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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Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh in Johor Bahru

Hwa Mei 华美 亚B bak kut teh is in an inconspicuous part of Johor Bahru that attracts little, if any tourist traffic at all. Still, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B bak kut teh is full house everyday.



Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B bak kut teh is a very old name in Johor Bahru BKT. This shop has its roots 50 years ago in the push cart stall at the car park at the old Sungei Segget.  



Today, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh is run by Johnny, the third generation owner and his wife.



At Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B BKT, the entire process of cooking the bak kut teh is done with charcoal fire which requires constant attention to both the fire and the meat.



Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B bak kut teh is the only shop in Johor Bahru that still insists on using charcoal for all its cooking including cooking the rice and even just boiling the water for tea. Sticking to the traditional way for three generations, little wonder then that Hwa Mei's regular customers said that the tastes and flavours at Hwa Mei BKT hasn't changed.



This, of course, is the star at Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh. The meat was tender yet still had sufficient firmness for a bouncy bite. The firm meat was clinging to the bone yet tender enough to fall off with a light tug with the teeth.



The meat was naturally sweet and had a subtle, lovely porky flavour.



The broth was very mildly herbal and was savoury with slight saltiness. It was not overly greasy and I was comfortable enough to drink it all up. At Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh, customers can ask for soup top ups :)



This braised tofu was tender, spongy and heavily loaded with the braising sauce.



The savoury braising sauce gushes out with every bite of the tofu. Don't bite into this too fast if you don't want the braising sauce running down the corner of your mouth :P



Another customer's pork soup. This made my mouth water and I must come back for this soon.



The simple menu and price list are prominently displayed on the wall.

For those who are using public transport, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh is about 10 minutes walk from JB CIQ building.

Restaurant name: Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh

Address: 146, Jalan Lumba Kuda, Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru

Map: http://g.co/maps/f2esq
GPS: 1.460851,103.767564
Hours: 08:30am to 2:00pm (Monday off)

Non Halal

Dates visited: 31 Dec 2011, 17 Apr 2013, 4 Sep 2013

Hwa Mei 华美 亚B bak kut teh is in an inconspicuous part of Johor Bahru that attracts little, if any tourist traffic at all. Still, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B bak kut teh is full house everyday.



Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B bak kut teh is a very old name in Johor Bahru BKT. This shop has its roots 50 years ago in the push cart stall at the car park at the old Sungei Segget.  



Today, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh is run by Johnny, the third generation owner and his wife.



At Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B BKT, the entire process of cooking the bak kut teh is done with charcoal fire which requires constant attention to both the fire and the meat.



Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B bak kut teh is the only shop in Johor Bahru that still insists on using charcoal for all its cooking including cooking the rice and even just boiling the water for tea. Sticking to the traditional way for three generations, little wonder then that Hwa Mei's regular customers said that the tastes and flavours at Hwa Mei BKT hasn't changed.



This, of course, is the star at Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh. The meat was tender yet still had sufficient firmness for a bouncy bite. The firm meat was clinging to the bone yet tender enough to fall off with a light tug with the teeth.



The meat was naturally sweet and had a subtle, lovely porky flavour.



The broth was very mildly herbal and was savoury with slight saltiness. It was not overly greasy and I was comfortable enough to drink it all up. At Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh, customers can ask for soup top ups :)



This braised tofu was tender, spongy and heavily loaded with the braising sauce.



The savoury braising sauce gushes out with every bite of the tofu. Don't bite into this too fast if you don't want the braising sauce running down the corner of your mouth :P



Another customer's pork soup. This made my mouth water and I must come back for this soon.



The simple menu and price list are prominently displayed on the wall.

For those who are using public transport, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh is about 10 minutes walk from JB CIQ building.

Restaurant name: Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh

Address: 146, Jalan Lumba Kuda, Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru

Map: http://g.co/maps/f2esq
GPS: 1.460851,103.767564
Hours: 08:30am to 2:00pm (Monday off)

Non Halal

Dates visited: 31 Dec 2011, 17 Apr 2013, 4 Sep 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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Tung Po Rou Braised Pork Belly at Nan Bei 南北 Restaurant in Taman Gaya, Johor Bahru

 

 

I was doing my food spotting rounds at the new shoplots at Jalan Gaya 1 at Taman Gaya when I stumbled upon Nan Bei 南北 Restoran - a simple shop/stall that serves tung po rou 东坡肉 or braised belly pork, braised duck and chicken rice. But, what caught my attention was the tung po rou, which is normally found only in well appointed restaurants.

 

Actually, I was a little too early at the shop as the tung po rou was not ready for the day's business yet. So, I came back the next day as I was curious about how good the tung po rou might be, and I was eager to share my new find with readers.

We ordered just one piece of tung po rou to try. The set of one piece of tung po rou and rice costs RM7. Allan, the owner told us that the set may cost a bit more if the piece of braised pork is larger.

Allan's mother who is also at the shop makes the tung po rou using fresh pork everyday with a family recipe.

I was pleased with Nan Bei's tung po rou. The braising sauce was light, had a mild savoury flavour and tasted just right, and was not overly salty.

Pardon the cliché but the fat and skin were literally "melt in your mouth" tender. It was rich and smooth, almost like a cream with a smokey, sweet, savoury flavour. This was what made tung po rou so irresistible to me.

The lean meat was also tender but it would have been absolutely perfect for me, if it had been even softer. Others, however, felt that the lean meat was "tender enough".

Expert foodies say that the ultimate tung po rou is about the creamy, smokey, savoury layer of "melt in your mouth" pork fat. The meat is just a side show. I think this is what they are talking about.

If you want to have very good tung po rou for lunch or early dinner at a reasonable price, then Nan Bei is well worth a try.



Restaurant name: Nan Bei Restoran 南北
Address: 68, Jalan Gaya 1, Taman Gaya
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/sfGrT
GPS: 1.563158,103.800834
Hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 16 Jan 2013

 

 

I was doing my food spotting rounds at the new shoplots at Jalan Gaya 1 at Taman Gaya when I stumbled upon Nan Bei 南北 Restoran - a simple shop/stall that serves tung po rou 东坡肉 or braised belly pork, braised duck and chicken rice. But, what caught my attention was the tung po rou, which is normally found only in well appointed restaurants.

 

Actually, I was a little too early at the shop as the tung po rou was not ready for the day's business yet. So, I came back the next day as I was curious about how good the tung po rou might be, and I was eager to share my new find with readers.

We ordered just one piece of tung po rou to try. The set of one piece of tung po rou and rice costs RM7. Allan, the owner told us that the set may cost a bit more if the piece of braised pork is larger.

Allan's mother who is also at the shop makes the tung po rou using fresh pork everyday with a family recipe.

I was pleased with Nan Bei's tung po rou. The braising sauce was light, had a mild savoury flavour and tasted just right, and was not overly salty.

Pardon the cliché but the fat and skin were literally "melt in your mouth" tender. It was rich and smooth, almost like a cream with a smokey, sweet, savoury flavour. This was what made tung po rou so irresistible to me.

The lean meat was also tender but it would have been absolutely perfect for me, if it had been even softer. Others, however, felt that the lean meat was "tender enough".

Expert foodies say that the ultimate tung po rou is about the creamy, smokey, savoury layer of "melt in your mouth" pork fat. The meat is just a side show. I think this is what they are talking about.

If you want to have very good tung po rou for lunch or early dinner at a reasonable price, then Nan Bei is well worth a try.



Restaurant name: Nan Bei Restoran 南北
Address: 68, Jalan Gaya 1, Taman Gaya
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/sfGrT
GPS: 1.563158,103.800834
Hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm (Closed on Sunday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 16 Jan 2013

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Ah Soon 亚顺肉骨茶 Bak Kut Teh in Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

We have been regular customers at Ah Soon bak kut teh 亚顺肉骨茶 in Taman Sri Tebrau for more than a decade. We especially love their excellent sesame oil chicken and also liked their popular bak kut teh.

 

Through all these years, Ah Soon still has a loyal following in a very crowded market of bak kut teh shops in JB, with new shops sprouting up literally every other week.

 

 

Ah Soon's bak kut teh come in a piping hot claypot with chunks of blanched looking meat in a light looking steaming, furiously bubbling herbal broth.

 

Typically Teochew style, the flavours were delicate and relied on the fresh natural sweetness of the pork for taste.

Nothing overpowering in terms of saltiness, sweetness or smell of herbs - just exquisite delicate flavours in a buzzing, crammed, anything goes kopitiam setting.

 

The preserved, soft green vegetable was only slightly satly and dominant tastes were sweet and tangy. Works well to whet the appetite for the chunks of meat in the claypot.

 

I like their specially blended syrupy black sauce which was sweet and salty. Drizzle it over the fresh hot cut chili and eat it with the lightly flavoured chunks of tender, chewy meat.

 

Chewing the complex tastes of sweet, salty, spicy hot gelled with the smoky texture of tender fat and lean pork makes a delightful treat for the taste buds.

We will be back for Ah Soon's bak kut teh for many more years to come  :)

 

Restaurant name: Kedai Makanan Ah Soon Bak Kut Teh 亚顺肉骨茶

Address: 141, Jalan Keris Satu, Taman Sri Tebrau, 80050 Johor Bahru

Map: http://g.co/maps/u8gsk
GPS: 1.488715,103.767457
Hours: 8:00am to 3:00pm (off on Mondays) 8:00am to 3:00pm (Closed on Monday)

Non Halal

Date visited: 28 Dec 2011, 4 Sep 2012

We have been regular customers at Ah Soon bak kut teh 亚顺肉骨茶 in Taman Sri Tebrau for more than a decade. We especially love their excellent sesame oil chicken and also liked their popular bak kut teh.

 

Through all these years, Ah Soon still has a loyal following in a very crowded market of bak kut teh shops in JB, with new shops sprouting up literally every other week.

 

 

Ah Soon's bak kut teh come in a piping hot claypot with chunks of blanched looking meat in a light looking steaming, furiously bubbling herbal broth.

 

Typically Teochew style, the flavours were delicate and relied on the fresh natural sweetness of the pork for taste.

Nothing overpowering in terms of saltiness, sweetness or smell of herbs - just exquisite delicate flavours in a buzzing, crammed, anything goes kopitiam setting.

 

The preserved, soft green vegetable was only slightly satly and dominant tastes were sweet and tangy. Works well to whet the appetite for the chunks of meat in the claypot.

 

I like their specially blended syrupy black sauce which was sweet and salty. Drizzle it over the fresh hot cut chili and eat it with the lightly flavoured chunks of tender, chewy meat.

 

Chewing the complex tastes of sweet, salty, spicy hot gelled with the smoky texture of tender fat and lean pork makes a delightful treat for the taste buds.

We will be back for Ah Soon's bak kut teh for many more years to come  :)

 

Restaurant name: Kedai Makanan Ah Soon Bak Kut Teh 亚顺肉骨茶

Address: 141, Jalan Keris Satu, Taman Sri Tebrau, 80050 Johor Bahru

Map: http://g.co/maps/u8gsk
GPS: 1.488715,103.767457
Hours: 8:00am to 3:00pm (off on Mondays) 8:00am to 3:00pm (Closed on Monday)

Non Halal

Date visited: 28 Dec 2011, 4 Sep 2012

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