Malaysia road trip - Day 12 (Johor Bahru)

A hazy morning in Johor Bahru set the tone for our day as we headed out around 10.30am in search of a local brunch. We stopped by Kedai Makan Jadi Baru Botak and ordered a variety of dishes, including asam pedas ikan, fried fish, fish ball soup, fried squid, rice, and a chrysanthemum drink. Despite requesting less sugar, the drink was still sweeter than expected. The fish ball soup had a light sour taste with a hint of mustard greens, while the fish balls were bouncy with a noticeable fishy taste. The highlight was definitely the asam pedas fish. It was spicy and flavourful, and the mix of fish parts (including head since you can’t choose cuts) made it richer. It also left a mild tingling sensation on the tongue after eating.

The fried fish stood out as well. It was crispy all around, slightly salty, and satisfying. The fried squid was similarly salty but well-marinated, tender inside, and paired nicely with the fried onions. Before leaving, we had to pay RM 2 for parking to an Indian uncle managing the area. Overall, it was a simple but satisfying meal, especially for those who enjoy spicy, strongly flavoured dishes.

(Total bill - RM 146.75 including 6% SST and 4% service charge)

Kedai Makan Jadi Baru Botak

Chrysanthemum - RM 3.70 each

Fish ball soup (small) - RM 10

Asam pedas ikan (small) - RM 42

Fried fish - RM 41

Fried squid - RM 30

Rice - RM 1.50 each

Address:

Kedai Makan Jadi Baru Botak

145, Jalan Lumba Kuda,

Tanjung Puteri,

80300 Johor Bahru,

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Tel: +607 - 224 9225

Opening hours: 11am to 3.30pm / 5pm to 8pm. Last order 7.30pm. Closed on Wednesday

After brunch, we drove into the city centre and parked at an open-air car park beside the Arulmigu Rajamariamman Temple, as we couldn’t find any parking nearby Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory. The temple stood out with its colourful and detailed Hindu architecture, adding a lively cultural touch to the area. Right beside it were several small stalls selling flowers and offerings. Parking was RM 2 for the first hour, and after parking for over an hour, the total came to RM 4.76. While we were trying to park in a tight space, an Indian man approached and offered to guide us in. After helping us settle the car into position, he tried to sell a tyre wax spray. My partner politely said it wasn’t our car, but he didn’t believe it and insisted we were lying, even checking the car sticker as though trying to confirm if it was a rental.

Johor Bahru city square

Arulmigu Rajamariamman Temple

Arulmigu Rajamariamman Temple

Flower stalls beside the temple

Address:

Arulmigu Rajamariamman Temple

1a, Jalan Ungku Puan,

Bandar Johor Bahru,

80000 Johor Bahru,

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Tel: +607 - 223 3989

Opening hours: 6am to 9pm

From there, we walked over to Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory, where a long queue had already formed. After waiting for a while, we finally got our hands on their famous banana cake. It had a simple, homemade taste, like something my aunty used to bake at home when I was younger. The cake was fluffy, lightly sweet, and comforting. It was delicious when eaten fresh, with a soft and airy texture, but chilling it later brought out a richer flavour and a slightly denser bite.

Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory

Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory

Banana cake - RM 13

Address:

Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory

13, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee,

Bandar Johor Bahru,

80000 Johor Bahru,

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Tel: +607 - 223 1703

Opening hours: 7.30am to 4.30pm. Closed on Sunday

After that, we walked over to Siblings Gelato to try their ice cream, but it was a bit too sweet for our liking, so we decided to skip it.

Siblings Gelato

Address:

Siblings Gelato

16, Jalan Ibrahim,

Bandar Johor Bahru,

80000 Johor Bahru,

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Tel: +6011 - 6377 6837

Opening hours: 10am to 10pm - Friday to Saturday / 12pm to 10pm - Monday to Thursday. Closed on Tuesday

While strolling along the street, we stumbled upon Mollie Makes. After checking out the menu, I decided to go in and try their desserts. We ordered the Jasmine Green Tea (50% sugar) and the Pistachio Beancurd Mochi, which came with pistachio beancurd, handmade mochi, pistachio paste, cheese foam, and crushed pistachio on top.

The Pistachio Beancurd Mochi was really good. The mochi had a slight saltiness that balanced nicely with the smooth pistachio beancurd, making each bite rich but not overwhelming. The textures worked well together, especially with the creamy base and chewy mochi. The Jasmine Green Tea was refreshing with a strong floral jasmine aroma. Even at 50% sugar, it still leaned slightly on the sweet side, but in a pleasant way that didn’t overpower the tea’s fragrance. Overall, it was a nice little dessert stop with interesting flavours and a good balance of sweet, creamy, and refreshing elements.

(Total - RM 28.80)

Spotted a cat on the street

Johor Bahru street

Mollie Makes

Pistachio Beancurd Mochi - RM 15.90 and Jasmine Green Tea - RM 12.90

Address:

Mollie Makes

30, Jalan Dhoby,

Bandar Johor Bahru,

80000 Johor Bahru,

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Tel: +6016 - 955 9528

Opening hours: 11am to 8pm

On the way back to the car park, we walked past the JB Mural Art area. The walls along the street were filled with colourful murals and street paintings, each telling small stories about Johor Bahru’s culture, daily life, and heritage. Some artworks were bold and modern, while others had a more traditional feel, featuring local scenes and characters. It gave the street a creative and lively atmosphere, turning an ordinary walkway into something more interesting and photo-worthy. Even just passing by, it felt like a nice little reminder of the city’s artistic side hidden in plain sight.

JB Mural Art

JB Mural Art

Our next stop was Johor Premium Outlets, about a 33-minute drive away from Arulmigu Rajamariamman Temple. The drive was fairly straightforward, although we noticed that many motorcyclists seemed to use the fast lane instead of keeping to the left. This felt a bit unsafe because the fast lane is meant for faster-moving cars, and the sudden presence of slower or smaller vehicles can make it harder to maintain a steady speed and react safely. We arrived around 2pm and we spent the afternoon exploring the outlets until about 4.30pm. Parking was RM 5 per entry, and while there was a wide variety of stores to explore, we ended up leaving empty-handed.

Johor Premium Outlets

Johor Premium Outlets

Address:

Johor Premium Outlets

Jalan Premium Outlets,

Bandar Indahpura,

81000 Kulai,

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Opening hours: 10am to 10pm

We had our early dinner at Howwin Catfish King Restaurant. It was raining when we arrived around 5pm. We ordered claypot catfish, a one-person bak kut teh, Penang lor bak, iced water, and two plates of rice. The restaurant is well known for its claypot catfish, so we were looking forward to trying it. The claypot catfish was flavourful and rich, with a nice blend of spices and sauce, though the fish itself had a slight burnt taste in some parts. The Penang lor bak stood out more, with a crispy exterior and soft, well-seasoned filling that was best eaten hot.

The bak kut teh had a light broth with a slightly salty taste. Typically, bak kut teh is meant to be herbal, peppery, and garlicky, with a comforting warmth and a balance between savoury and mild sweetness from the pork bones. In this case, the flavour was more subtle and less herbal than usual. Overall, the meal was just okay. It was not bad, but nothing particularly memorable.

(Total bill - RM 55)

Restaurant Howwin Catfish King 

Iced water - RM 0.50 each

Claypot catfish (small) - RM 17

Bak kut teh (1 person) - RM 18

Penang lor bak - RM 16

Rice (small) - RM 1.50

Address:

Restaurant Howwin Catfish King

1, Jalan Dedap 6,

Taman Johor Jaya,

81100 Johor Bahru,

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Tel: +6018 - 381 6566

Opening hours: 10.30am to 9pm. Closed on Monday

After our early dinner at Howwin Catfish King Restaurant, we made a short 2-minute drive (around 280m) to Muwu Cafe. The cafe is located on the first floor, with a car accessory shop on the ground floor. While we were there, my partner took the opportunity to change the car wiper as it had worn out and wasn’t working properly in heavy rain, costing RM 90. At the same time, I picked up a pistachio burnt cheesecake from the cafe.

In the evening, my partner went out to have drinks with a friend while I stayed in the hotel to work, enjoying a slice of the pistachio cheesecake. It was creamy rather than dense, and a little too soft in texture, but the taste was still good. Overall, it was a simple and relaxed end to the day.

Muwu Cafe

Pistachio burnt cheese cake - RM 18

Address:

Muwu Cafe

31-A, Jalan Dedap 4,

Taman Johor Jaya,

81100 Johor Bahru,

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Tel: +6011 - 1086 1819

Opening hours: 11am to 7pm. Closed on Tuesday