Johor Food Trail: What's Good in Muar

As the Royal City of Johor and the fourth largest city in the Johor district, Muar is a historical town that has existed since the year 1361. Beyond the pre-war buildings and the more commercialised areas, Muar is more than just a sightseeing tourist spot that can be easily accessible via a half and hour drive from Melaka. If you are in Muar looking for good food, this town offers aplenty with some of the must-try signature dishes ranging from otak-otak to mee bandung Muar. Keep reading and find out what Muar has to offer in this latest part of “Johor Food Trail”.

1. Otak-Otak Cheng Boi

No trip to Muar would be complete without indulging their signature local snack known as otak-otak or otah otah. A grilled seafood paste made from fish, prawn or squid meat mixed with spices and wrapped in either banana or coconut leaves, otak-otak can be easily found in many shops and stalls across the Muar town. With numerous locations to choose from, sometimes it’s hard to determine which places sell the best and delicious otak-otak.

Enter Otak-Otak Cheng Boi, which sells freshly-grilled otak-otak ranging from fish, prawn, sotong to fish head. The otak-otak in Cheng Boi is deliciously plump and meaty. Best of all, it doesn’t taste overly spicy but mild enough to satisfy most palates. Here, you can purchase a ready-to-eat fresh stick or a box of frozen otak-otak for those who want to bring home.

Address: 28-4, Jalan Bentayan, 84000 Muar, Johor

Operation Hours: Daily 7am - 4.30pm (excluding Wednesdays, which only opens on half day)

Contact Number: 019 626 3030, 016 644 9119

Price Range: $ out of $ $ $ $ $

* Pork-free

2. Mee Bandung Abu Bakar Hanipah

Since 1930, Abu Bakar Hanipah has been serving the signature noodle dish of mee bandung Muar that still retains the same traditional recipe until today. Located within the Wah San Kopitiam, what makes Abu Bakar Hanipah’s mee bandung Muar such a savoury dish lies on the shrimp-flavoured sambal gravy. Needless to say, the gravy is full of aromatic spices and tastes robust enough with the accompanied yellow mee. Topped with an assortment of delicious morsels such as prawns, Abu Bakar Hanipah’s mee bandung Muar is no doubt a must-try noodle dish the next time you make a pit stop in Muar.

Address: Wah San Kopitiam, 69-A Jalan Abdullah, 84000 Muar, Johor

Operation Hours: Daily 6.30am - 5pm

Contact Number: 012 264 2720

Price Range: $ out of $ $ $ $ $

* Halal

3. Asam Pedas Mak Pon

If you love all things spicy and sour, then consider your next food destination to Parit Jawa in Muar for the delectable asam pedas. Located within the food court of MPM (Majlis Perbandaran Muar) Parit Jawa, Asam Pedas Mak Pon is no stranger to many locals and foodies from other states. Topping the must-have menu list is, of course, the Mak Pon’s signature asam pedas which use local ikan mayong or otherwise known as halibut. Other than ikan mayong, you can also opt for a different type of fishes such as siakap, pari and cencaru. Served with white rice, the fish meat is fresh and fork tender while the asam pedas gravy itself has a wonderful blend of tangy and spiciness. And in case you have a room for more, you can order various side dishes such as telur dadar (omelette) and telur masin (salted egg).

Address: 6, Medan Asam Pedas, MPM Parit Jawa, 84150 Muar, Johor

Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/Asam-Pedas-Mak-Pon-204999796234246/

Operation Hours: Mon-Thu & Sat-Sun 8am - 4.30pm

Contact Number: 012 768 2478

Price Range: $ out of $ $ $ $ $

* Halal

4. R&H Cafe Satay Maharani

Typically, satay is enjoyed during dinner and supper to a certain extent, lunch. But in the case of R&H Cafe Satay Maharani in Muar, the locals get to enjoy the savoury meat-on-a-bamboo-stick for breakfast. Yes, you read it right -- satay for breakfast. It might sound odd for those who does not live in Muar, but R&H Cafe Satay Maharani proves to be a popular hit among the locals. Unlike most satay stalls and restaurants that usually served the dish according to a number of sets, you have the option to consume as many sticks as you like. The satay, which comes in different choices such as chicken and beef, is both juicy and tender. The accompanied peanut sauce, in the meantime, is sweet and savoury. Best of all, it is reasonably thick and not overly spicy.

Apart from ordering the cafe’s signature satay dish, there are other menu lists worth trying for such as the unique Tauhu Lentok. It is actually a grilled tofu served with a motley of savoury ingredients including chopped cucumbers, bean sprouts and sengkuang (jicama). The tofu is then drenched with soy-flavoured peanut sauce to make the side dish all the more appetising.

But if you prefer bread for breakfast, the cafe offers two types of toasts including roti manja a.k.a. roti telur goyang and roti telur terlajak mandi.

Address: 130-2, Bangunan Mara, Jalan Maharani, 84000 Muar, Johor

Operation Hours: Mon-Thu & Sat-Sun 7.30am - 12.30pm

Contact Number: 016 625 3666

Price Range: $ out of $ $ $ $ $

* Halal

5. Muar Soup House

From the humble beginning selling soup in a traditional pedicab cart in 1958 to a full-fledged modern cafe in today’s generation, Muar Soup House is particularly famous for its signature beef and mutton soup. Served in either regular or large portion, the soup is boiled to aromatic perfection using a robust mix of meat bones and chunks. Various herbs and spices are also added to enhance the overall taste of the soup. But that’s not all as each bowl is served with chunks of meat.

Muar Soup House also sells other local and Western dishes such as fried rice, rojak, naan and steak. Despite all the increasing food items on the menu, it is their soup that remains the most sought-after dish after all these years.

Address: 47, Jalan Sisi, 84000 Muar, Johor

Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/Muar-Soup-House-Sdn-Bhd-451419861706517/

Operation Hours: Daily 24 hours

Contact Number: 06 954 1786

Price Range: $$ out of $ $ $ $ $

* Halal

Well, that concludes our latest part of “Johor Food Trail” for Muar. While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out previous “Johor Food Trail” articles by clicking here and here.