Johor Bahru Kway Teow Soup at Kue Teow Meng 果条明 in Taman Melodies

Kue Teow Meng is one of the most famous Teochew kway teow soup stalls in JB.



Nearly 30 years in the business, Kue Teow Meng is always busy and crowded. During lunch time, the waiting time is at least 30 minutes.




Besides the crowd at the kopitiam, there is always an endless of stream of takeaway orders.



At Kue Teow Meng, only Ah Meng the master does the cooking.



Even turning out bowls of kway teow at the rate of one per minute, customers still have to wait, especially during lunch. But, everyone waits patiently as they all love Ah Meng's special touch with the kway teow.




I ordered the basic RM5 set which consists of a bowl of kway teow noodles with sauce, and thin slices of pork plus a bowl of soup with liver slices.



The kway teow and sauce were good but didn't really awed me as there are other kway teow stalls in JB that serve a similar standard of kway teow.



To me, Ah Meng's artistry is in how well he cooked the ingredients like this pork liver. The liver was expertly cooked so that it has bouncy mouth feel, and inside, it is smooth with a fine powdery texture. Ah Meng's humble pork liver tasted like some of the foie gras I have tried.



The tiny and thin pork slices were sweet and soaked up some of the sauce when I tossed the kway teow in the bowl. This turned the tender pork slices sweet, savoury and slightly spicy - I like this.



I look for stalls that make their soup in huge drums with all the bone stock goodness simmering inside. Kue Teow Meng's pork broth is light yet well bodied, infused with savouriness, clean tasting and have very little oil.



At additional cost, customers can have fresh oysters, pork kidney, fish and other choice ingredients.



This is another customer's well endowed bowl with abalone and fish slices.



Restaurant name: Kue Teow Meng 果条明
Address: 112, Jalan Meranti, Taman Melodies, Johor bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/wVx6j
GPS: 1.495344,103.765429
Hours: 7:30am to 3:30pm (closed on Monday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 13 Nov 2013

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Kue Teow Meng is one of the most famous Teochew kway teow soup stalls in JB.



Nearly 30 years in the business, Kue Teow Meng is always busy and crowded. During lunch time, the waiting time is at least 30 minutes.




Besides the crowd at the kopitiam, there is always an endless of stream of takeaway orders.



At Kue Teow Meng, only Ah Meng the master does the cooking.



Even turning out bowls of kway teow at the rate of one per minute, customers still have to wait, especially during lunch. But, everyone waits patiently as they all love Ah Meng's special touch with the kway teow.




I ordered the basic RM5 set which consists of a bowl of kway teow noodles with sauce, and thin slices of pork plus a bowl of soup with liver slices.



The kway teow and sauce were good but didn't really awed me as there are other kway teow stalls in JB that serve a similar standard of kway teow.



To me, Ah Meng's artistry is in how well he cooked the ingredients like this pork liver. The liver was expertly cooked so that it has bouncy mouth feel, and inside, it is smooth with a fine powdery texture. Ah Meng's humble pork liver tasted like some of the foie gras I have tried.



The tiny and thin pork slices were sweet and soaked up some of the sauce when I tossed the kway teow in the bowl. This turned the tender pork slices sweet, savoury and slightly spicy - I like this.



I look for stalls that make their soup in huge drums with all the bone stock goodness simmering inside. Kue Teow Meng's pork broth is light yet well bodied, infused with savouriness, clean tasting and have very little oil.



At additional cost, customers can have fresh oysters, pork kidney, fish and other choice ingredients.



This is another customer's well endowed bowl with abalone and fish slices.



Restaurant name: Kue Teow Meng 果条明
Address: 112, Jalan Meranti, Taman Melodies, Johor bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/wVx6j
GPS: 1.495344,103.765429
Hours: 7:30am to 3:30pm (closed on Monday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 13 Nov 2013

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Johor Ayam Penyet at LC Catering in Taman Melodies in JB

While looking for the best ayam penyet, I realised that there are many ways to fry a good chicken leg! And, each style has it's own appeal. LC Catering's style of ayam penyet has it's fans - I like it too :)

Restaurant name: LC Catering
Address: 340, Jalan Balau 1 (off Jalan Tebrau), Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/NBdxC
GPS: 1.490226,103.766871
Hours: 10:00am to 3:00am
Halal

At LC Catering, the fried chicken is not battered and there are no fried crummy bits scattered around. The fresh chicken leg precooked in coconut juice is deep fried without batter and skin, when there is an order.

The skinless leg is fried till golden brown and forms a stiff crisp outer layer. Overall, the meat is fairly dry though there is still some moisture remaining inside. As you can see, there is hardly any excess oil on the chicken leg - a plus point.

The chicken's flavours were slight. I ripped the quite dry meat easily off the bones and scooped sambal chili with it much like the way we eat keropok or French fries. The outer layer is a little stringy. Personally, I find this style likeable and there are people who prefer this over others.



The sambal chili is a key element in the ayam penyet set. The sambal was pulpy, tangy from fresh limes, mildly spicy for my tastebuds and slightly savoury from the belacan (dried fermented shrimps).

The sides of fried tempeh and toufu were average. The greens were fresh with my favourites of crunchy kacang botol, long beans and a stalk of fragrant leafy green.

This ayam penyet is understated and free of frills, and charming because of that.



You can have a choice of local white rice or upgrade to this premium biryani rice.



I opted for this nasi serai which is premium grade rice cooked with fragrant lemongrass. The ayam penyet nasi serai set costs RM8.50.



LC Catering is clean, spacious and airy. There is also an air conditioned section.

Date visited: 24 Oct 2013

While looking for the best ayam penyet, I realised that there are many ways to fry a good chicken leg! And, each style has it's own appeal. LC Catering's style of ayam penyet has it's fans - I like it too :)

Restaurant name: LC Catering
Address: 340, Jalan Balau 1 (off Jalan Tebrau), Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/NBdxC
GPS: 1.490226,103.766871
Hours: 10:00am to 3:00am
Halal

At LC Catering, the fried chicken is not battered and there are no fried crummy bits scattered around. The fresh chicken leg precooked in coconut juice is deep fried without batter and skin, when there is an order.

The skinless leg is fried till golden brown and forms a stiff crisp outer layer. Overall, the meat is fairly dry though there is still some moisture remaining inside. As you can see, there is hardly any excess oil on the chicken leg - a plus point.

The chicken's flavours were slight. I ripped the quite dry meat easily off the bones and scooped sambal chili with it much like the way we eat keropok or French fries. The outer layer is a little stringy. Personally, I find this style likeable and there are people who prefer this over others.



The sambal chili is a key element in the ayam penyet set. The sambal was pulpy, tangy from fresh limes, mildly spicy for my tastebuds and slightly savoury from the belacan (dried fermented shrimps).

The sides of fried tempeh and toufu were average. The greens were fresh with my favourites of crunchy kacang botol, long beans and a stalk of fragrant leafy green.

This ayam penyet is understated and free of frills, and charming because of that.



You can have a choice of local white rice or upgrade to this premium biryani rice.



I opted for this nasi serai which is premium grade rice cooked with fragrant lemongrass. The ayam penyet nasi serai set costs RM8.50.



LC Catering is clean, spacious and airy. There is also an air conditioned section.

Date visited: 24 Oct 2013

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Beef Noodles at Grand Beef Restaurant 牛肉王之家 in Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru

  

 

Grand Beef Restaurant was mentioned a few times by Johor Yummy friend Melvin Wu. Melvin once said that the beef noodles here is one of JB's "best kept secrets". Indeed, Grand Beef Restaurant is tucked in a quiet corner of Taman Melody, yet it is just a stone's throw from the bustling KSL City Mall and Taman Century.

Today, I "finally" found my way to Grand Beef Restaurant. "Finally" was Ben Ting's comment when I posted about my lunch at Grand Beef Restaurant on Johor Kaki Facebook page.

The understated Grand Beef Restaurant obviously has many supporters online and also at the restaurant as I saw during lunch.

If anyone wonders how come Grand Beef is located in this part of town, which seemed out of place for a restaurant, this shoplot used to be a spectacle factory. This gets even more intriguing. The boss MR Ong's family used to operate a spectacle frame manufacturing factory here. But, ten years ago, the family decided to switch business due to competition from low cost imports from China. As the family patriarch is passionate about cooking, MR Ong's father decided to open a restaurant. And, hence, Grand Beef Restaurant was born.

So, how was the food?

To start, it's a little different from the other Hainanese beef noodles that I have tried. I was looking forward to that gooey, beefy gravy made by boiling beef bones and cut offs into a jelly like syrupy gravy. This goo was "the thing" in Hainanese style beef noodles that got me hooked.

But at Grand Beef, there isn't this signature Hainanese beef gravy. Instead. the kway teow was garnished with a blend of dark and light soy sauce and shallot oil much like what we will find in Teochew kway teow soup stalls.

The boss MR Ong explained that they use the same sauce for both the beef noodles and pork noodles which Grand Beef Restaurant also serves. Many customers do not eat beef, so they decided that both the beef and pork noodles shall use the same sauce. At first, I wasn't excited about this compromise.

Any reservations that I initially felt was quickly forgotten once I tasted Grand Beef's beef. The pieces of beef, innards and tendons were so tender and tasty.

The savoury and subtle herbal flavours were mild and easy on the palate. It appealed to people who like their beef without the "beefy" taste, yet for those who like that bovine flavour, it is there when you pay attention to what your taste buds are feeling. MR Ong said that they used local cows 黄牛 to make their beef noodles. Overall, it's a very pleasant taste and flavour, and mouth feel.

 

Grand Beef's soup is another distinguishing feature which is unlike the beef soup I have tasted elsewhere. MR Ong said the soup is made by boiling chicken and beef bones. The soup was cloudy, not too oily and it was full bodied and soothingly smooth. I like its savoury umami flavour. It's like a beef version of good savoury prawn soup.

Grand Beef's beef noodles are quite different from other beef noodles that I have tried, and I like it. If I am in the area, I would be glad to pop by to have this beef noodles for lunch or mid afternoon tea.

Restaurant name:  Grand Beef Restaurant 牛肉王之家
Address: 89, Jalan Beringin, Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/h3ZxY
GPS: 1.490437,103.763058
Hours: 11:30am to 5:00pm (Closed on Mon. Closed at 3:00pm on Sundays)
Non Halal

Date visited: 3 Jan 2013

  

 

Grand Beef Restaurant was mentioned a few times by Johor Yummy friend Melvin Wu. Melvin once said that the beef noodles here is one of JB's "best kept secrets". Indeed, Grand Beef Restaurant is tucked in a quiet corner of Taman Melody, yet it is just a stone's throw from the bustling KSL City Mall and Taman Century.

Today, I "finally" found my way to Grand Beef Restaurant. "Finally" was Ben Ting's comment when I posted about my lunch at Grand Beef Restaurant on Johor Kaki Facebook page.

The understated Grand Beef Restaurant obviously has many supporters online and also at the restaurant as I saw during lunch.

If anyone wonders how come Grand Beef is located in this part of town, which seemed out of place for a restaurant, this shoplot used to be a spectacle factory. This gets even more intriguing. The boss MR Ong's family used to operate a spectacle frame manufacturing factory here. But, ten years ago, the family decided to switch business due to competition from low cost imports from China. As the family patriarch is passionate about cooking, MR Ong's father decided to open a restaurant. And, hence, Grand Beef Restaurant was born.

So, how was the food?

To start, it's a little different from the other Hainanese beef noodles that I have tried. I was looking forward to that gooey, beefy gravy made by boiling beef bones and cut offs into a jelly like syrupy gravy. This goo was "the thing" in Hainanese style beef noodles that got me hooked.

But at Grand Beef, there isn't this signature Hainanese beef gravy. Instead. the kway teow was garnished with a blend of dark and light soy sauce and shallot oil much like what we will find in Teochew kway teow soup stalls.

The boss MR Ong explained that they use the same sauce for both the beef noodles and pork noodles which Grand Beef Restaurant also serves. Many customers do not eat beef, so they decided that both the beef and pork noodles shall use the same sauce. At first, I wasn't excited about this compromise.

Any reservations that I initially felt was quickly forgotten once I tasted Grand Beef's beef. The pieces of beef, innards and tendons were so tender and tasty.

The savoury and subtle herbal flavours were mild and easy on the palate. It appealed to people who like their beef without the "beefy" taste, yet for those who like that bovine flavour, it is there when you pay attention to what your taste buds are feeling. MR Ong said that they used local cows 黄牛 to make their beef noodles. Overall, it's a very pleasant taste and flavour, and mouth feel.

 

Grand Beef's soup is another distinguishing feature which is unlike the beef soup I have tasted elsewhere. MR Ong said the soup is made by boiling chicken and beef bones. The soup was cloudy, not too oily and it was full bodied and soothingly smooth. I like its savoury umami flavour. It's like a beef version of good savoury prawn soup.

Grand Beef's beef noodles are quite different from other beef noodles that I have tried, and I like it. If I am in the area, I would be glad to pop by to have this beef noodles for lunch or mid afternoon tea.

Restaurant name:  Grand Beef Restaurant 牛肉王之家
Address: 89, Jalan Beringin, Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/h3ZxY
GPS: 1.490437,103.763058
Hours: 11:30am to 5:00pm (Closed on Mon. Closed at 3:00pm on Sundays)
Non Halal

Date visited: 3 Jan 2013

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Cendol at Yan @ Md Zain Cendol in Taman Melodies in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Few things can beat the relief from the stifling heat on a typical sunny day in Johor than a good cendol.

 

Shaving ice

 

Adding gula Melaka

 

Adding the pandan jelly "worms"

And, the cendol of Yan @ Md Zain on a typical mobile cendol stall just outside the Maybank Branch along Jalan Tebrau in Taman Melody is a hot local favourite. Everyone who lives or works around here knows about Yan @ Md Zain cendol.

 

This cendol made of pandan jelly "worms", mashed boiled red beans, sweet corn, gula Melaka (palm sugar) and shaved ice in creamy coconut milk is smooth and delicious. Despite all the sweet ingredients, it was actually not overly sugary, hence its attraction.

 

Enjoying ice cold cendol, sitting on a row of plastic stools along a five foot way together with friends, taking cover from the blazing sun behind that narrow strip of shadow is a kind of blissful bonding, did you realize, my friends?

 

Restaurant name: Yan @ Md Zain Cendol
Address: Jalan Meranti Merah, off the Tebrau Highway, just outside the Maybank Branch Tebrau
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/VZMjG
GPS: 1.494003,103.766159
Hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm (closed on public holidays)
Halal

Date visited: 23 Oct 2012

Few things can beat the relief from the stifling heat on a typical sunny day in Johor than a good cendol.

 

Shaving ice

 

Adding gula Melaka

 

Adding the pandan jelly "worms"

And, the cendol of Yan @ Md Zain on a typical mobile cendol stall just outside the Maybank Branch along Jalan Tebrau in Taman Melody is a hot local favourite. Everyone who lives or works around here knows about Yan @ Md Zain cendol.

 

This cendol made of pandan jelly "worms", mashed boiled red beans, sweet corn, gula Melaka (palm sugar) and shaved ice in creamy coconut milk is smooth and delicious. Despite all the sweet ingredients, it was actually not overly sugary, hence its attraction.

 

Enjoying ice cold cendol, sitting on a row of plastic stools along a five foot way together with friends, taking cover from the blazing sun behind that narrow strip of shadow is a kind of blissful bonding, did you realize, my friends?

 

Restaurant name: Yan @ Md Zain Cendol
Address: Jalan Meranti Merah, off the Tebrau Highway, just outside the Maybank Branch Tebrau
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/VZMjG
GPS: 1.494003,103.766159
Hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm (closed on public holidays)
Halal

Date visited: 23 Oct 2012

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Pork Ball Noodles at Yong Tau Foo Ah Choon 美乐酿豆腐 in Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

This pork ball noodles is the speciality at Yong Tau Foo Ah Choon 亞春 美乐酿豆腐.

Our RM5 set come with a bowl of smooth and soft snowy white kway teow which was barely visible under the blanket of thick, delicious, slightly sweet, minced pork gravy. The set come with two large pieces of savoury, rosy hued 5-spice pork 五香肉片.

These were accompanied by a bowl of tasty soup and three chunky pieces of Ah Choon's 亞春 famous pork balls.

The homemade pork balls were springy 爽口弹牙 and almost like good fish balls in texture and bite. Only difference was the distinct sweet flavour of fresh pork. Ah Choon's tasty pork balls were neither fatty nor oily.

The boss Ah Choon 亞春 has been selling his famous pork ball noodles and yong tau foo for nearly twenty years. Everything is self made by hand with fresh ingredients, so quality is tops but quantity and variety is not huge. 

Take a look at some of the delicious yong tau foo available at Ah Choon's 美乐酿豆腐. I shall be coming back for these at my next visit :)

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, I must mention Ah Choon's chili sauce.

Ah Choon's chili sauce may look ordinary but it is stingily hot and tangy in a delightful way. I love it :)

Ah Choon's 亞春 pork ball noodles is definitely a must try.

Restaurant name: Yong Tau Foo Ah Choon 亞春 美乐酿豆腐
Address: 92, Jalan Meranti, Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/N3FMI
GPS: 1.494566,103.765552
Hours: 8:00am to 3:00pm (off on Tuesday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 26 August 2012

This pork ball noodles is the speciality at Yong Tau Foo Ah Choon 亞春 美乐酿豆腐.

Our RM5 set come with a bowl of smooth and soft snowy white kway teow which was barely visible under the blanket of thick, delicious, slightly sweet, minced pork gravy. The set come with two large pieces of savoury, rosy hued 5-spice pork 五香肉片.

These were accompanied by a bowl of tasty soup and three chunky pieces of Ah Choon's 亞春 famous pork balls.

The homemade pork balls were springy 爽口弹牙 and almost like good fish balls in texture and bite. Only difference was the distinct sweet flavour of fresh pork. Ah Choon's tasty pork balls were neither fatty nor oily.

The boss Ah Choon 亞春 has been selling his famous pork ball noodles and yong tau foo for nearly twenty years. Everything is self made by hand with fresh ingredients, so quality is tops but quantity and variety is not huge. 

Take a look at some of the delicious yong tau foo available at Ah Choon's 美乐酿豆腐. I shall be coming back for these at my next visit :)

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, I must mention Ah Choon's chili sauce.

Ah Choon's chili sauce may look ordinary but it is stingily hot and tangy in a delightful way. I love it :)

Ah Choon's 亞春 pork ball noodles is definitely a must try.

Restaurant name: Yong Tau Foo Ah Choon 亞春 美乐酿豆腐
Address: 92, Jalan Meranti, Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/N3FMI
GPS: 1.494566,103.765552
Hours: 8:00am to 3:00pm (off on Tuesday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 26 August 2012

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Salt Baked Chicken 鹽焗雞 @ Tapai Tang Restaurant in Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru

The signature dish in Tapai Tang restaurant is their salt baked kampung chicken 鹽焗雞.

Tapai Tang uses kampung (free range) chicken, so it is lean and has little, if any body fat.

The complex blend of flavours of this exquisite salt baked chicken is all very subtle, delicate and mild. When the neatly arranged chicken arrived at the table, there was a gentle herbal aroma of Chinese herbs. Don't let the name "salt baked chicken" worry you - when we bite into the tender, juicy chicken flesh, it was only suggestively salty. Chewing into the moist flesh, our taste buds were treated to the chicken’s natural sweetness.

Dipping the bite sized chicken pieces into the tangy hot chili sauce enhances the taste for those who like more spiciness in their meal.

Personally, I prefer to savour the natural sweetness of the chicken and the mild hints of saltiness from the traditional baking process.

This unique taste can be achieved only when the salt baked chicken is cooked using the old, tedious method i.e. the chicken marinated in herbs and spices is wrapped in layers of parchment paper and buried in a heap of coarse rock salt, and then baked. The alternative (short cut) method is to simply marinate the chicken in brine (salty water) and then bake it. I don't know what the alternative tastes like as I have never tried it before and I won’t be wasting any calories to find out ;P

I will definitely be back for Tapai Tang’s salt baked kampung chicken as well as their other famous dishes such as its fried tofu and fried spinach.

Restaurant name: Restoran Tapai Tang 鹽焗雞

Address: 128, Jalan Chengai, Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru

Map: http://g.co/maps/vc6rc
GPS: 1.495199,103.765279

Hours: 10:00am to 4:00am daily

Non Halal

Date visited: 29 Mar 2012

The signature dish in Tapai Tang restaurant is their salt baked kampung chicken 鹽焗雞.

Tapai Tang uses kampung (free range) chicken, so it is lean and has little, if any body fat.

The complex blend of flavours of this exquisite salt baked chicken is all very subtle, delicate and mild. When the neatly arranged chicken arrived at the table, there was a gentle herbal aroma of Chinese herbs. Don't let the name "salt baked chicken" worry you - when we bite into the tender, juicy chicken flesh, it was only suggestively salty. Chewing into the moist flesh, our taste buds were treated to the chicken’s natural sweetness.

Dipping the bite sized chicken pieces into the tangy hot chili sauce enhances the taste for those who like more spiciness in their meal.

Personally, I prefer to savour the natural sweetness of the chicken and the mild hints of saltiness from the traditional baking process.

This unique taste can be achieved only when the salt baked chicken is cooked using the old, tedious method i.e. the chicken marinated in herbs and spices is wrapped in layers of parchment paper and buried in a heap of coarse rock salt, and then baked. The alternative (short cut) method is to simply marinate the chicken in brine (salty water) and then bake it. I don't know what the alternative tastes like as I have never tried it before and I won’t be wasting any calories to find out ;P

I will definitely be back for Tapai Tang’s salt baked kampung chicken as well as their other famous dishes such as its fried tofu and fried spinach.

Restaurant name: Restoran Tapai Tang 鹽焗雞

Address: 128, Jalan Chengai, Taman Melodies, Johor Bahru

Map: http://g.co/maps/vc6rc
GPS: 1.495199,103.765279

Hours: 10:00am to 4:00am daily

Non Halal

Date visited: 29 Mar 2012

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