Teeyiwan Best Mee Pok in Johor Bahru? Jalan Maju • Legacy of JB's Iconic Lao Tee Teochew Noodle 弟一碗潮州面薄

Teeyiwan Noodle House 弟一碗潮州面薄 | #47, Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya, 80400 Johor Bahru ⏰ 7:30am - 2:00pm opens daily

At buddy Patrick's pub, what do we talk about other than what to eat, right? Actually, a lot of things but let's save that for another post. This post is about Teeyiwan 弟一碗潮州面薄 which Patrick said is "the best mee pok". What do I do when Patrick recommends something as "the best"? I quickly go and check it out lah 😬

Stall name: Teeyiwan Noodle House 弟一碗潮州面薄

Address: 67 47, Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya, 80400 Johor Bahru, Johor

Hours: 7:30am - 2:00pm (Sat & Sun only) opens daily

One of the Best JB Char Siew. Meng Kee Hong Kong Roast in Kakilang Kopitiam 明记港式烧腊饭档

I have good friends who tip me off whenever they chanced upon good food finds - Thanks Chris. Then, I have buddies like Aaron who would taunt me with late night pictures like these char siew from Meng Kee in Kakilang Kopitiam (coffee shop) whenever he is in Johor Bahru. It's a great way to motivate me 😂

HW Wanton Mee for Supper @ Bangkok Spa Pelangi JB 海威雲吞面 ☏ 019-755 9355

HW Wanton Tan Mee 海威雲吞面 | 68, Jalan Abiad, Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru (beside Bangkok Spa) | Waze: Bangkok Spa ☏ 019-755 9355 ⏰  6pm - 3am (Mon off)

Many JB buddies have been telling me about this popular supper time wanton mee shop near Bangkok Spa in Taman Maju Jaya (near Pelangi). Restoran HW Wanton Mee opens 6pm to 3am.

Restoran HW Wanton Mee used to open 9 to 5 - I mean 9pm to 5am 😄 It's a favourite haunt of JB's night owls.

(Update: This night owl wanton mee now operates "family hours" 11am - 10pm [Mon off]. ) 

Otak Shiduoli · Best Otak Otak in JB · Some Say Better than Muar ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Otak Shiduoli, formerly at Storia Cafe at Jalan Storey is the most famous otak otak stall in Johor Bahru.

Popular & Famous Must Try Food in Jalan Maju Johor JB

Jalan Maju is a small street off the Tebrau Highway with a few big names in Johor food. It is less than 10 minutes drive from the JB CIQ once you cleared immigration. As most of the shops here open as early as 5:00am, they are good choices for breakfast to start the day before exploring JB or for the drive further up north.

MOVED Din Kee Beef Noodles in Pelangi Johor Bahru 鼎记牛腩粉 (Now in Bukit Indah)

I wanted to show Mark one of my favourite beef noodles in Johor Bahru but was a little disappointed when we arrived at the Din Kee 鼎记牛腩粉 stall in Restoran 101 (kopitiam) in Bukit Indah. Pei Yun, the lady boss was already washing up and closing the stall at 11:00am as they were sold out for day.

喜欢吃牛肉面的朋友们有口福了. 好吃的鼎记牛肉面现在在新山报纸街开了分档. 老板亲自长档. 朋友们不妨试试.  档口在豆腐皇里面.

MOVED Wanton Mee Noodle @ Restoran No Signboard Maju Jaya JB

MOVED. Reader J.S. recommended me his favourite wanton noodle stall in JB. It's the wanton mee stall at Restoran No Signboard along Jalan Maju or 報紙街 newspaper street as the locals know it due to the number of newspapers and publishers located along this old street.

O Master Q Mee Hoon Kueh Johor Bahru 和合老夫子面粉果

A reader left a comment on my last post on mee hoon kueh in JB and alerted me to O Master Q mee hoon kueh shop 和合老夫子面粉果 in Taman Maju Jaya.

Yi Bao Mee Hoon Kueh near Pelangi Mall Johor Bahru 顺利面粉粿

Even though Johor Bahru is known as "Little Swatow" because its Chinese community is mainly Teochew, JB has more shops and stalls serving the Hokkien comfort food, mee hoon kueh than Singapore - which is mainly Hokkien.

Soon Chiang Bak Kut Teh in Johor Bahru 顺江肉骨茶

Soon Chiang Bak Kut Teh | 41, Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya, 80400 Johor Bahru ☎ +60 7-332 6757    🕗 8am - 2pm (Mon off)

✍7 Oct 2024. Soon Chiang Bak Kut Teh has been around at Jalan Maju in Johor Bahru since 1982. It has a loyal local following, but low social media profile and not much visited by Singapore day trippers. 

Kway Teow Kia in JB Johor Bahru at Restoran Ka Hoe 榕树下粿条仔

I needed a substantial early breakfast in Johor Bahru before the 3 hour long drive north to Pork Dickson.

I picked the popular kway teow kia stall at Restoran Kah Hoe (a corner kopitiam near Plaza Pelangi) for early breakfast (opens at 7:00am). Plaza Pelangi is just a short detour off my route and I can rejoin the EDL to the North South Expressway easily (via Jalan Biru) after breakfast.

CLOSED Menu Please Bistro at Taman Maju Jaya near Plaza Pelangi in Johor Bahru

CLOSED. Jayson, the chef owner of Menu Please Bistro invited me to try their "Signature Dishes Sharing Set Meal". The idea is for two persons to share a set consisting of a pair of Menu Please's signature dishes. Jayson let me try "Set D" with the Oriental Duck Pizza and Braised Lamb Shank as the main courses. The Set D costs RM65.80 nett.



That's Jayson the boss, on the right taking orders. Co-incidentally, that's my friend Jason and his family :D



Jayson is a SHATEC graduate and he had worked in Singapore's Four Seasons Hotel and Marina Bay Sands Hotel before returning to JB to set up Menu Please Bistro.

Let's start our dinner.



The opening course is a choice of either the Soup of the Day or a salad. As I had tried Menu Please's tomato soup during my previous visit, Jayson let me try the salad.

Jayson's willingness to experiment is reflected in this salad. The jumble of shredded carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, fried tofu and beansprouts is stuffed in a glass jar. At the bottom of the jar is a tangy, spicy, drippy Thai sauce and on top is a paste-like peanutty, sweet and savoury satay sauce. The idea is to screw on the jar cover, and then mix and blend everything by shaking the jar vigorously. Pour out and serve on a plate after mixing.

It's an interesting mix of textures, tastes and flavours. Try it and see for yourself.



Next up is Menu Please's signature Oriental Duck pizza.



Taste wise this innovative pizza has everything - the sweetness of the tangerine with a tinge of tanginess, and different sorts of savouriness from the smoked duck, melted cheese and char siew gravy. There was also a herbal fragrance from the basil leaf garnishing.



Texture wise, it was also interesting. Juicy spongy tangerine, tender duck with some fat, gooey gummy melted cheese on a thin crusty handmade pizza base.

I enjoyed this interesting pizza even though I am not a pizza fan.



The second main course was Menu Please's top selling braised lamb shank. This was my second time having the lamb shank at Menu Please, and I am still looking forward to it.



The meat was braised so tender that it fell off the bone like a coat dropping off a stiff hanger. The tender meat was rich. The gaminess and aroma of lamb which mutton fans love was only subtly present.



Finally, the Cake of the Day was this durian cake. It's a sponge cake with creamy real durian between the soft spongy layers.

To go with the cake, the Set Meal comes with two hot or cold drinks.

I think this set is ideal for couples - the dishes are tasty and interesting, and the amount of food is just nice for two people.



Restaurant name: Menu Please Bistro
Address: 25, Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru (near Plaza Pelangi)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/1vLa8
GPS: 1.480859,103.766314
Hours: Tues to Fri 12:00 noon to 3:00pm and 5:30pm to 12:00 midnight. Sat and Sun 12:00 noon to 12:00 mid night (Closed on Mondays)
No pork, no lard, no alcohol, no Halal cert

Date visited: 3 Apr 2013, 1 Nov 2013

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CLOSED Western Food and Pizzas at Menu Please Bistro near Plaza Pelangi in Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru

CLOSED. Jayson, the boss of newly opened Menu Please Bistro which offers casual Western dining in Taman Maju Jaya (near Plaza Pelangi), invited me to try his Western dishes and pizzas. 



The interior of Menu Please Bistro is simple and neat. Customers dine in air con comfort and with soft, easy listening tunes in the background.

Jayson is a SHATEC (Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre) graduate. Jayson had worked for 7 years in Singapore's Four Seasons Hotel and Marina Bay Sands before returning to Johor Bahru to open his own restaurant last year.


Braised Beef Cheek RM26.80.

When Jayson told me that Menu Please serves braised beef cheeks, I immediately jumped at it as this is one of my favourite beef dishes. Jayson shared that Menu Please's beef cheeks are braised in beef stock with ingredients such as carrots, potatoes and onions for hours until all the vegetables are dissolved. 



The hours of braising in slow fire turned the huge chunk of lean meat with layers of gelatin in between into a smooth, soft and gummy treat. The lean meat became like a savoury soft meat loaf while the gelatin turned to gummy jelly.  



All those hours of slow heat dissolved the sinews, gelatin, carrots, potatoes, and onions that blended into a marvellous savoury gravy. It was so beefy good, I felt really guilty about wasting any of it. Happily, Menu Please's beef cheeks come with a large stick of focaccia bread which was handy in wiping the plate squeaky clean of the savoury gravy.



Jayson told me that Menu Please's beef cheeks are loved by some customers while others are less excited about it. As for me, I am very pleased with Menu Please's braised beef cheeks and highly recommend it to beef lovers.


Sesame Duck Salad RM9.80.

Jayson let me try Menu Please's Sesame Duck Salad which he shared is popular among customers.



The salad is made with thin slices of smoked duck on a bed of fresh lettuce, onions, carrots, tomatoes and tangerines showered with sesame sauce.



The slices of smoked duck are eaten with Menu Please's house blended dip which was inspired by traditional "char siew" sauce.



Personally, as I like the smokey, creamy flavour of smoked duck, I prefer to eat it on its own with a squeeze of tangerine, without any dip.


Otiental Potato Cakes with Tamarind Dip RM8.80. 

I had Menu Please's Potato Cake with Tamarind Dip.



The cake was made with mashed potatoes and minced crab stick. The cakes were nicely fried with the skin outside crispy while the steaming hot inside was soft.





The potato cakes are eaten with the special dip that tasted salty and tangy as it was made with plum juice and tamarind.




Tomato Soup RM7.80.

I tried Menu Please's tomato soup. It was full bodied and had that nice sweet and slightly tangy tomato flavour.

As usual, I asked for permission to visit the kitchen :P



Chef Anthony stirring the pot of braised lamb shanks, another of Menu Please's signature dishes which I must come back for. 

Jayson was also eager for me to try Menu Please's handmade pizzas but there was simply no more room in my tummy.

So, my next trip to Menu Please Bistro is already planned. I can't wait to try their lamb shank and handmade pizzas next time.

One last word, beef lovers! Menu Please's beef cheek is a Must Try!





Restaurant name: Menu Please Bistro
Address: 25, Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru (near Plaza Pelangi)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/1vLa8
GPS: 1.480859,103.766314
Hours: Tues to Fri 12:00 noon to 3:00pm and 5:30pm to 12:00 midnight. Sat and Sun 12:00 noon to 12:00 mid night (Closed on Mondays)
No pork, no lard, no alcohol, no Halal cert

Date visited: 3 Apr 2013

Ayam Penyet at Restoran Zona Ayam Penyet, Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru

Zona Ayam Penyet was often mentioned in Johor Sedap Facebook Group discussions, so we decided to drop by and give it a try, yesterday.



Restoran Zona is located on a second floor unit, along Jalan Maju just opposite the MacDonald's outlet in Plaza Pelangi.



There were three of us, so we had a chicken drumstick, a chicken breast and an ikan kerisi. I wanted pecel lele (catfish) but it was sold out. Total bill with soft drinks was just over RM25.



Ayam Penyet fans would object that this isn't ayam penyet as it was not smashed. Also missing were the crispy batter crumb toppings, to the annoyance of ayam penyet purists. But, even ayam purists would agree that this fried chicken was well executed and tasty.



Wrapped in very thin batter, it was crispy on the outside, and still tender and moist inside. I like this really, as average ayam penyet is often too dry for my liking (I can hear the howls of protests from the ayam penyet purists.)



The anaemic looking sambal chili also failed in the eyes of ayam penyet fans as it was supposed to be red, stinging spicy, and mixed with savoury anchovies. At Zona, the sambal was made with green chilies and various pulpy ingredients like unions. Again, I liked this mildly spicy sambal chili while my companions felt it was a let down with no kick.



But, we all agreed that this well executed fried ikan kerisi was the best of the three dishes we tried at Zona.



Crispy outside, tender and moist inside. Fresh and no fishiness at all.



This photogenic tempeh was rather tasteless by itself but it was delicious when dipped in the mild sambal chili. The same comments went for the small piece of fried tofu.

The fried dishes were served with simple, boiled white rice and a small bowl of soup. There was, well, nothing in the clear soup, just a slight salty taste.



There is also this interesting section of kumpang style seating i.e. low tables and no chairs. Customers sit crossed legged on the raised wooden flooring. Customers are also required to leave their shoes at the door.

I have not qualms recommending Restoran Zona to anyone, except ayam penyet purists :)

Restaurant name: Restoran Zona Ayam Penyet 
Address: 1A-1, Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/qt7ME
GPS: 1.480682,103.764989
Hours: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Halal

Date visited: 20 Feb 2013

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