Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru
introFor centuries Johor Bahru has been a meeting place of civilisations from East and West, with the influences of the cross-cultural exchange visible everywhere, from the architecture to the food – and boy is there good food. In fact, according to a recent booking.com survey, the city is one of the world’s top destinations for tasting the local eats. We intend to do just that, as foodie fanatic Tony Johor Kaki takes us on a 24-hour tour of the gastronomic heart of Johor Bahru – or as locals call it, “JB”. [Photo: MrT HK/Flickr]
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Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Locals7.30am: Dine As The Locals Do – Join JB folks from all walks of life for breakfast at Restoran Hua Mui, a prime example of Malaysia’s Muhibah or Goodwill coffee shop, where people of all ages and backgrounds dine together, elbow to elbow. Soak in the inclusive atmosphere of the city’s multiculturalism while tucking into Hua Mui’s popular and traditional Nanyang coffee, French toast, Hainanese chicken chop, nasi lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf), mee siam (spicy stir-fried rice noodles) and other dishes hailing from the various cultural communities of JB. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
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Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Bananas9am: Go Bananas – Craving something sweet? Go to Hiap Joo Bakery to watch banana cakes baking in a 99-year-old wood-fired oven, probably the oldest operational wood-fired oven in the whole of Malaysia. Every day except Sunday, a long queue forms outside the bakery waiting for their freshly baked banana cakes; the soft and spongy, slightly moist treats have a natural banana sweetness and a slight, tantalising smokiness. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
2/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Downtown10am: Stroll Downtown – Take a walk through JB’s historic old downtown around Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and Jalan Trus roads. A fine example of the melting pot that is JB, in this small area you’ll find several religious sites dedicated to various faiths, including an old mosque, a Hindu temple, a Sikh temple, a Christian church and a Chinese temple. Decades-old restaurants and centuries-old bakeries are interspersed with the favourite hang-outs of today’s millennials, like hip cafés, coffee joints and ice cream parlours. This area is very popular with Singapore daytrippers looking to eat well and soak in the vibes of one of JB’s oldest yet hippest districts. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
3/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Otak Shiduoli11am: Sample Spicy …Brains? – We’re now heading to Otak Shiduoli for some otak-otak, which means “brains” in Malay, but don’t worry: it’s actually fish paste blended with coconut milk and hot spices, folded into strips of attap palm leaves, then grilled over charcoal. These soft, succulent “tongues” of spiced fish meat have a spicy-sweet flavour, with a slight smokiness from the toasted palm leaves. Otak-otak is common in Johor state; those at Otak Shiduoli are among the thickest and juiciest in JB. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
4/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Laksa Johor12.30pm: An Unlikely Pair – Intrigued by the prospect of Italian-Malay fusion food? You’ll need to try laksa Johor, a dish created by the founder of modern Johor, Sultan Abu Bakar. The sultan fell in love with spaghetti when he travelled to Italy in the late 19th century, and upon his return, he ordered the palace chef to make laksa (spicy noodle soup in coconut curry broth) with spaghetti noodles instead of rice noodles: thus laksa Johor was born. The best laksa Johor is made at home during special occasions, as the ingredients like spices, herbs, vegetables and wolf herring fish need to be lovingly prepared. However, simplified versions are available at food stalls around JB. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
5/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Gods1.30pm: Glittering Gods – Visit Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman, the world’s only glass Hindu temple. A truly unique sight to see, most of the temple’s surface – both inside and out – is inlaid with over 300,000 pieces of brilliant colourful glass. Listed in Lonely Planet’s Secret Marvels of the World, this is something you won’t want to miss when you’re in JB. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
6/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Soup-er2.30pm: A Soup-er Dish – Let’s knock out another Lonely Planet favourite, which claims second place on their Ultimate Eatlist of the best food experiences in the world: a piping hot bowl of curry laksa. This spicy noodle soup in a curried coconut broth is a delicious and unique fusion of Malay, Indian and Chinese culinary traditions, and stalls serving curry laksa can be found everywhere across Malaysia and Singapore. For JB folks, however, nothing beats Restoran Yew Swee’s rendition. Layered with flavours from prawn stock, thickened with creamy coconut milk, seasoned with a dozen curry spices, served with noodles and garnished with fried tofu, blood cockles and fresh “laksa leaves” (a type of coriander) – this is the stuff of curry laksa dreams. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
7/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Coconut Wine3.30pm: Time For A Local Tipple – Taste coconut wine at an unlikely place: a small government house in downtown JB, built in 1920 and belonging to the customs department. Known locally as toddy, coconut wine is the fermented sap of coconut flower; it has a milky texture, is 4-5% alcohol, and tastes sweet and slightly sour. According to the wine shop proprietor, his coconut wine is quite popular with the Korean community in JB, perhaps because it’s similar to Korean rice wine, or makgeolli. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
8/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Mosque5pm: An Architectural Time Out – Let’s take a break from filling our bellies to swing by the majestic Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque. The interior is under renovation at the moment (as of September 2018), but the grand exterior is still worth a look; the century-old mosque features unique minarets in the form of Victorian-era clock towers. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
9/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
San Lou Dry Bee Hoon6pm: Savour A JB Specialty – Try one of JB’s iconic but disappearing dishes: San Lou Dry Bee Hoon, which literally means “Three-Storey Dry Rice Vermicelli”. Chef Ah Kaw, who created this dish, was working in a restaurant located in a three-storey public housing building in JB, hence the name. Made with the deceptively simple ingredients of rice vermicelli, pork, fish cake and oyster sauce, San Lou Dry Bee Hoon requires mastery of the wok and heat. The resulting dish is a mound of fried rice noodles, caramelised on the outside but moist inside, each noodle infused with flavours from the oyster sauce. Seek this out when you are in JB, as it’s getting harder to find chefs who have mastered the dish. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
10/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Marina7pm: Sundowners At The Marina – As sunset approaches, we head to Puteri Harbour Marina, where gently swaying palms and luxurious yachts are silhouetted by the golden rays of the setting sun, providing a charming backdrop to savour some wine and choose among a wide range of dining options. It’s a fine place to cool our heels with a change of scenery and cuisine. Here you’ll find both fine Asian and Western dining options, as well as casual bars, including local favourites Magnum Sports Cafe and Seven Grapes Wine & Tapas. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
11/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Pasar Malam8pm: Nocturnal Shopping & Snacking – Join the throngs of JB locals at a pasar malam, or night market, of which there are many across the city. The cooler temperatures and lower humidity make the evening a prime time for locals to do their shopping, so selected roads are closed and stalls are set up, peddling everything from clothing to housewares, grocery items and cooked food. Visiting a pasar malam is a total sensory experience: the aromas of open-air cooking, the colourful wares for sale, the mix of languages and the vibes of the lively crowds. Dive in and savour it all. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
12/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
Final Taste10pm: A Final Taste – Before heading off to bed, try a final JB classic: kacang pool. No, it has nothing to do with billiards or going for a swim (for that, try one of Johor state’s many beautiful beaches). Rather, it’s a version of the ancient Middle Eastern staple ful medames (a fava bean dish), as interpreted by local restaurateur Pak Haji Makpol. Whereas in the Middle East ful is eaten with flat bread, here in JB kacang pool is enjoyed with pan-fried white bread and an egg sunny-side up. Folks from Singapore cross the border just to taste Haji Makpol’s kacang pool. [Photo: Tony Johor Kaki]
13/17
Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
ReadRead Before You Go – Johor: The Jewel of Malaysia by award-winning writer John Krich for National Geographic. In this personal account, Krich vividly describes the exotic food he tasted, the interesting people he met and the amazing places – both natural wonders and cultural sites – he visited in Johor state.
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Travel
24 Hours In… Johor Bahru.
BioTony Johor Kaki loves to share his travel and food stories in his blog, johorkaki.blogspot.com. One of his favourite haunts is Johor Bahru, where he enjoys sampling the many interesting eats and meeting the folks behind the food.
17/17
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