It goes without saying that Johor Bahru is a foodie’s paradise. The streets are littered with restaurants—or ‘restoran’ as they’re called—and the best part is.. Many of the city’s best gems stay open until the wee hours of the morning! One notable eatery worth making a deliberate stopover at is Restoran Tapai Tang.
This casual family-run zi char eatery nestled within the residential district of Jalan Chengai in Taman Melodies serves a wide array of meaty delights spanning the likes of seafood, mutton and even frog. Their speciality though is none other than their Salt Baked Chicken—or Yim Gok Gai as its called in Cantonese.
Open until 4:00AM daily, this cosy air-conditioned restaurant is one that we highly recommend. Read on to find out why.
Salted Baked Chicken (Yim Gok Gai)
Available in two variations—steamed or deep-fried—, the restaurant’s signature Salt Baked Chicken (RM29) is a must-order. Period.
Encased in a solid layer of salt along with numerous Chinese herbs and baked for a long period of time, the meat is tender and insanely juicy. The flesh is adequately salty, giving the chicken a bold savouriness and the medley of Chinese herbs give the chicken a unique herbaceous flavour underscored by a gentle sweetness that plays off the saltiness really well.
We opted for the steamed version which resulted in softer meat and a fuller flavour. But of course, we’re sure the deep-fried version is just as good, if not better.
Juicy and nuanced beyond anything you’d imagine possible for a mere chicken to possess, we highly recommend pairing it with white rice. The chicken is accompanied by a tangy and piquant chilli sauce that complements it beautifully. Fair warning though, they use bird’s eye chilli in it so it’s pretty spicy.
Wat Dan Hor
Restoran Tapai Tang’s Wat Dan Hor (RM9) is another dish that comes highly recommended. Essentially a wok-fried rice noodle dish served with a starchy, eggy gravy accompanied by sliced pork, vegetables, shrimp and fish cake, this dish is a pretty good one-dish-wonder to opt for if you’re dining alone. Albeit being simple in makeup, the flavours present is anything but.
The noodle dish is hugely comforting for one and comes with the added bonus of a heady, charred wok hei aroma that is just pure heaven in the mouth. Despite being amazing on its own, we suggest tossing in some diced garlic and chilli—those are brought to you the second you sit down—for an even more flavourful experience.
Overall, we were completely and utterly floored by the home-cooked comforts of this humble establishment. The cooking was topnotch and the folks who run Restoran Tapai Tang are warm and welcoming.
Address: 128, Jalan Chengai, Taman Melodies, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 11AM – 4AM (Daily)
Contact: +60 7-333 3662
Disclaimer: Uncover Asia made an anonymous visit and paid for their own meal.
Read our guide to Johor Bahru’s supper spots.
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