Wild Boar Meat at Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭 in Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru

We had just finished eating our kampung chicken rice set at Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭, when I noticed that they also sell curry wild boar meat as a side dish.

Our stomachs were already full but I remembered many queries especially from Singapore readers about where to find good wild boar meat in Johor - so I am on a constant look out for this.

We decided to try Ah Lee's curry wild boar meat especially since this stall in Taman Sri Tebrau is so accessible for Singapore readers.



Curry is one of the hardest food to photograph as it is not very photogenic and that attention seeking big potato has to get in the way LOL. Ah Lee's curry wild boar is served with plain white rice and tasty chicken soup at RM7 a set.



Ah Lee's curry wild boar is all ribs (except for the potatoes). The wild boar ribs were tender and completely smothered in mildly spicy and fragrant curry. Greasy as expected of boar meat.

Very tasty but if you are hoping for a distinctly exotic texture or gamey flavour, there is none. In fact, I found it indistinguishable from domesticated pork.

So, for foodies hunting for wild boar meat in JB, here it is at Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice stall, and very tasty too :)



Restaurant name: Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭 (inside Tyson kopitiam)
Address: Junction of Jalan Badik and Jalan Badik 1, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/WTb4d
GPS: 1.486227,103.768959
Hours: 4:00pm to 12:00 midnight
Non Halal

Date visited: 27 May 2013

We had just finished eating our kampung chicken rice set at Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭, when I noticed that they also sell curry wild boar meat as a side dish.

Our stomachs were already full but I remembered many queries especially from Singapore readers about where to find good wild boar meat in Johor - so I am on a constant look out for this.

We decided to try Ah Lee's curry wild boar meat especially since this stall in Taman Sri Tebrau is so accessible for Singapore readers.



Curry is one of the hardest food to photograph as it is not very photogenic and that attention seeking big potato has to get in the way LOL. Ah Lee's curry wild boar is served with plain white rice and tasty chicken soup at RM7 a set.



Ah Lee's curry wild boar is all ribs (except for the potatoes). The wild boar ribs were tender and completely smothered in mildly spicy and fragrant curry. Greasy as expected of boar meat.

Very tasty but if you are hoping for a distinctly exotic texture or gamey flavour, there is none. In fact, I found it indistinguishable from domesticated pork.

So, for foodies hunting for wild boar meat in JB, here it is at Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice stall, and very tasty too :)



Restaurant name: Ah Lee Kampung Chicken Rice 亚李菜园鸡饭 (inside Tyson kopitiam)
Address: Junction of Jalan Badik and Jalan Badik 1, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/WTb4d
GPS: 1.486227,103.768959
Hours: 4:00pm to 12:00 midnight
Non Halal

Date visited: 27 May 2013

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Qiu Bo Curry House in Ulu Tiram, Johor 秋波咖喱之家

Qiu Bo Curry House 秋波咖喱之家 has a huge reputation in Johor Bahru since the days it was at Jalan Storey. The original Qiu Bo is now in Ulu Tiram. In any discussion about good pork curry in Johor, the name Qiu Bo will surely come up. With such a big following, it would be remiss if Johor Kaki did not check out Qiu Bo :P

So last month, I went to Qiu Bo with my makan kakis Joe and Kumes who are big fans of Qiu Bo. It was a much anticipated outing. We were so eager, we actually arrived before opening time and had to wait outside for a while.



We ordered the signature curry pork ribs, of course. The curry was creamy with santan and the coconut milk flavour and taste were strong. If you like your curry to be as lemak as possible, you will surely like this. Despite the rich crimson colour, the curry was only mildly spicy. The curry was more fragrant than spicy hot. I enjoyed the curry.

The pork ribs on the other hand were a little on the firm and stiff side. Joe and Kumes remembered that the pork ribs were more tender during their visit just a month earlier. Perhaps, we were a little too early this time and the pork ribs hadn't had enough time in the pot to get tender yet.



The fried taugeh dish (bean sprouts) was well executed. Savoury and crunchy. The taugeh had all their fibrous roots pinched off leaving only the juicy stems. A nice and labour intensive touch which many restaurants dispensed with nowadays. Thumbs up for Qiu Bo here.



This omelet was Kumes' suggestion. It was my favourite dish of the day.



The soft fried eggs wrapped crunchy good sized shrimps. I really enjoyed the mouth feel combining soft eggs and crunchy prawns, and the eggy taste with sweet prawn flavour.



Qiu Bo is well known for their fish ball soup with mung bean vermicelli. The handmade fish balls were good. Bouncy and had that lovely springy, firm yet tender bite. The poppy fish balls had that subtle fresh fish meat sweetness which I liked.



The simple fried chye sim came with a handful of good sized prawns. Shelled and fresh, the prawns added a savoury touch to the dish and also to the gravy.

Eating at Qiu Bo is like eating at home. The dishes are simple, familiar comfort food and the setting is clean, basic, unpretencious and without any frills. The star of the show, curry pork ribs, might be slightly off colour today but overall it was still a very good meal. Looking at the clientele, most were regulars who had been following Qiu Bo for a long time.



Our total bill including all the food and drinks for three persons was RM55.

I will definitely be back, at about 2:00pm, and taste Qiu Bo's famous curry pork ribs in its true form. I also need to come back for another of Qiu Bo's claim to fame - their popular curry fish head.



Restaurant name: Qiu Bo Curry House 秋波咖喱之家
Address: Jalan Mutiara, Ulu Tiram, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/g8xfk
GPS: 1.586667,103.817281
Hours: 11:00am to 3:00pm
Non Halal

Date visited: 22 Apr 2013

Qiu Bo Curry House 秋波咖喱之家 has a huge reputation in Johor Bahru since the days it was at Jalan Storey. The original Qiu Bo is now in Ulu Tiram. In any discussion about good pork curry in Johor, the name Qiu Bo will surely come up. With such a big following, it would be remiss if Johor Kaki did not check out Qiu Bo :P

So last month, I went to Qiu Bo with my makan kakis Joe and Kumes who are big fans of Qiu Bo. It was a much anticipated outing. We were so eager, we actually arrived before opening time and had to wait outside for a while.



We ordered the signature curry pork ribs, of course. The curry was creamy with santan and the coconut milk flavour and taste were strong. If you like your curry to be as lemak as possible, you will surely like this. Despite the rich crimson colour, the curry was only mildly spicy. The curry was more fragrant than spicy hot. I enjoyed the curry.

The pork ribs on the other hand were a little on the firm and stiff side. Joe and Kumes remembered that the pork ribs were more tender during their visit just a month earlier. Perhaps, we were a little too early this time and the pork ribs hadn't had enough time in the pot to get tender yet.



The fried taugeh dish (bean sprouts) was well executed. Savoury and crunchy. The taugeh had all their fibrous roots pinched off leaving only the juicy stems. A nice and labour intensive touch which many restaurants dispensed with nowadays. Thumbs up for Qiu Bo here.



This omelet was Kumes' suggestion. It was my favourite dish of the day.



The soft fried eggs wrapped crunchy good sized shrimps. I really enjoyed the mouth feel combining soft eggs and crunchy prawns, and the eggy taste with sweet prawn flavour.



Qiu Bo is well known for their fish ball soup with mung bean vermicelli. The handmade fish balls were good. Bouncy and had that lovely springy, firm yet tender bite. The poppy fish balls had that subtle fresh fish meat sweetness which I liked.



The simple fried chye sim came with a handful of good sized prawns. Shelled and fresh, the prawns added a savoury touch to the dish and also to the gravy.

Eating at Qiu Bo is like eating at home. The dishes are simple, familiar comfort food and the setting is clean, basic, unpretencious and without any frills. The star of the show, curry pork ribs, might be slightly off colour today but overall it was still a very good meal. Looking at the clientele, most were regulars who had been following Qiu Bo for a long time.



Our total bill including all the food and drinks for three persons was RM55.

I will definitely be back, at about 2:00pm, and taste Qiu Bo's famous curry pork ribs in its true form. I also need to come back for another of Qiu Bo's claim to fame - their popular curry fish head.



Restaurant name: Qiu Bo Curry House 秋波咖喱之家
Address: Jalan Mutiara, Ulu Tiram, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/g8xfk
GPS: 1.586667,103.817281
Hours: 11:00am to 3:00pm
Non Halal

Date visited: 22 Apr 2013

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Curry Pork Ribs at Fourstorey 四楼小吃 in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah in Johor Bahru

I am a fan of curry pork and also of pork ribs, especially that part with the cartilage. So when Mdm Chan, the lady boss of Fourstorey 四楼小吃 told me that their signature curry pork ribs is made with that part with the cartilage on, I didn't wait long to return to the stall. Actually, I was back the next day.


Old Bukit Indah stall.

Fourstorey 四楼小吃 used to be the very popular curry rice stall in Taman Bukit Indah. At the Bukit Indah stall, they used to sell the whole range of curry meat and vegetable dishes to go with their fragrant rice.


Old Bukit Indah stall.

Recently, the stall moved to the 4 storey flats at Taman Ungku Tun Aminah. The lady boss told me that they decided to move because their previous stall was a mobile road side stall. Though business was good, whenever it rains, it would wash out the day's business. So, they decided to move indoors into this stall in a kopitiam.



It's been nearly four months since they started business here and Fourstorey is gradually getting their old clientele back and building their new customer support.



The two pieces of chunky pork ribs came smothered by a layer of smooth, almost creamy curry. The "cream" came from santan and potatoes, so the curry had a pleasant natural sweetness blended with both hot and fragrant spices. The curry was a blend of sweet, mild spiciness, savouriness from the pork and aromas from the ground spices such as star anise. The spiciness of the curry was just right - it did not overpower but instead complement the subtle, natural flavour of the pork.  



Ah.. that tender and delicious curry pork rib. That piece of cartilage between the flesh gave the tender, perfumed meat an interesting crunchiness.



I plopped a couple of dollops of the curry onto the rice. The rice was cooked with pandan leaves, lemon grass and fried shallot oil. The rice had a nice fragrance and subtle oiliness that made it an additive pleasure. 



The curry pork rib rice is served with this tangy, sweet and savoury archar (crunchy vegetable pickles). I found that the archar went very well together with the fragrant rice at Fourstorey 四楼小吃 .

This curry pork ribs is definitely a Must Try (curry pork ribs is available only during the weekends).



Restaurant name: Fourstorey Kway Teow Kia 四楼小吃
Address: No 0118, Blok 20, Jalan Pendekar 1, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SDfka
GPS: 1.513217,103.651789
Hours: 9:00am to 2:00pm (Mon & Tues off)
Non Halal

Date visited: 10 Apr 2013, 12 Apr 2013

I am a fan of curry pork and also of pork ribs, especially that part with the cartilage. So when Mdm Chan, the lady boss of Fourstorey 四楼小吃 told me that their signature curry pork ribs is made with that part with the cartilage on, I didn't wait long to return to the stall. Actually, I was back the next day.


Old Bukit Indah stall.

Fourstorey 四楼小吃 used to be the very popular curry rice stall in Taman Bukit Indah. At the Bukit Indah stall, they used to sell the whole range of curry meat and vegetable dishes to go with their fragrant rice.


Old Bukit Indah stall.

Recently, the stall moved to the 4 storey flats at Taman Ungku Tun Aminah. The lady boss told me that they decided to move because their previous stall was a mobile road side stall. Though business was good, whenever it rains, it would wash out the day's business. So, they decided to move indoors into this stall in a kopitiam.



It's been nearly four months since they started business here and Fourstorey is gradually getting their old clientele back and building their new customer support.



The two pieces of chunky pork ribs came smothered by a layer of smooth, almost creamy curry. The "cream" came from santan and potatoes, so the curry had a pleasant natural sweetness blended with both hot and fragrant spices. The curry was a blend of sweet, mild spiciness, savouriness from the pork and aromas from the ground spices such as star anise. The spiciness of the curry was just right - it did not overpower but instead complement the subtle, natural flavour of the pork.  



Ah.. that tender and delicious curry pork rib. That piece of cartilage between the flesh gave the tender, perfumed meat an interesting crunchiness.



I plopped a couple of dollops of the curry onto the rice. The rice was cooked with pandan leaves, lemon grass and fried shallot oil. The rice had a nice fragrance and subtle oiliness that made it an additive pleasure. 



The curry pork rib rice is served with this tangy, sweet and savoury archar (crunchy vegetable pickles). I found that the archar went very well together with the fragrant rice at Fourstorey 四楼小吃 .

This curry pork ribs is definitely a Must Try (curry pork ribs is available only during the weekends).



Restaurant name: Fourstorey Kway Teow Kia 四楼小吃
Address: No 0118, Blok 20, Jalan Pendekar 1, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/SDfka
GPS: 1.513217,103.651789
Hours: 9:00am to 2:00pm (Mon & Tues off)
Non Halal

Date visited: 10 Apr 2013, 12 Apr 2013

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Lu San 庐山 Hainanese Curry Rice at "Muar Glutton Street 麻坡贪吃街", Johor

Time and again, during my food hunting trips, I meet the most interesting and fun people that make my day. Last Sunday was one of the most interesting days since I started Johor Kaki blog.

I was stopping over in Muar on the way to Kuala Lumpur for the NTV7 filming of the final episode of the "Foodie Blogger" 爱食客 series. After parking my car, I walked around Muar's "Glutton Street" 麻坡贪吃街 to hunt for good food.

While stepping in and out of the fascinating kopitiams along "Glutton Street", the corner shop selling Hainanese style curry rice caught my eye. I love Hainanese curry rice which I have tried a few in Singapore and this was the first time I stumbled upon one in Johor. While checking out the Hainanese curry rice shop, I noticed a familiar gentleman at a table in the shop.



I recognised the gentleman as Jacky, a well known Malaysian food commentator who writes in Chinese.

I initially hesitated to walk up and introduce myself to a perfect stranger but the desire to connect with a fellow foodie just got the better of me. So I stepped up, asked the gentleman if he was indeed Jacky. Jacky replied in the affirmative, and I then introduced myself.

I was barely a few words into my self introduction when Jacky invited me to join him for lunch. Jacky was about to have a food tasting session at Lu San 庐山!

Jacky has not visited Johor Kaki blog before but that didn't bother him at all. It seemed the vibes between foodies are so instinctive, we clicked instantly. We were quickly engrossed in foodie talk like we were old friends who had not met for a long time.

Jacky, who told me he is a Kluangite, has been a food commentator for over 20 years. Jacky is a very big hearted, warm and generous man. Without hesitation, Jacky dug into his bag and presented me a signed copy of one of his feature magazines. Jackie also shared with me a few foodie insights and photography tips. For example, Jackie shared that he sometimes deliberately take pictures of half finished food. Jackie felt that half finished food is more realistic, gives the food "a human touch" and captures its deliciousness. I agree wholeheartedly :)



Lu San 庐山 was founded in the 1960s and the famous Hainanese kopitiam is now run by the third generation owner. From the animated conversation over lunch, it was obvious that Jackie and Mr Wee, Lu San's boss, are passionate about food.



The iconic Hainanese curry chicken. At Lu San, the chicken meat was slightly firm but still tender. The thick, savoury curry was fragrant and not overly spicy.



The curry chicken was made with many spices and herbs but no santan. For curry lovers who must have rich creamy santan in their curry, Lu San provides the lemak version of curry separately. Many people like to flood (banjir) their plate of rice with this spicy curry. I like this way of eating my curry rice too :P



Lu San's signature braised belly pork was also pleasing. The meat had just the right tenderness and bouncy mouth feel. The braising sauce was mild and does not get in the way of the natural pork flavours.

Beside the staple signature curry chicken and braised belly pork, Lu San also serves a wide variety of other side dishes.



Stir fried tofu in savoury gravy.



Braised tofu and eggs.



This simple stir fried vegetable was a surprise. It was refreshing, crunchy and savoury. Jacky and I both loved this.



Ngo hiang or Chinese style meat roll.



I liked this soup loaded with fish balls, fish cakes, tau puey (fried tofu "skin") and greens. The soup was sweet and savoury from all the ingredients and stock bones.



Well, one cannot step in and out of a Hainanese kopitiam or restaurant without drinking a cup of Hainanese coffee. So, we all had a cuppa of kopi o kau after our sumptuous meal. 



This dark, full bodied, smooth and fragrant coffee was made by the lady boss. Must try this, if you are at Lu San, and a coffee lover.



Jacky's customary trademark picture with the owners after the food tasting session.



Today's Muar experience was almost surreal. Walking up to a perfect stranger, striking up a conversation and settling down together to a sumptuous lunch together like we were long lost old pals, wow... This was one of my most memorable days since I started Johor Kaki blog.

Rating: 2-Star



Restaurant name: Kedai Kopi Lu San 庐山茶室
Address: 33, Jalan Haji Abu, Muar, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/zefGq
GPS: 2.047173,102.568305
Hours: 9:00am to 3:00pm
Non Halal

Date visited: 17 Mar 2013

Time and again, during my food hunting trips, I meet the most interesting and fun people that make my day. Last Sunday was one of the most interesting days since I started Johor Kaki blog.

I was stopping over in Muar on the way to Kuala Lumpur for the NTV7 filming of the final episode of the "Foodie Blogger" 爱食客 series. After parking my car, I walked around Muar's "Glutton Street" 麻坡贪吃街 to hunt for good food.

While stepping in and out of the fascinating kopitiams along "Glutton Street", the corner shop selling Hainanese style curry rice caught my eye. I love Hainanese curry rice which I have tried a few in Singapore and this was the first time I stumbled upon one in Johor. While checking out the Hainanese curry rice shop, I noticed a familiar gentleman at a table in the shop.



I recognised the gentleman as Jacky, a well known Malaysian food commentator who writes in Chinese.

I initially hesitated to walk up and introduce myself to a perfect stranger but the desire to connect with a fellow foodie just got the better of me. So I stepped up, asked the gentleman if he was indeed Jacky. Jacky replied in the affirmative, and I then introduced myself.

I was barely a few words into my self introduction when Jacky invited me to join him for lunch. Jacky was about to have a food tasting session at Lu San 庐山!

Jacky has not visited Johor Kaki blog before but that didn't bother him at all. It seemed the vibes between foodies are so instinctive, we clicked instantly. We were quickly engrossed in foodie talk like we were old friends who had not met for a long time.

Jacky, who told me he is a Kluangite, has been a food commentator for over 20 years. Jacky is a very big hearted, warm and generous man. Without hesitation, Jacky dug into his bag and presented me a signed copy of one of his feature magazines. Jackie also shared with me a few foodie insights and photography tips. For example, Jackie shared that he sometimes deliberately take pictures of half finished food. Jackie felt that half finished food is more realistic, gives the food "a human touch" and captures its deliciousness. I agree wholeheartedly :)



Lu San 庐山 was founded in the 1960s and the famous Hainanese kopitiam is now run by the third generation owner. From the animated conversation over lunch, it was obvious that Jackie and Mr Wee, Lu San's boss, are passionate about food.



The iconic Hainanese curry chicken. At Lu San, the chicken meat was slightly firm but still tender. The thick, savoury curry was fragrant and not overly spicy.



The curry chicken was made with many spices and herbs but no santan. For curry lovers who must have rich creamy santan in their curry, Lu San provides the lemak version of curry separately. Many people like to flood (banjir) their plate of rice with this spicy curry. I like this way of eating my curry rice too :P



Lu San's signature braised belly pork was also pleasing. The meat had just the right tenderness and bouncy mouth feel. The braising sauce was mild and does not get in the way of the natural pork flavours.

Beside the staple signature curry chicken and braised belly pork, Lu San also serves a wide variety of other side dishes.



Stir fried tofu in savoury gravy.



Braised tofu and eggs.



This simple stir fried vegetable was a surprise. It was refreshing, crunchy and savoury. Jacky and I both loved this.



Ngo hiang or Chinese style meat roll.



I liked this soup loaded with fish balls, fish cakes, tau puey (fried tofu "skin") and greens. The soup was sweet and savoury from all the ingredients and stock bones.



Well, one cannot step in and out of a Hainanese kopitiam or restaurant without drinking a cup of Hainanese coffee. So, we all had a cuppa of kopi o kau after our sumptuous meal. 



This dark, full bodied, smooth and fragrant coffee was made by the lady boss. Must try this, if you are at Lu San, and a coffee lover.



Jacky's customary trademark picture with the owners after the food tasting session.



Today's Muar experience was almost surreal. Walking up to a perfect stranger, striking up a conversation and settling down together to a sumptuous lunch together like we were long lost old pals, wow... This was one of my most memorable days since I started Johor Kaki blog.

Rating: 2-Star



Restaurant name: Kedai Kopi Lu San 庐山茶室
Address: 33, Jalan Haji Abu, Muar, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/zefGq
GPS: 2.047173,102.568305
Hours: 9:00am to 3:00pm
Non Halal

Date visited: 17 Mar 2013

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Curry Fish Head at Restoran Jay Bee Garden J.B. 園咖哩鱼头小食馆 in Taman Skudai Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Restoran Jay Bee Garden in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah is a cosy popular neighbourhood restaurant where local families go for tasty dishes at reasonable prices.

Jay Bee Garden had been in business for over twenty years and started as a small stall in a kopitiam.

 

 

Mdm Kung, the lady boss commands the kitchen with a team of capable Indonesian helpers while her son and younger brother took care of the customers.

We tried Jay Bee Garden's curry fish head which is Jay Bee Garden's best seller and claim to fame.

This curry fish head for two at RM30
 

The first thing I note of any curry fish head is the freshness of the fish. Jay Bee Garden got top marks for freshness. At Jay Bee Garden, they took pains to ensure that only the freshest fish is served.


Mdm Kung's son goes to the fish market every business day at 3:00am to select the freshest Red Snappers. Jay Bee garden will close for the day's business when the day's fish are sold out, usually by 8:30pm on weekdays, earlier on weekends. So at Jay Bee Garden, all fish are served within the same day from being caught.

Jay Bee Garden's curry is spicy yet not overly hot. The curry had robust flavours and had body yet it was not overly lemak. The heavy bodied curry felt grainy from the ground spices in it. I like this curry that relied on ground spices for its flavours and body.

Jay Bee Garden's signature tofu and fish crackle topping. Crackly like a biscuit with a nice savoury taste but I am not really a fan of such distracting frills (in my opinion).

Mdm Kung graciously let me watched her in the kitchen. Oh Mdm Kung who is so visibly passionate about cooking was such a maestro in the kitchen. It was such a joy to watch her at work, putting her heart and soul into every dish that she turned out in the kitchen.

Here's how Jay Bee Garden turn out their famous curry fish head.

 

The fresh snapper fish head was first briefly boiled in hot water.

 

Mdm Kung adding the boiled fish head into the claypot of creamy curry. 

 

The fish head cooking in the claypot of spicy curry.

 

 

When the fish head was almost done, Mdm Kung added in the freshly cut Lady's Fingers, cabbages, tau pok and so on.

 

 

When everything is cooked, throw in a few pieces of Jay Bee Garden's signature fried tofu and fish crackles, and the curry fish head is ready to serve.

 

Besides their signature curry fish head, Jay Bee Garden is also well known for their steamed fish, either Hong Kong or Teochew style.

 

 

Another customer's order. Jay Bee Garden's fried Red Snapper in light soy sauce.

 

Jay Bee Garden also serves a variety of other side dishes.

 

Mdm Kung frying her popular fried egg. Watching Mdm Kung, she turned the seemingly simple task of frying an egg into an art. A must order, if only to try :))

 

This fried sweet potato leaves seemed to be the the favourite side dish for customers who ordered the curry fish head.

Another popular vegetable side dish, "kaw kee cai" in Hokkien, not sure what it is called in English.

If you like curry fish head, give Jay Bee Garden a try. It is one of the best in Johor. I shall be back to try Mdm Kung's other dishes.

Restaurant name: Restoran Jay Bee Garden J.B. 園咖哩鱼头小食馆
Address: 165, Jalan Pendekar 2, Taman Skudai Bahru (near Taman Ungku Tun Aminah), Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/57grh
GPS: 1.518446,103.651875
Hours: 10:30am to 3:00pm and 5:30 to 8:30pm (closed on Monday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 6 Dec 2012

Restoran Jay Bee Garden in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah is a cosy popular neighbourhood restaurant where local families go for tasty dishes at reasonable prices.

Jay Bee Garden had been in business for over twenty years and started as a small stall in a kopitiam.

 

 

Mdm Kung, the lady boss commands the kitchen with a team of capable Indonesian helpers while her son and younger brother took care of the customers.

We tried Jay Bee Garden's curry fish head which is Jay Bee Garden's best seller and claim to fame.

This curry fish head for two at RM30
 

The first thing I note of any curry fish head is the freshness of the fish. Jay Bee Garden got top marks for freshness. At Jay Bee Garden, they took pains to ensure that only the freshest fish is served.


Mdm Kung's son goes to the fish market every business day at 3:00am to select the freshest Red Snappers. Jay Bee garden will close for the day's business when the day's fish are sold out, usually by 8:30pm on weekdays, earlier on weekends. So at Jay Bee Garden, all fish are served within the same day from being caught.

Jay Bee Garden's curry is spicy yet not overly hot. The curry had robust flavours and had body yet it was not overly lemak. The heavy bodied curry felt grainy from the ground spices in it. I like this curry that relied on ground spices for its flavours and body.

Jay Bee Garden's signature tofu and fish crackle topping. Crackly like a biscuit with a nice savoury taste but I am not really a fan of such distracting frills (in my opinion).

Mdm Kung graciously let me watched her in the kitchen. Oh Mdm Kung who is so visibly passionate about cooking was such a maestro in the kitchen. It was such a joy to watch her at work, putting her heart and soul into every dish that she turned out in the kitchen.

Here's how Jay Bee Garden turn out their famous curry fish head.

 

The fresh snapper fish head was first briefly boiled in hot water.

 

Mdm Kung adding the boiled fish head into the claypot of creamy curry. 

 

The fish head cooking in the claypot of spicy curry.

 

 

When the fish head was almost done, Mdm Kung added in the freshly cut Lady's Fingers, cabbages, tau pok and so on.

 

 

When everything is cooked, throw in a few pieces of Jay Bee Garden's signature fried tofu and fish crackles, and the curry fish head is ready to serve.

 

Besides their signature curry fish head, Jay Bee Garden is also well known for their steamed fish, either Hong Kong or Teochew style.

 

 

Another customer's order. Jay Bee Garden's fried Red Snapper in light soy sauce.

 

Jay Bee Garden also serves a variety of other side dishes.

 

Mdm Kung frying her popular fried egg. Watching Mdm Kung, she turned the seemingly simple task of frying an egg into an art. A must order, if only to try :))

 

This fried sweet potato leaves seemed to be the the favourite side dish for customers who ordered the curry fish head.

Another popular vegetable side dish, "kaw kee cai" in Hokkien, not sure what it is called in English.

If you like curry fish head, give Jay Bee Garden a try. It is one of the best in Johor. I shall be back to try Mdm Kung's other dishes.

Restaurant name: Restoran Jay Bee Garden J.B. 園咖哩鱼头小食馆
Address: 165, Jalan Pendekar 2, Taman Skudai Bahru (near Taman Ungku Tun Aminah), Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/57grh
GPS: 1.518446,103.651875
Hours: 10:30am to 3:00pm and 5:30 to 8:30pm (closed on Monday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 6 Dec 2012

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