To be considered a hidden food gem, the eatery must:
Serve good, if not excellent food, the entire experience including the location is memorable, yet most foreigners and many locals have not heard about it yet.
I stumbled upon San Lou Cafe in 2012, forgot about it and didn't try their food until 6 years later in 2018.
Located at the ground level of the cluster of old 3 storey flats at Stulang Laut, San Lou Cafe has been quietly serving the long time residents here without the intrusion of outsiders (especially not day trippers from the other side of the Johor Straits).
Everyday, the boss goes to the Permas Jaya Orang Asli seafood market. He comes back with the day's catch at around 9:30am.
The fresh fish, prawns and crabs are prepared home cooked style. One of their signature dishes is asam pedas spotted scat fish. Remember to order their house made orh nee (yam paste) for dessert.
Read more about San Lou Cafe here 👈 click
Address: Jalan Stulang Darat (ground floor house unit at 3-storey flats facing inside), Johor Bahru
GPS: 1°28'21.8"N 103°46'42.9"E 🌐 1.472715, 103.778580
Waze: Restoran Come & Eat Teochew Muay (San Lou Cafe is at the next block just inside)
Tel: +6012 791 7868
Hours: 7:00am to 2:00 pm (seafood from 10:30am onwards. Closed on Thurs).
Officially named Mughni Saujana Cafe, those who know this hidden gem call it Warung Sebelah Rumah Menteri Besar or "the stall beside the Chief Minister's house". Barely visible from the road hidden behind trees and next to a bus stop, the tell tale signs are the cars parked along the road.
This hidden gem is known for their breakfast staples like nasi lemak eaten with sambal chili, fried ikan kuning, sambal sotong, fried chicken, chicken or beef rendang etc. One of their signature side dishes is crispy fried beef lung. They also have mee rebus, mee soto, lontong, and of course, teh tarik.
Read more about warung sebelah rumah Mentri Besar here 👈 click
Address: 8, Jalan Abdul Rahman Andak, Bandar Johor Bahru, Johor Bahru
Waze: Mughni Saujana Cafe
Hours: 7:00am - 12:00 noon (Friday off)
Teo Orang Asli Family Restaurant (formerly SPOA) is one of several Orang Asli seafood restaurants in Johor Bahru. These restaurants serve local seafood wild caught by Orang Asli and also cooked by Orang Asli who have mastered Chinese and Malay techniques of cooking seafood.
A few Orang Asli seafood places have huge crowds of day trippers but Teo's (formerly SPOA) is relatively calm as it is slightly less accessible being further from JB town. But, the quality of seafood and execution are good, and the standard of dishes served are consistent.
Read more about Teo Orang Asli seafood 👈 click
Address: Kampung Telok Kabong, Kampung Pasir Puteh, 81750 Masai, Johor (suggest use WAZE App and punch in "Restoran SPOA" 👈 click)
GPS: 1°25'44.0"N 103°57'20.0"E 🌐 1.428892, 103.955566
Tel: 017 7755 180
Hours: 11:00am - 11:30pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
In the same genre as Teo's is Orang Asli Seafood Mutiara Biru near to Taman Perling.
Fresh seafood, well executed Chinese and Malay style.
Read more about Asli Seafood Mutiara Biru 👈 click
Address: Kampung Orang Asli, Sungai Temon, Sungai Danga, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru
GPS: 1°27'38.1"N 103°42'17.6"E 🌐 1.460577, 103.704886
Tel: 019 680 8274 (Aman), 016 721 9305 (Kanow)
Hours: 12:00 noon to 10:00pm (Tues closed)
Other than the little yellow banner outside, who could have guessed that there are hidden food gems inside this ordinary house in Johor Jaya?
This place serves the ultimate best fried prawn cracker in Johor Bahru (Singapore and Batam as well). Over 20 fresh white prawns per cracker, fully loaded with crustacean sweetness and umami, eaten with zesty house made fresh chili sauce. Pre-ordering is a must.
Read more about JB's best fried prawn cracker 👈 click
Address: 1, Jalan Keembong 38, Taman Johor Jaya, Johor Bahru
GPS: 1°32'07.7"N 103°48'15.6"E 🌐 1.535463, 103.804341
Tel: +6013 723 5526 (Joyce)
Hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm
San Lou Cafe 👈 click
Warung Sebelah Rumah Mentri Besar 👈 click
Teo Orang Asli Seafood 👈 click
Mutiara Biru Orang Asli Seafood 👈 click
Ultimate prawn crackers 👈 click
I am sure you know some more hidden food gems in Johor Bahru. Be generous leh. Share with us to make this list better lah... 😄
Date: 21 Jan 2020
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