Running errands near Johor Jaya Ros Merah this morning, I recalled foodie buddy Lee KC's recommendation - Kedai Kopi Batu Lima Klasik. When I don't know where to go in JB, I go scroll his Facebook group 柔佛新山美食.
Kedai Kopi Batu Lima serve all the usual suspects like mee siam, mee rebus, lontong, nasi lemak etc. But, their main draw is their nasi campur which is rice with meat, fish and vegetable side dishes (similar to economic rice or chap chai png).
All the dishes are cooked at the restaurant and most are ready by around 11am.
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There's curry and fried fish, chicken, beef, vegetables etc.
The drill is simple. Take whatever you like from the buffet spread, go back to your seat and start enjoying. A staff will come around to tally up the price of your food and drinks. Our total bill today was RM15 for the food and a glass of nice teh terik (milk tea).
Overall, we like the flavours and aromas of the food at Kedai Kopi Batu Lima. The ingredients were fresh, well marinated with spices, so it has well balanced savoury, spicy, sweet flavours and aromas. The rice, though, were soft, clumpy and a bit too moist for my liking.
The dish I like most at Kedai Batu Lima today was their asam pedas ikan kembung. It's not my favourite fish as the meat is fibrous and not sweet, but the well balanced sweet spicy sourish savoury asam pedas stock was excellent.
As the owners are from Muar, the asam pedas is Muar style. They have asam pedas ikan pari and fish head sometimes, when the fish are available. Their asam pedas is enough to bring me back to Kedai Kopi Lima.
One thing I like about Kedai Kopi Batu Lima is the decor - the restaurant is chock-a-block with memorabilia from the 1960s-90s which are the personal collection of the owner.
I can spend a whole day here just browsing all the little things that come from my past.
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The grandfather of today's pocket handphone. It was called a Tai Kor Tai 大哥大 or "Big Brother" because in the 1990s, only big bosses have such phones. It was so big that the bosses often have a staff following them just to carry this phone. It was so heavy that in 1990s Hong Kong gangster movies, it was a weapon of choice in gang fights to break the opponent's skull 😂
Tikam tikam - I haven't seen this for 50 years. We used to bet our meagre pocket money on this 😂 Pull a tab, if the number matches a "winning number" you get a prize, usually a toy or candy.
Before the days of cash registers, shopkeepers in Singapore and Malaysia put their cash in tin containers hanging from the ceiling with strings.
Information for you 👌 My favourite restaurants are those where the food is delicious and the experience goes beyond just flavours and aroma. Kedai Kopi Batu Lima Klasik is one such eatery where the decor is like a little museum and immersive experience back to the 1960s. I shall be back for the quaint knick knacks and also to try and catch their asam pedas ikan pari (stingray) and fish head.
Restaurant name: Kedai Kopi Batu Lima Klasik
Address: 6, Jalan Ros Merah 2/11, Johor Jaya, Johor Bahru
GPS: 1°31'58.3"N 103°47'39.5"E 🌐 1.532868, 103.794293
Tel: 019-716 7114
Hours: 7:00am - 4:00pm (Sat & Sun off)
Date visited: 7 Feb 2020
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