Goh moved from Ipoh to JB to be closer to his children who were working in Singapore at that time. Ipoh's loss became JB's gain.



Malaysia's best rojak stall became located at the junction of Jalan Seroja 24 and Seroja 12, under this mango tree. Mr Goh has since passed on and the stall has moved a little further up the street but the old mango tree that used to shade old Mr Goh's stall is still here, standing tall and straight.



Today, Old Mr Goh's son Poh Kwee and daughter 宝月 run Lao Wu rojak. Brother and sister have been keeping 老吴's legacy alive for 9 years already.



Lao Wu's rojak is made with 10 different types of fruits, vegetables and other ingredients - guava, cucumber, buah long long (kedondong), pineapple, jackfruit, mang kuang, mango, you char kueh, buah jambu air (rose apple), taupok etc



The jumble of cut fruits and vegetables are tossed in a blend of prawn paste, rojak sauce and sambal chili.



Poh Kwee and 宝月 still make the rojak sauce and chili sauce the way their father 老吴 made them from scratch. The signature rojak sauce is made with roasted black beans, caramelised brown sugar and condiments.



Many fans of 老吴 love these crispy toasted you char kueh. The fried you char kueh is cut into little rings and then toasted till crackly crispy. The crispy toasted you char kueh picks up the sauces very well.



The heap of cut fruits and vegetables, well coated with the prawn paste, rojak sauce, and sambal chili blend is showered with crushed toasted peanuts.



Not the most photogenic of dishes, but we all love the jumble of flavours and textures under that dark brownish pile. The various sauces gave the rojak savoury, sweet, spicy, nutty flavours. From the pineapple, buah long long and unripe mango there were sourish and tangy taste. The jackfruit and buah jambu air gave the rojak a sweet taste.

There was a rojak of textures - soft and crispy, tender and crunchy, juicy and biscuit dry. This is exactly why rojak is often the metaphor used to mean a "jumbled mix" in Malaysia and Singapore.

Apologise that I couldn't make out the prawn paste aroma as I am having a bad cold and runny, blocked nose today 😴



3-Star Lao Wu Rojak stall 老吴啰吔 in Johor Jaya is the old name in Penang style rojak in Johor Bahru. Nearly 30 years old, now run by the second generation, it is still very popular with locals and enjoys a large loyal following.



Restaurant name: Lao Wu Rojak 老吴啰吔
Address: Junction of Jalan Seroja 24 and Seroja 12, Taman Johor Jaya, Johor Bahru 
GPS:  1°31'49.9"N 103°48'53.9"E / 1.530529, 103.814978 
Tel: 016 718 5465 (Poh Kwee)
Hours: 11:30am to 5:00pm

No pork, no lard, no Halal cert



Date visited: 5 Sep 2016


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