Kedai Kopi Malaysian Bak Kut Teh • Hidden Gem in Johor Bahru 馬來西亞人民茶室 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

While on a public bus on the way to JB CIQ (to go back to Singapore) this morning, traffic was at a standstill at Jalan Jim Quee due to construction work. Remembering that buddy Melvin once suggested that I try the old school bak kut teh at Kedai Kopi Malaysian, I decided to get off the bus right there. When I asked the driver in my limited Malay if I could get off the bus there, he gladly opened the door immediately - I love the easy going flexibility 😄



Kedai Kopi Malaysian is tucked away in a quiet side street off Jalan Bukit Meldrum, just 10 minutes brisk walk from the JB CIQ. Under the sun bleached signboard, regulars trickle in and out of the quaint old coffee shop. The red painted name 馬來西亞人民茶室 is fading away and partly covered by peeling paper talisman.

Inside, it's like we are back in the 1960s - vintage blue mosaic floors, half the walls are white tiled and the other half yellowed by incense smoke from the altar set prominently high on the front facing wall. Folks still consume news at newspaper speed (i.e. yesterday's news).

In a corner, a kettle slowly, quietly stewing water over charcoal, as if watching what was going on in the coffee shop.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tony Boey (@johorkaki)

Kedai Kopi Malaysian bak kut teh has been here for 48 years and yet it somehow managed to evade the social media radar.

Mdm Lim is the chef-owner of Kedai Kopi Malaysian BKT. She worked in a Singapore garment factory in the 1960s and returned to run this shop 48 years ago (i.e. 1976, the year I did my "O" levels).



I requested for pig's tail - my favourite cut for bak kut teh. Mdm Lim asked how I like my pig tails done - extra tender or with some firmness. As I wanted to know the difference, I ordered 2 bowls i.e. one tender, one firm 😂 (BKT costs RM13 for a small serving here in 2017.)



After trying both, more tender and less tender, I prefer more tender on all counts. The more tender pork still have a nice subtle firmness to the bite, and each bite releases more natural porcine sweetness.



The BKT broth looked like a Chinese black tea brew. Its body is only slightly thicker than black tea. Instead of floral black tea fragrance, this BKT broth has a Chinese herbal aroma.

On the tastebuds, the broth is gently savoury sweet with slight herbal notes. The broth is not greasy.

I noticed there is a bit of 木清 Bak Cheng bak kut teh DNA here - the late Bak Cheng is highly regarded by most 老新山 (senior JB folks) as JB's legendary BKT master.



When I shared my observation with Mdm Lim, she revealed that Bak Cheng is her uncle i.e. Mdm Lim's dad is Bak Cheng's brother.

Her grandfather i.e. Bak Cheng's father was selling bak kut teh alongside Sungai Segget "very long ago". Mdm Lim was a toddler then -  stretching out her hand, lowering her down facing palm as she related her childhood.



4-Star (out of 5). I like Kedai Kopi Malaysian's bak kut teh in the same way as I like Bak Cheng BKT. Malaysian's BKT leans slightly (half a notch) on the herbal side whereas Bak Cheng's is more precisely balanced savoury-sweet-herbal. However you may find Malaysian's bak kut teh in terms of taste (as taste is subjective), it is still worth a visit for it's historical significance.

Read more about Bak Cheng bak kut teh 👈 click



Restaurant name: Kedai Kopi Malaysian
Address: Side lane off Jalan Bukit Meldrum, Johor Bahru
GPS: 1°27'37.0"N 103°46'04.4"E | 1.460287, 103.767886

Tel: +6012 780 8918

Hours: 7:00am to 2:00pm (Mon off)

Non Halal

 

Date visited: 5 July 2017 | 22 Sep 2022

Return to Johor Kaki homepage