Singaporeans always love going across the causeway check point into Johor Bahru (JB) for food and shopping due to the favourable exchange rate. I am no exception. It has been ages since I last stepped into JB for food (due to safety issues and heavy traffic along the causeway). This time round, I made my trip on a weekday (Monday) to check out the food!
Hiang Kee Seafood Restaurant located in Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre is a popular seafood haunt which many Singaporeans patronise. It is fairly easy to come to this place from the Causeway / City Square as it is nearby. The easiest way is to just take a cab down (you just need to say Taman Sri Tebrau). It is a 10 minutes journey and will cost around RM7 (Request for the metre to be activated before boarding cab.)
We arrived at 1110am. Although the restaurant opens at 11am, we were the first customer! It was practically empty except for a few staff. We were told the chef was late (probably Monday Blues haha =P). We walked around for 10 minutes before heading back. Luckily by the time we went back, the Chef came in.
 |
| Menu (a) |
 |
| Menu (b) |
Hiang Kee Seafood Restaurant's menu.
 |
| Sugar Cane (small) |
I will give the Sugar Cane a skip the next time I am there. It was diluted and tasted weird.
As we were the only one, we were served within 10 minutes upon ordering.
As we were the only one, we were served within 10 minutes upon ordering.
 |
| Hot Plate Beancurd RM10 |
The Hot Plate Beancurd was served pipping hot with mixture of ingredients such as mushrooms, carrots, minced meat, egg and tofu on top (Be careful not to touch the hot metal plate). The different flavours of the ingredients were well mixed and cook as the different flavours were infused together. Moreover, had fully absorbed the sauce which was so tasty. This dish paired off very well with plain rice. In fact, the combination of the sauce with plain rice was heavenly.
 |
| Fried Dou Miao RM10 |
The Fried Dou Miao was fried with garlic. Such a well fried dish that fully brought out the flavour of the garlic. Simple yet so delicious.
 |
| Bitter Gourd Salted Egg RM10 |
Bitter Gourd Salted Egg was yummy. Each slice of bitter gourd was well coated with the salted egg. Moreover, it was not oily.
 |
| Sambal Stingray RM16 |
The Sambal Stingray was disappointing. The stingray was fresh and cooked perfectly such that it was soft, tender and juicy inside. But I felt that the sambal chilli was the main reason for the let down. There are better ones in Singapore. (Maybe I am too use to the type of sambal chilli in Singapore. Hiang Kee's version was too dry, not as fragrant and spicy)
 |
| Butter Crayfish RM56 |
The star of the day meal: 10 (half) pieces of Butter Crayfish.
 |
| Butter Crayfish |
The control of the wok and fire was shown here. The Butter Crayfish was well executed! Big, meaty and succulent flesh that was so fresh that it was easily pulled out from it's shell. Despite it being fried, the meat was still juicy inside and the timing was grasped perfectly. In addition, the buttery fritters (crumbs) fried with curry leaves were so fragrant and addictive. Reminds me of the Butter Crab from Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood. The good news is that it was not oily (thanks to the chef's control of the wok and fire).
The Butter Crayfish is a must order. Other recommended dishes will be the Hot Plate Beancurd, Bitter Gourd Salted Egg and Fried Dou Miao (surprised? Well, it was really very well fried in my opinion). Moreover, where else in Singapore can you get such fresh seafood at this price. Overall, a very good experience, if I have more time to spare, I will certainly want to come back again.
The down side is that you are advised to savour your food fast, before the houseflies zoom into on your food.
After your meal, there are several options you can take.
1) Walk out to the main road to take a cab to City Square or anywhere else.
2) Walk to Taman Sentosa and savour the famous Paper Wrapped Chicken from Teck Sing. And also Plaza Sentosa Shopping Centre for shopping.
3) Walk to KSL Shopping Centre for shopping or catch a movie.
PS: From Singapore to JB, the cheapest and fastest way to get to the checkpoint is to go to Kranji MRT Station and take bus no. 160 or 170. The bus goes directly to the Causeway Checkpoint, a ten minutes bus ride.
The down side is that you are advised to savour your food fast, before the houseflies zoom into on your food.
After your meal, there are several options you can take.
1) Walk out to the main road to take a cab to City Square or anywhere else.
2) Walk to Taman Sentosa and savour the famous Paper Wrapped Chicken from Teck Sing. And also Plaza Sentosa Shopping Centre for shopping.
3) Walk to KSL Shopping Centre for shopping or catch a movie.
PS: From Singapore to JB, the cheapest and fastest way to get to the checkpoint is to go to Kranji MRT Station and take bus no. 160 or 170. The bus goes directly to the Causeway Checkpoint, a ten minutes bus ride.
Hiang Kee Seafood Restaurant (Malaysia, Johor Bahru)
Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau (Hawker Centre)
80500 Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Tel: 012 798 9303
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 3am
Location
A - Location of Hiang Kee Seafood Restaurant (Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre)
B - Location of KSL Shopping Centre
C - Location of Plaza Sentosa Shopping Centre
D - Location of Teck Sing Restaurant
Location
 |
| Location |
B - Location of KSL Shopping Centre
C - Location of Plaza Sentosa Shopping Centre
D - Location of Teck Sing Restaurant
View FoodieFC's Malaysia Map in a larger map
Hahaha FoodieFC, welcome to JB ;D Hmm I shall try the butter crayfish next time. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi!
DeleteThanks, no prob! Several JB posts coming up soon. But after those, it is likely to be a long long time before I go into JB again. =)
Wow, you still dare to go into JB? What with all those reports of kidnapping and robberies?
ReplyDeleteI've heard that it's safer if you speak in Cantonese and bits of Malay, and don't drive around (in your Singapore-registered car). That way, you get mistaken for a Malaysian.
Hi Bern
DeleteThats why Foodie =P
Its still relatively safe. I do not drive into Malaysia, instead take a bus in then cab around. It helps that the eateries I go to are all within 15 mins drive from the checkpoint. Roughly recognise the routes.
I can speak bits of Malay, Cantonese cannot. But before my friend and I even speak, on several occasions outside City Square, the cab driver upon seeing us will stop and wave to us. I just wore Jeans and T-shirt yet he seems to know we are Sgers.. =S
Been here long time ago but the memories has been erased. Really cannot remember which restaurant we tried. Lovely spread of food though, some new to me. I am loving the veg and butter crayfish.
ReplyDeleteYou can come back again. Its nearby for you?
DeleteLike u, I haven't stepped into JB for ages. In fact, the whole of M'sia except for my recent food blogging trip to Malacca.
ReplyDeleteI like the Bittergourd & Crayfish best. Look really yummy, but then again, I still wouldn't exchange my safety just to go there to eat & shop :< My M'sian students have been telling me horror stories & personally, my mom & bro had been robbed before. So, it's no, no, for me.
Well, I'm happy just to sit here & drool over your food posts. Hahaha!
Wa really so unsafe? I am glad, I am back safe and sound! Duing the 2 visits I made, I made sure that I wear normally (no branded stuff). Even try to restrict myself from using iphone to avoid showing it.
DeleteHiang kee seafood restaurant in Malaysia is excellent. It is very useful information
ReplyDeleteBeen there for so many times the food there is nice but look properly the enviroment there is not hygiene. We ordered the Hot Plate Beancurd have many cockroach & we inform the uncle who is wearing the spectacle & he don't even bother about us.
ReplyDeleteVery disappointed!
seriously?
DeleteOn 06/03/2017, I had decided to patronise this stall with my family since we decided against going far to our usual seafood spot. It turned out to be a wrong move. As we are not really hungry, we ordered chilli crab, sambal kang gong and stingray. My dad had personally went to choose a big live crab from their storage. As we waited for about 15 mins, the crab came first. Firstly my dad noticed that the crab seems smaller but I thought it's normal. Secondly my dad tasted it and said that the meat tasted funny and the Colour is dark. I took one of the crab pincer and took a bite. Omg the crab meat is Dry and texture is like bamboo fiber!! They obviously swapped and served us a dead crab which was probably living in the fridge for a few days which explained the flesh was dry and dark!! We called the lady who took our order and complained about it. She didn't seems surprise and said she will talk to the Chef and walked away without returning to give any explanation or apology! I called her for the bill but she didn't dare to come and called another young boy to collect the money. Seriously if they continued to do this, people are going to get food poisoning. I got stomachache the moment I reached home! This is the worst attitude and mindset that a food provider can have!
ReplyDelete