RachelleContributed by withrachelle
Thinking of making a quick trip to Johor for some cheap and delicious food? While there is no shortage of cheap eateries in Johor, the food may be lacklustre (and not worth the calorie count). As such, you should drop by these eateries for delicious food that won’t disappoint.
1. Restoran Kam Long
Located at a convenient spot near City Square Mall Johor, Restoran Kam Long is a popular spot for the discerning foodie. The restaurant uses a fresh red snapper fish head as the main ingredient for their signature dish, the curry fish head, and accompanies the fish head with generous serving of cabbage, lady fingers, long beans and fried beancurd skin. After that, they cook the fish head in a claypot over strong fire.
The restaurant only starts cooking their curry fish head upon receiving orders to ensure each pot is served to their customer bubbling piping hot and fresh. The fish meat is firm and fresh; and their gravy is tasteful and fragrant thanks to a blend of spices and sweetness from the coconut milk. And don’t underestimate the power of this Curry Fish Head either. After all, people are willing to queue 45 minutes to 1 hour queue just for it. But good food is worth waiting for, right?
Address: 74, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
2. Restoran Ya Wang
Restoran Ya Wang boldly claims to be the consultant for Singapore Dian Xiao Er so you can imagine how good their herbal duck must be. The restaurant offer duck done two ways here: Herbal duck and Pipa Duck. I liked how crispy the Pipa duck was but I found the meat a bit too tough. The herbal duck on the other hand was better than the Pipa duck. I liked the strong herbal taste and the delicate meat the duck has that is firm yet not overly tough coupled with a lightly crisp skin. The herbal taste was obvious just eating the duck alone.
And the best part of the fabulous duck here? It is only half the price of Singapore’s Dian Xiao Er! Ya Wang is located a little further away, a 10 minutes walk from the City Square Mall.
Address: No. 28, Jalan Segget, Johor, 80000 Johor Bahru, Malaysia
3. Jang Won Korean Food
Jang Won is a hidden gem in Johor. Not many people know of this place yet, which might be due to its location. We took a taxi to visit this restaurant at the Stulang Laut area, which is just a quick 5–10 minutes drive from City Square Mall. The taxi ride cost only RM 6–8 which is quite a steal to get good food!
What’s so great about this place? Firstly, the environment was air-conditioned and spacious so you will not have to deal with the tropical heat. Secondly, they have quite a variety of food to choose from. The restaurant has all sorts of Korean food, from Korean BBQ, Jjigae to foods like Pancakes, Bibimbap and Seafood. They have both combo sets and ala-carte items you can choose from.
Prices were decent given the portion size and quality of food. Expect to pay around RM 25–50 (SGD 8.91–17.83) for BBQ items, depending on the types of meat you ordered and RM 15–30 (SGD 5.35–10.70) for other kinds of food, almost at one third to half the price of Korean food outlets in Singapore.
For any mains you order, you will get 12 varieties of sides that are refillable and a steamed egg. Also, the staff there will help you grill your BBQ meats, so you can basically just concentrate on eating the delicious food that is right in front of you! I found that the BBQ meats was marinated well and they were perfectly done as they were not too tough and chewy. The Jjigae is large enough to be shared between 3–4 people. And the soup base is thick and flavourful with many ingredients in it.
We ordered 2 meats for the BBQ and Kimchi Jjigae which only cost us around RM 70 (SGD 24.96)! The meal is really value for money I would say! And there was free ice cream after meal too. The staff were really friendly as well.
Address: Johor Bahru Town K3-211, Kompleks Perniagaan Taman Stulang Laut, Jalan Ibrahim Sultan, Stulang Laut, Johor, 80300, Malaysia
Also read: 21 Famous Local Foods to Travel The World For
4. Lok Lok Stall Behind Taman Sentosa (near a Shell petrol station)
Along the same stretch of road as the famous Restoran Ah Piaw Wanton Mee and Abalone Noodle is one of the most popular supper places in Johor. I always like to go there for some Lok Lok after a seafood dinner at Taman Sentosa. When I do not, the meal feels a little incomplete.
They have a huge variety of food which includes veggies, balls, meats, internal organs and seafood! The sticks are labelled with various colours which will correspond to the pricing stated on the board. Most of the items will be deep fried for you. Once your items reach your table, you can dip one stick of food into the sauce of your choice, and it’s good to go!
Address: Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau
5. Taman Sentosa Seafood
What you can’t miss when you head toJohor is definitely the cheap yet high quality SEAFOOD FEASTS you can have! Prices for seafood are all almost half that of what you need to pay in Singapore.
These are the top 2 dishes I personally think everyone should try. You should try a steamed Crab to taste the original sweetness of the fresh crab. The Salted Egg Yolk Crayfish should not be missed either as the sauce is finger-licking good and very addictive! Other than those dishes listed above, you can pick your favourite dishes as well! The seafood here is generally fresh with a good portion size.
Address: Jalan Sutera, Taman Sentosa, 80150 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Also read: FOOD WAR! Singapore vs Malaysia – Who’s Better?
6. Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory
Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory is located in the same area as Restoran Ya Wang. Expect short to long queues depending on when you’re there. All their confectioneries are freshly baked using Wood Fire which makes their confectionaries exceptional. One thing that you can’t miss from this bakery shop is their Banana Cake – the cake is so soft, moist and airy. It also has a rich banana flavour and is subtly sweet. And a half box, which consists of 4–5 slices of banana cake, retails for only RM 4! It is great for a tea time snack or a breakfast treat!
Address: 13, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
