Singaporeans love crossing the border to Johor Bahru (JB) Malaysia, especially on the weekends. Attractive exchange rates (1 SGD = 3.46 RM ) tempt us to go there for shopping and eating, even willing to get stuck in a traffic jam on the causeway for a few hours.
Singapore and Malaysia share similarities in food, but there are some dish styles you can't really find in Singapore. In this post, I would like to share a half-day trip to JB for food!
金宝猪肠粉 G. Cheong Fun Restaurant
G. Cheong Fun has been selling chee cheong fun ( rice noodle rolls ) for over 20 years in JB.
They specialise in Kampar ( Perak ) style chee cheong fun, which is hand-chopped to look like kuay teow! They use pure rice flour to make their chee cheong fun.
Not 1 or 2, they served 6 types of chee cheong fun for you to choose from! From your standard red and black sweet sauces to savoury types like curry and scallion oil and HK style char siew version. prices from 3.3 RM (1 SGD) per plate.
The staff there are very friendly, guiding you through the process of ordering as it is quite confusing at first.
1 thing I like about JB's Chee Choeng Fun is they serve yong tau foo to pair up! A piece of yong tau foo cost 1.7 RM (0.5 SGD). They have a wide selection to choose, from fishcakes to fish paste tofu!
The ordered dishes
Curry Chee Cheong Fun ( 3.3 RM per plate, 1 SGD)
Yes the curry style, which is rare in Singapore. Portion is decent for a single serving.
As mentioned earlier, their chee cheong fun is hand-chopped to look like kuay teow. The texture is smooth and blends the curry very well along with the fragrance of the sesame.
Their curry is the watery type which you can find on cai fan (mix vegetable rice) and it is mildly spicy. A great recommendation if you are more of a savoury palate person.
Anson Chee Cheong Fun ( 7 RM per plate, 2SGD)
This unique chee cheong fun is founded in Perak's Teluk Intan, which is known as Anson Town. No sauces are needed as all the flavours are packed inside.
The ingredients inside are turnips, dried shrimp and shallots. This kinda explains why the colours are different from the usual ones.
Every bite of these is full of satisfaction and flavours. The texture of turnip and essence of dried shrimps blends very well, like a couple. Along with shallots and sprinkled sesame, the fragrance envelops the dish. 色香味 is all in this chee cheong fun.
Yong Tau Foo (1.7 RM per piece, 0.5 SGD)
All ingredients are fresh, even the oil. The fried stuff is delightful crispy without any greasy residue, ensuring a light and airy texture. Pairing with the curry is great too as the staff will ask you the option to drench with it!
Curry Pig Skin with Long Beans Small ( 2.8 RM, 0.8 SGD)
The pig skin absorbs all the curry's flavour and juices! A balance of tenderness and chewiness, absorbs the robust curry flavours, transforming it into a succulent pig.
Location and Information
金宝猪肠粉 G. Cheong Fun Restaurant
Address: 新山, 176, Jalan Pahlawan 2, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Operation hours: Tuesday to Sunday 6.30 am to 4 pm. Closed on Mondays
Social Media: Facebook
Flowers in the Window
After a hearty lunch, it's time for a tea break and dessert! Flowers in the Window is a garden-themed cafe located within a 15-minute walk from JB customs, across the famous Restoran Hua Mui.
They have been around since 2015/2016. Other than freshly handmade pastries and cakes, they do sell healthy bowls on the mains.
The overall vibes of the cafe give the cozy vintage ambience that you can spend hours there relaxing and doing nothing.
I am lucky to grab the last piece of their cake of the day and it's a Lemon Curd Yoghurt ( 12 RM, 3.48 SGD). The cake is so soft, airy and fluffy. The yoghurt balances the richness of the cake, the lemon flavour brings the tanginess and slight sweetness of it.
The Thyme Lemonade ( 15 RM, 4.3 SGD) gives off the herb aroma when it is served to me. The first taste of the drink is the citrusy zest and punchy fresh lemon. After a few seconds, it becomes refreshing, cool and cleans the palate of your tastebuds. Towards the end, the thyme herbal aftertaste takes over it, this drink is fun!
Do note that this cafe opens and closes early! So make your way down early for their cakes.
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