Johor Bahru, the capital of the southern Malaysian state of Johor, is known for its diverse culinary scene. The city is home to many Chinese restaurants that serve a wide variety of delicious and affordable dishes. Here are some of the most popular Chinese restaurants in Johor Bahru:
Chinese Restaurant In JB #1 - Restaurant Ya Huang
A shop that pioneered herbal roast ducks in Johor Bahru, Restaurant Ya Huang has a towering reputation. It is famous for its signature dish, herbal roasted duck. They also have an option of Ten Wonder Herbs gravy. The time they use to cook the duck meat is just right, making it tender and juicy. The angelica herb gravy added to the duck brings a special flavor to their roasted duck. It has a great balance of savory, sweet, and herbal flavours.
On top of their signature dish, you must try out their sweet caramelized char roast meat and crispy aromatic roasted pork. If you don’t want to go for plain rice, they also serve wonton noodles with a specially made sauce, thick noodles, and fried rice that compliments well with the meat dishes.
The restaurant’s exterior may look worn out, but don’t get freak out. It is air-conditioned and meticulously cleaned. You definitely can dine in comfort. With their towering reputation, they are an appointed adviser to the popular Dian Xiao Er 店小二 herbal roast duck franchise in Singapore. So what are you waiting for.
Chinese Restaurant In JB #2 - New Lucky
Been around for more than 40 years, and many locals have grown up eating at this zi char eatery. It is also popular among Singaporeans too. This is where you can see it is still full house, even after peak hour. They are all ready for a crowd. You get a choice of indoor and outdoor seats. If you want a bit of privacy, they have private dining rooms.
They don’t have a menu but several large, backlit boards in the alfresco area that shout out their signature dishes. Their fried kuey teow is one of their signatures. The moment you step in, you will see nearly every table ordering one plate of the kuey teow. For chicken lovers, you wouldn’t want to miss out on their Kampung Chicken. It has more bite and flavour compared to others.
There are plenty of dishes for you to try at this Chinese restaurant. Be prepared. There will be a crowd, so make sure you make a reservation, especially if you want a private room. Be prepared to wait if you don’t, but it is definitely worth it.
Chinese Restaurant In JB #3 - Restaurant Pekin
One of the largest chain Chinese restaurants in JB, Restaurant Pekin serves premium Chinese cuisine at very reasonable prices. It is definitely well-known among JB folks. They started off with a shop at Taman Sentosa, and now with a few branches. It is also one of the favourites in JB where JB folks will hold weddings, anniversaries, and celebrations there because their standards are consistent and dependable.
You will get to enjoy the food with traditional Chinese decor. Tables are lined in rows covered in white tables and lazy Susan. There will be instrumental music played in the background. When most restaurants provide nuts for you to nibble, you get the customary dish to nibble at Restaurant Pekin. You wouldn’t want to miss their Pekin duck, or Fried Rice Noodles.
Located in the most densely populated area in JB, it will be very convenient for you to get there. The restaurant can be very busy during peak hours. You will want to avoid it if you don’t like the crowd. It is definitely a place for a stopover for awesome Chinese food.
Chinese Restaurant In JB #4 - Restaurant Teck Sing
Are you craving paper-baked chicken? Restaurant Teck Sing is known for paper-baked chicken. Founded over 30 years, their paper-baked chicken remains on the menu, which is simply irresistible. Nearly every table will be ordering this item. The chicken will be served wrapped in parchment paper. There will be aromatic herbal steam as you tear open the paper. This cooking method helps to seal the flavour and aroma in the chicken, which is quite tasty.
Another popular dish is the fish head curry. You can’t resist eating it with your rice. You may want to order their oats prawns if you like seafood. You’ll find many well-sized, fresh-tasting prawns, even if you order a small portion. Their hock chew-style brinjal is cooked till tender and with minced meat and chopped scallions. There are many other dishes you can order from the menu.
Their service is quick and relatively efficient, and you don’t have to worry about waiting too long—a place where you can enjoy a proper Chinese meal, especially if you love paper-baked chicken.
Chinese Restaurant In JB #5 - MeiSan
With over 35 years of history in Johor Bahru, Meisan is one of the oldest restaurants in Johor Bahru. It was once closed in 2021 due to the closure of the Mutiara Hotel. It is now reopened at Berjaya Waterfront Hotel. The original chef Heng Yee Sing is helming the kitchen to ensure diners can still enjoy authentic classic Sichuan cuisine.
With their reopening, diners are now pampered with the east-meets-west menu. They retain most of their menu item from their previous location and have decided to add a few western items. You will want to try out their braise fish soup with pumpkin. The fish slices were submerged in a creamy sweet pumpkin soup. There were also hints of pepperiness. Their lamp chop is also one item that you don’t want to miss.
If you love Szechuan food, try out this restaurant. It definitely worth your trip. Very reasonable pricing given the food quality and ambiance.
Chinese food is something you can’t miss in Malaysia. Here are a few popular Chinese restaurants in JB that you can’t miss. As one of the few oldest Chinese restaurants in JB, their food definitely worth your try.
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