‘Cahaya Ramadan’ Buffet @ Riverside Restaurant, PWTC

Price Range : Mid-range  

Cuisine : Malaysian       

Recommended For : A good variety of authentic Malaysian flavours   

Catphobia-Friendly? : Yes

It’s that time of the year again. With Ramadhan just about to knock on our doors, along comes one of the favourite Malaysian things of the fasting month: Ramadhan buffets.

Kedai Makan New Eastern @ Jalan Abdullah, Muar

Price Range: Budget 
Cuisine: Kopitiam 
Recommended For: A trip down memory lane 
Catphobia-Friendly: Yep! 

Ever watched a P. Ramlee film and crave that beef steak he's having in one of those restaurants with them private booths? Well, we've found just the place for you! 

 

Kopi 434 @ Jalan Maharani, Muar

Price Range : Budget

Cuisine : Coffee   

Recommended For : A taste of Muar's famous coffee    

Catphobia-Friendly? : Yes

Came across this little nook on one of our random Sunday daytrips, this time to this rather bustling Johorean town. After a nostalgic lunch and mini tour around town, only one thing could complete our day. If you guessed coffee, you know us too well =)

One of the best moments in life is, undeniably, stepping into a coffee house and having that waft of roasting coffee just hit you! When in Muar, Kopi 434 is the place to have your caffeine fix. It is easily noticeable along Jalan Maharani with its bright yellow façade. What’s great about this place is that you can choose to have your drinks ‘espresso style’ or ‘local style’.

Restoran ZZ Sup Tulang @ Jalan Petri, Johor Bahru

Price Range : Budget

Cuisine : Malay (Johorean)

Recommended For : A sampling of one of Johor’s greatest culinary treasures

Catphobia-Friendly? : No. If you’re afraid of cats, better to sit at shacks with chairs rather than at the shacks where you have to sit cross-legged on the floor

Mee rebus tulang is synonymous with the southern state of Johor, and we took advantage of our quick stop in JB by sampling a bowl (or two). Yes, you can find places that sell mee rebus tulang in KL, but nothing comes close to what we had at Restoran ZZ Sup Tulang.

Thai Base @ Bandar Sri Damansara

Price Range : Mid-range 

Cuisine : Asian & Western 
Recommended For : A generally awesome meal 
Catphobia-Friendly? : Pretty much 


Thai Base. Sounds pretty offbeat for a restaurant, doesn't it? Which was why we were pretty sceptical when we were told to check this place out. We thank you, Azad, for introducing us to this unlikely, but now surely, favourite (we were so happy with this place, we actually came back again the next night for dinner).

On to the foods!

It Roo Cafe @ Jalan Dhoby, Johor Bahru

Budget Range	Mid-range
Type of Cuisine	Famed for their chicken chop
Recommended For	As abovementioned, a satisfying plate of deep-fried chicken fillet topped with mushroom gravy
Catphobia-Friendly	Yes! =)

Is it just us, or it’s pretty easy to find amazingly good chicken chops in JB? This was one of the top must-visit places on our food itinerary, and it’s so convenient how it’s located only a few steps away from our favourite chicken chop at Hua Mui! A comparison is thus inevitable...

Ikan Bakar Tip Top @ Medan Selera Sg Chat, Johor Bahru

Budget Range	Mid-range
Type of Cuisine	Seafood
Recommended For	One of the best ikan bakars in the country
Catphobia-Friendly	There’s nothing cat-free about seafood places

As with most of the eateries we’d ambushed in JB, this place came highly recommended for food seekers. We were told that Tip Top is THE place to go for the best seafood dishes in the southern city, and our experience there did not disappoint!

Roost Juice + Bar @ Jalan Dhoby, Johor Bahru

Price Range	Mid-range
Type of Cuisine	Asian & Western
Recommended For	What all cute cafes are for: engaging conversations over a cup of cappuccino in a gorgeous setting
Catphobia-Friendly	Of course

In keeping with our quirky, kitschy cafe obsession, it was only natural that we would go searching for such a place in JB. Okay, not that we had much searching to be done, as the place was actually recommended to us by the true JB-ian, Buzzylala.

Roost is located just a few steps away from Hua Mui, in an area that used to have a rather dodgy reputation (apparently, this area was the place for some trannie action). But the seediness of Jalan Dhoby has now been replaced with an air of modern vintage, as the street is now lined with cosy eateries and indie boutiques.

Rawa Steamboat @ Taman Gaya, Johor Bahru

Budget Range	Budget
Type of Cuisine	Steamboat and Grill (Buffet)
Recommended For	Really (like, REALLY) hungry people
Catphobia-Friendly	Yes. Hardly any cats around

There are days when you can find the strength to say no to your favourite slice of cake.  And then there are some days when the glutton in you is unleashed and you feel like devouring every living thing in your path. When you’re having days such as the latter, Rawa Steamboat will be waiting for you happily! At only RM18 per head, the buffet truly satisfies.

Kacang Pool @ Plaza Larkin Food Court, Johor Bahru

Budget Range	Budget
Type of Cuisine	Malay (Johorean)
Recommended For	A satisfying snack
Catphobia-Friendly	Cats lounging around the food court will send terror tremors to those who fear them

  

Kacang pool lovers rejoice! If you are in Johor Bahru and craving for a mangkuk of the good stuff , it just HAS to be at Kacang Pool Haji. For those who may not be very familiar with this dish, kacang pool is a type of stew made with foul beans (also known as fava beans). 

Restoran Hua Mui @ Jalan Trus, Johor Bahru

Budget Range	Mid-range
Type of Cuisine	Kopitiam with a few exotic additions
Recommended For	A hearty brunch
Catphobia-Friendly	Yep! No cats around! =)

The first thing you’d probably notice about Hua Mui is how charmingly old-school it is. From its brown-and-cream tiled floors to its staircase banister, Hua Mui makes us think of what our parents would call “a simpler time.” 

Hua Mui is designated as part of the Iskandar Puteri Heritage Trail, due to its long history in Johor Bahru. The restaurant has been around since 1946, and you can only imagine all sorts of memories and stories that Hua Mui must be keeping for over half a century.

Mimpi Muor @ Mutiara Damansara

Price Range	: Mid-range
Type of Cuisine	: Malay (Johorean)
Recommended For	: Assam pedas-ers
Catphobia-Friendly	: Yep, no cats!

Assam pedas is truly one of the greatest Malay dishes ever created. It’s amazing what wonders a combination of tamarind, belacan and chilli in a pot can do! Add the daun kesum and you’ve got yourself a heavenly fragrant accompaniment to your rice =)

Finding the perfect assam pedas, however, was quite a daunting task. We’ve come across a lot of places where the gravy is too cair, and there are even some places that make us wonder how they could call it assam pedas if the gravy is neither sour OR spicy! (More accurately, they often taste like water, except that it’s red and has lacklustre bits of daun kesum floating around in it).

Enter Mimpi Muor! The restaurant, tucked away in the relatively quieter side of Mutiara Damansara, specialises in assam pedas. You can choose from four huge belanga of assam pedas, depending on your fish preference: pari, jenahak, merah, and fish head.