JOHOR – Dining and shopping in Johor Bahru are no longer as cheap as one might expect, especially at the malls. Prices are fast becoming comparable with those in Singapore, even with the advantageous exchange rate.
However, there are some restaurants where you can still get excellent value for your ringgit.
Savour delicious whole roast suckling pig at Restoran Pekin KK or sink your teeth into crispy Peking duck carved tableside at Dragon-i Peking Duck Restaurant.
These four eateries are worth the splurge.
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Restoran Pekin KK: Bewitching roast suckling pig
Where: Restoran Pekin KK, No. 63, Jalan Tanjong 2, Taman Desa Cemerlang, 81800 Ulu Tiram, Johor; tel: +607-571-2011, +601-6702-8325
Open: 11am to 10pm daily
Restoran Pekin KK in Taman Desa Cemerlang is slightly more than 30 minutes by car from Johor Bahru’s city centre, but I brave the distance because I am besotted with the restaurant’s roast suckling pig (RM368++ or S$106 for a whole pig).
The restaurant chain has five outlets, including one in Taman Sentosa which is just 13 minutes by car from the city centre. But I detour to the Taman Desa Cemerlang restaurant, its largest, because I have enjoyed every one of my visits there since 2019.
The restaurant has a seating capacity of 2,000 – 500 in its main dining hall and 1,500 in its three ballrooms.
Given how the eatery is a little out of the way, most of its customers are local, with few Singaporeans in sight.
It was Ms Tan Yoke Fong, the 47-year-old owner of zi char stall Fatty Fong Seafood Restaurant in New Upper Changi Road, who recommended the outlet to me. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the restaurant allowed diners to order half a roast suckling pig, without the need for advance orders. Now, diners have to order at least a day ahead for a whole pig.
The roast suckling pig at Restoran Pekin KK is the perfect size, not the bigger “golden pig” that you usually find at restaurants in Singapore. It is also roasted from scratch.
Many restaurants now get pre-roasted pigs from roast meat suppliers, which have a meaty odour and often come with an obligatory golden crispy crackling – not what I look for in roast suckling pig.
At Restoran Pekin KK, the suckling pig has a reddish crackling with a smooth, shiny finish. In Chinese, it is called “liang pi”, which translates to “shiny skin”.
The crackling is delicately thin and has hardly any visible fat.
The head would be perfect for cooking cai buay, a stew of leftovers that uses mustard greens and roasted meats. But as it is not possible to take it home to Singapore, I ask for it to be cut up, so I can nibble on the crispy skin.
Biting into the little crispy trotters is a thrill.
I like how the pig is served without embellishment, save for a few sticks of cucumber at the side.
The marinade seems to have changed slightly since I last dined there in 2019. The underside of the meat is coated with the chef’s blend of sauces and spices that includes chilli sauce. I would prefer the chilli to be omitted.
Other than that, it is hard to find fault with a dish impossible to get in Singapore without breaking the bank.
Restoran Pekin KK also has a fine selection of live seafood swishing about in display tanks at the entrance.
A dish worth splurging on is the live South Australian Lobster (RM688++ a kg), the swankiest type of lobster at the restaurant. A 1.2kg one comes up to RM825.60++, and it is worth every ringgit.
I opt to have it cooked simply in superior broth, so as not to overpower the natural lobster flavour. It is supremely meaty, juicy and firm yet tender in texture.
I order the live Scotland Bamboo Clams (RM29.80++ each) too, steamed in soya sauce with garlic and glass noodles, but I have to say the ones at Grand Bayview Seafood Restaurant (read on) are much meatier and bouncier in texture. The bamboo clams have to be ordered in advance.
Do note that vegetable dishes are not a strength of the kitchen. They usually turn out drenched in sauce, such as a dish of locally grown you mai cai (Chinese Lettuce, RM20++), cooked with fermented beancurd.
End your dinner with the Hainanese Coconut Shake (RM18++ for small, RM48++ for large).
The small version is good for two to four diners to share and the large will probably feed eight people.
The shaved ice, made with a mix of fresh coconut milk and cow’s milk, has a powdery melt-in-the-mouth texture. It is not too sweet and comes with red beans, sweetcorn and raisins.
I had worried if Restoran Pekin KK would survive the pandemic, and am glad to see it thriving now. The interior was refurbished earlier in 2023 and the place feels shiny and new.
I marvel at how the restaurant now deploys a robot waiter to send dishes from the kitchen to the tables. The service crew then seamlessly serve the dishes.
Each table in the main dining area has a trolley for placing a teapot, a water flask and small plates and bowls. This frees up space on the table for diners to enjoy their meal without extra crockery getting in the way.
Grand Bayview Seafood Restaurant: Destination for seafood lovers
Where: Grand Bayview Seafood Restaurant, Lot PTD 21349, Batu 3 1/2, Jalan Skudai, Danga Bay, 80200 Johor Bahru, Johor; tel: +607-226-1688
Open: 11.30am to 11pm daily
Hit this spot for premium seafood. Book ahead and ask for an outdoor table where you can enjoy the cool evening sea breeze.
The restaurant has a stunning display of live seafood tanks, with premium fish ranging from Tai Sin red grouper (RM28++ per 100g) to ikan empurau (RM68++ per 100g).
What I like is that the live seafood prices are clearly indicated. The staff also take care to inform you about the weight of the seafood selected.
They will then suggest a few cooking styles. The seafood is cooked in an open kitchen.
I start the meal with live oysters from the United States, served raw (RM23++ each). Although the oysters are fresh, I will skip this course on my next visit, as crushed ice was mystifyingly heaped on top of the oyster meat. A bottle of Tabasco sauce came swimming in the platter of melting ice, along with the oysters.
Go for the cooked seafood dishes instead.
Not to be missed is the Philippines Sea Melon clams cooked in kam heong sauce.
The huge clams cost RM75++ a kg. My plate of eight joyously meaty clams, weighing 1.05kg, cost RM78.75++.
The clam meat is taken out from the shells, sliced into bite-size morsels, rearranged in the shells and doused in a fragrant savoury sauce. The addictive sauce is aromatic with curry leaves and piquant with chilli.
While the restaurant prides itself on its chilli crab, I decide to try the black pepper crab instead.
My 850g crab, which costs RM187++, is packed with meat which sticks to the shell – a sign of freshness. The thick luscious black pepper sauce is punchy with heat.
I order a 700g live Australian lobster, baked with superior stock, and it sets me back RM278.60++. The lobster meat is firm and sweet, but the overly salty gravy gets in the way of my enjoyment. For lobster, I prefer Restoran Pekin KK’s version.
If available, do order the succulent Scotland Giant Razor Shells (RM25++ each), cooked in garlic, soya sauce and glass noodles. The sweetness of the razor clams shines through the sauce and I like how the garlic does not overpower the dish.
The French beans (RM20++ for small), topped with a heap of light and crispy preserved radish and dried prawns, is easily one of the best vegetable dishes I have had in Johor Bahru.
Dragon-i Peking Duck Restaurant: Piping-hot duck carved tableside
Where: Dragon-i Peking Duck Restaurant, Lot No. J3-35 and J3-36, Level 3, Johor Bahru City Square, 106-108 Jalan Wong Ah Fook, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor; Tel: +607-222-1288
Open: 11am to 2.30pm, 5 to 9.30pm (Mondays to Thursdays); 11am to 9.30pm (Fridays to Sundays)
Located at the popular Johor Bahru City Square, Dragon-i Peking Duck Restaurant draws long queues during meal times. Head there early to snag a table.
At first glance, the colour of the Peking Duck (RM188++) is glaringly orange and lacks the attractive crimson hue one usually expects.
When you order the dish, the service staff will tell you that the duck meat comes sliced with the skin and there is no option of having the meat cooked in another dish. But customers can pack the remaining duck bones for takeaway.
Service is brisk, bordering on brusque, but the food arrives quickly.
The piping hot duck is carved tableside, and the smoke that emits from the duck’s cavity as the chef carves makes the wait appetising.
The crisp skin from the backbone of the duck and the drumsticks are served first, so you can start digging in, while the chef slices up the remainder.
Each duck comes with handmade pancakes to use as wrappers. There are cucumber sticks, julienned spring onion and a savoury sauce for condiments.
The remaining boneless duck meat, well marinated and juicy, is served on a duck-shaped plate. I like how lean the duck is, with hardly any fat visible under the skin.
While waiting for your duck, try the dim sum dishes, such as the Shanghai Xiao Long Bao (RM13.80++). The dumplings are suitably soupy and the meat filling tastes fresh.
I also like the Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables (RM28++), which come with snow pea pods, crinkle-cut carrots, crunchy fresh huai shan (Chinese yam), lotus seeds and lotus root slices. The unusual mix is a textural delight.
The filling of the Deep-fried Prawn And Water Chestnut Rolls (RM22.80++) is bouncy from the prawn paste and crunchy bits of water chestnut.
Skip the Deep-fried Silver Fish (RM28.80++). The portion is small, and the fried batter tastes limp.
Tokyo Japanese Cuisine: Casual spot for sake and sashimi
Where: Tokyo Japanese Cuisine, T-042 Level 3 (North Court), The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, Persiaran Southkey 1, 80150, Johor Bahru, Johor; tel: +601-9710-8090
Open: 11am to 10pm daily
One of the hottest spots in Johor Bahru drawing hordes of locals and Singaporeans is The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, which opened in 2019.
It is one of the largest malls in the southern part of West Malaysia. There are plenty of dining options, but if you are looking for a quick sushi and sashimi fix, the unimaginatively named Tokyo Japanese Cuisine offers a decent selection.
I sail in at noon, but notice that the restaurant fills up quickly from 12.30pm. I get a cosy booth table with tied-back curtains, which offers some privacy compared with the tables in the open.
The restaurant offers affordably priced set meals ranging from RM22.90++ for the Deep-fried Marinated Chicken Set to RM34.90++ for the Sashimi And Grilled Chicken Cutlet With Teriyaki Set.
I skip these in favour of a la carte items to pair with the floral-tasting Awa Hakutsuru sparkling sake (RM45++ for a 300ml bottle).
My salmon-loving dining companion gets the Shake No Oyako (RM61++), which comes with four slices of salmon, four slices of salmon belly and ikura (salmon roe).
The restaurant serves decent sushi made by a Malaysian chef. Try the Hamachi Sushi (yellowtail, RM11.90 a piece), Nama Otoro Sushi (fatty tuna belly, RM24.90 a piece), Hamachi Toro Sushi (yellowtail belly, RM11.90 a piece) and Botan Ebi Sushi (Botan shrimp, RM21.90 a piece).
The sushi rice is fluffy and not too tightly packed together, without breaking apart.
The seafood is tasty, especially the botan shrimp, which is sweet and firm.
For sashimi, I order the Nami Nami Sashimi (RM95++), a mixed platter comprising botan ebi, amaebi (sweet shrimp) and Argentina red shrimp.
The Hamachi Sashimi (five slices of yellowtail, RM62++) and Hotate Kaibashira Sashimi (five slices of Hokkaido scallop, RM39++) are fresh and sweet.
The platter of raw seafood is pretty, but takes almost 45 minutes to arrive and is served at the end of my meal, long after my hot food orders.
Avoid the Pilikara Tantan Men (ramen soup with chicken mince, RM25.90++), which has a disappointingly diluted broth, though the noodles are springy.
I also order the Truffle With Koebi Karage (Deep Fried Small Shrimp With Truffle, RM21.90++), and the restaurant accedes to my request to omit the truffle oil. The batter of the shrimp is light and airy, and the dish is not overly salty.
While not a restaurant I will go out of my way to dine at, I will probably head there the next time I find myself in The Mall and hankering after Japanese cuisine.
