😄😄😄 Don't panic, this list is just a guide. This was compiled with recommendations from Johor Kaki readers. Of course, we won't be able to eat everything here in one day but it is a helpful reference. Thank you for all your recommendations 😃
By the time we've done all the immigration formalities and drive the 100km from JB to Kluang, it's already approaching 11:00am.
We headed straight for the Tangkak Beef Noodle shop. We enjoyed the beef noodle soup. The meat was tender, juicy and beefy. The soup was savoury and herbal but leaned rather heavily on the salty side.
The beef in the beef soup was just as nice - tender, juicy, beefy. The single piece of tendon added a bit of variety in texture but I didn't get to eat it 😂 Four of us were sharing 😝 The soup here was less salty as it was moderated by natural sweetness from the beef.
The highlight for me was the clay pot beef ribs. Tender, juicy as usual but the utter beefiness sent me to cloud nine. Shucks, I am still thinking about those awesome ⭐⭐⭐⭐ beefy ribs.
Our next stop was Botak Curry Mee at Jalan Paya 2. It was my lucky day as this was the first time that I had the privilege to meet with the legend whom the shop is named after. Spritely Mr Low now in his late 80s, comes to the shop sometimes.
The shop is now helmed by his son, daughter-in-law and grandson.
Botak curry mee has a mild savoury spicy sweet flavour and light body (not much coconut milk) which Kluangites appreciate. Botak Curry Mee was full house on a Thursday lunch. Scooping in a couple of dollops of Botak's sambal chili spiked up the savoury spiciness which appeal to folks who like their curry laksa spicy hot. I've tasted Botak's curry mee a few times, so I have began to appreciate it like a Kluangite 😄
Next stop was the popular Kluang asam pedas fish head. This was my second time here. Gwee Lek's watery asam pedas is unique - it is mainly salty from preserved lime with underlying mild tamarind sourness and chili spiciness. The fish used is Ikan Jenahak, so it's flesh though tender, juicy and sweet is also slightly earthly. The meat is also slightly fibrous. It is likeable and goes very well with the sweetness of boiled white rice.
We also had Gwee Lek's otak otak which has small bit pieces of fish, squid and prawns held together with coconut milk and mildly hot spices. We like this otak otak for it's sweet spicy flavour. Personally, I prefer my otak otak in a thicker slab and more moist inside.
Our next targets were the two local favourite sio bak stalls Hoe Kee and Lee Brothers. Our plan was to tabao 打包 (take away) sio bak from both shops and enjoy them at a coffee shop with beer. We found Hoe Kee first as it is a stone's throw from Kluang asam pedas.
We ordered two strips of roasted pork belly. Hoe Kee roasts their pork in batches throughout the day so that customers always get freshly roasted sio bak.
Next target, Lee Brothers.
But, on the way there, we stumbled upon a satay stand that looked busy at 4:00pm. Instinct told us to pull over and check it out.
They have only lamb and chicken satay. We ordered 5 lamb and 5 chicken satay to taste i.e. one of each for each of us.
The chicken satay was quite tasty - lightly marinated, so I can taste a bit of natural chicken flavour. But, it was the lamb satay that wowed us. The light marination meant the natural lamb flavour was quite pronounced in the tender juicy meat. The slight char from the charcoal grill imparted a nice toasty tastiness.
We quickly put in an order for another 10. To our disbelieve, the lamb satay was sold out. We were not the only ones disappointed. Successive locals turning up for the lamb satay were told the same and left empty handed.
After satay, we headed for Lee Brothers sio bak.
We bought two strips and went to the kopitiam two shop lots away to enjoy it with beer 😃
Lee Brothers sio bak skin is more crackly, more moist inside and more salty. Hoe Kee's sio bak skin was less crisp, more chewy and it has a reddish orangey hue. The meat and fat were less moist. The flavour is less salty and I can taste subtle five spice flavour which I like.
After sio bak, we went to the famous Kluang Station Coffee for a kopi break. Unfortunately, they were already closing and stopped taking orders when we arrived 😂
I can work on improving my selfie skills, but really quite helpless about my looks 😂😂😂
Anyway...., we did get the mandatory shots of the quaint small town rail station. The old Kluang Station hasn't changed much since I last came here in 2012 - it is still worth a visit today for nostalgia sake.
We decided to have our dinner in JB instead of Kluang, as it would be quite taxing if we go back after dinner in Kluang. Dinner in JB allows us to take a break before contending with the immigration jam.
Steven who is a regular at Lai Hing at Jalan Layang 16, Taman Perling recommended the low profile restaurant. It's a hidden gem. It was an excellent dinner to mark the completion of our one day tour. Chef Ah Peng is a 40 year veteran master of the wok. We enjoyed every dish and his wok hei hor fun was the most memorable for me.
It was a tiring dawn till night trip (reaching home just before midnight) but we had a lot of good food and fun. We managed to cover only a third of the reader recommended list 😂 That means we have to come back - there are still a lot of things to eat and see in Kluang (e.g. the wall murals etc). In the future, a night in Kluang would be an option to consider 😁
Please recommend more places for us to visit in Kluang. Thank you 😃
More information on places visited 👉
Restaurant name: Tangkak Beef
Address: #5, Jalan Langsat, Kluang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/JFkCn
GPS: 2.037137,103.319731
Hours: 8:00am to 6:00pm
My blog post on Tangkak Beef 👈 click
Restaurant name: Botak Curry Mee
Address: Jalan Paya 2, Kampung Paya, Kluang
Map: http://g.co/maps/xvazw
GPS: 2.040879,103.334977
Hours: 7:00am to 5:00pm
My blog post on Botak Curry Mee 👈 click
Restaurant name: Restoran Ikan Asam Pedas
Address: 83 - 85, Jalan Lim Swee Sim, Kluang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/ST4Fh
GPS: 2.039035,103.332402
Hours: Lunch 12:00 noon to 3:00pm and Dinner 5:30pm to 9:00pm
My blog post on Kluang Asam Pedas 👈 click
Restaurant name: Penjual Makanan Hoe Kee
Address: 50, Jalan Haji Manap Nordin, Taman Kluang Baru
GPS: 2°02'34.0"N 103°19'59.1"E | 2.042782, 103.333080
Hours: 6:30am to 10:00pm
Restaurant name: Restoran NBK (satay stand outside)
Address: Jalan Ungku Mohd Salleh, Kluang Baru
GPS: Checking exact location. Help appreciated
Hours: Opens at 4:00pm and signature lamb satay sometimes sold out very soon afterwards
Restaurant name: Lee Brothers
Address: 109, Jalan Lambak, Kluang
GPS: Checking exact location. Help appreciated
Tel: 012 714 8667
Hours: 8:00am to 12:00 noon | 3:00pm to 8:00pm
Restaurant name: KLUANG RailCoffee
Address: Jalan Station, Kampung Masjid Lama, Kluang
Map: http://g.co/maps/vwprj
GPS: 2.033543,103.317584
Hours: 7:00am to 6:00pm
My blog post on Kluang Rail Coffee 👈 click
Restaurant name: Kedai Makan Dan Minumam Lai Hing 利興坊海鲜小厨
Address: 34, Jalan Layang 16, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru
GPS: 1°28'23.2"N 103°40'37.1"E | 1.473112, 103.676964
Tel: 019 772 0312 (Ah Peng)
Hours: 4:00pm to 12:00 midnight
Read more about Lai Hing 👈 click
Date: 14 July 2017
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I googled around and found Restoran NBK. It is located at GPS location 2.04095, 103.33214
ReplyDelete--Chris
Thanks Chris, when I look at the Google picture, I don't seemed to be the same place. Need to double confirm :-D Next time, I will set GPS into my phone photo to be sure. Thank you for your help. Appreciate much.
Delete29, Jalan Ungku Mohd Salleh, Taman Kluang Baru, 86000 Kluang, Johor, Malaysia
Deletepatronized the stall since I was a young boy, on weekend, by 4.30-5pm sold out... still remember it was RM0.10 per stick...
Thank you for the information. Appreciate it.
DeleteHi Tony, I was at Yuen Fatt to buy their mooncakes on 20/9 and decided to also go to Hoe Kee address to try the sio bak but could not find them. Have they relocated?
ReplyDeleteHi. I was at Hoe Kee only last month, in late Aug. I guess that they may just be having an unschedule off day. But, not really sure. Any locals here who can help us? Thank you.
DeleteHi Tony, went back to Kluang for mooncakes again and found Hoe Kee, they are now at 16 Jln Tan Khim Seck which is very near to the previous address
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