Whatever Geography I learned in school has largely
been forgotten so before my bro-in-law started working in Segamat, Johor, I
have no inkling it was known as the Land of the King of Fruits. According to
Wikipedia, Segamat is famed for its durians
(alas, most of the harvest is for the export market).
There is also a modern gymnasium on site in
addition to The Chef Restaurant & Bar which serves breakfast buffet and
a la carte meals for lunch and dinner. Ample meeting & event space is
available with half day (RM70 nett per head), full day (RM90 nett per head) and
2 days/1 night residential seminar (195 nett per head) packages offered.
Our Superior King Room furnished in earth, white
and cream tones comes with a 40” LCD TV, safe deposit box, tea/coffee making
facilities, a rain shower and free Wi-Fi. The spacious room is comfy too (I
slept like a log thanks to the firm but not hard mattress) with a practical
shower and vanity area.
Another plus point is the long mounted work space -
this is a boon for those of us who need to check emails and blog. At RM206 nett
per night inclusive of breakfast for two, it’s a steal for a Cuti Cuti Malaysia
staycation.
I daresay The Chef Restaurant's buffet breakfast
can rival that of some 4-star city hotels. Besides the lavish spread of nasi
lemak, cereals, yoghurt, fresh fruits, noodles (keep your eyes out for the
delicious laksa Johor or mee rebus), bread and porridge, there is even a
cooking station with a chef to whip up freshly cooked eggs and waffles on
request.
When we arrived and decided to enjoy dinner at The
Chef, we ordered Fish & Chips, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Mee Rebus,
Chicken Chop, Cantonese Fried Noodles and Pizza. I like my generous bowl of Mee
Rebus. The thick, flavourful gravy is so sedap with sliced fried beancurd, big
prawns, half a hardboiled egg and beansprouts in it.
Rich and creamy, the mushroom soup was accompanied
by toast and deep-fried oyster mushroom for extra crunch. I recall both the
Fish & Chips and Fisherman’s Catch were decent too; served with fries
and some salad making those dishes a hefty meal.
VIP HOTEL, BATU 1, JALAN
BULOH KASAP, SEGAMAT, JOHOR. For reservations, please call the VIP Hotel
Hotline, tel: 07-931 2101 or check: www.viphotel.com.my
8 GOOD FOOD PLACES IN SEGAMAT
From our maiden visit to
Segamat, it hit us this town has plenty to offer. Like their fellow Malaysians,
people in Segamat are also fond of eating. The different places we visited are
good proof of this.
ROTI CANAI KAMPUNG TENGAH
The beauty of Malaysia lies in the assimilation of
its people and culture. In Segamat, the Chinese uncle whose prowess at flipping
roti canai has spread far and wide. Only us KL ignoramuses didn't know it.
The
family-run kopi tiam in Kampung Tengah is obviously a famous breakfast outpost,
drawing locals and folks from neighbouring towns like Labis, Yong Peng and
Gemas. Be an early bird to grab a seat here and watch as an endless succession
of roti canai (RM1.30), roti telur (RM2.30), roti bawang (RM1.50) and assorted
roti (RM1.80-RM3.40) is made on the spot.
Served
hot off the grill with a dish of curry, the roti is crisp on the outside and
fluffy inside. I salivate just thinking about it! At peak hours, you may need
to wait 45 minutes to an hour for your share but heck, it's well worth the
wait.
Our dining party wallowed
in nostalgia the minute we tasted the toasted sandwiches (RM3.40) with
sardine-filled omelette. Lightly seared on the griddle, the crusty bread yields
spongy-soft omelette smeared with mashed sardine inside. I'd trade
Michelin-star dining for this any day.
Complemented by cups of local kopi and teh, we also
polished off plates of fried meehoon (RM1.50) heaped with sliced raw onion and
zingy chilli sauce, as well as fried yellow mee (RM1.50) with a sunny side up
egg (80 sen) on the side. Nasi lemak (RM1.30) and soft boiled kampung eggs
(RM1.10 each) are also available.
ROTI CANAI KG TENGAH,
JALAN CHENG KUOK TONG, SEGAMAT, JOHOR.
Tel: 07-932 2681. Open
from 6am to 11am or till sold out. Off days not fixed.
NICE RICE AT SELERA NASI BERINGIN
Ever since I had nasi beringin at Menara Mutiara in
KL, I'd fallen for it hook, line and sinker. The fragrant spice scented rice,
that crispy fried chicken, the zingy hot sambal...fffuuuuhhhh, power!
Guess what? Segamat also has its own super-sedap nasi beringin. I
remember being filled with great anticipation when we stepped into Selera Nasi
Beringin and we weren't disappointed. Other customers must have given their
thumbs up to this corner restaurant too as on our recent visit, Selera Nasi
Beringin has just opened a new, air-conditioned Bamboo Room to enhance diners'
comfort.
We love the retro
floral-patterned enamel trays used for serving the rice. One corner of the
eatery is dedicated to vintage knick-knack display: old cigarette tins, a
rotary phone and a manual typewriter, adds vintage appeal to the shop’s
ambiance.
A standard serving of spiced rice comes with
cucumber and pineapple pickles, sambal and your choice of fried chicken,
chicken curry, beef or mutton curry, or ayam masak merah. The whole ensemble is
so appetising, many customers often ask for repeat helpings.
SELERA NASI BERINGIN, NO.24, JALAN UTAMA 2/7, TAMAN
UTAMA, SEGAMAT, JOHOR. Tel: 012-848 8055. Open Mon-Sat from 7am to 12midnight.
SONG HUA BAN MEEN AT OLD STREET 23 CAFE
As a 'banana' Chinese, I know my knowledge about
Chinese cuisine and its vast provincial roots is sorely lacking. So when I had
my maiden encounter with Song Hua ban meen, I didn't even know its proper name.
The silky, flat ribbon noodles crimped along the edges are so pretty and Old Street 23 dishes up a homey version. We all lapped up the tasty broth which also had fish balls, pork meat balls and sliced pork with a lettuce leaf or two in it. Truly, unpretentious comfort food to satisfy the soul.
The silky, flat ribbon noodles crimped along the edges are so pretty and Old Street 23 dishes up a homey version. We all lapped up the tasty broth which also had fish balls, pork meat balls and sliced pork with a lettuce leaf or two in it. Truly, unpretentious comfort food to satisfy the soul.
Tucked
away in a refurbished old shop house along the Segamat River, Old Street
23 Café offers an extensive menu: running the gamut of local, Western and
snack items to hot and cold drinks, and dessert. I find the local kopi smooth
with enough caffeine buzz to boost my alertness.
OLD STREET 23 CAFÉ, 70, JALAN SULTAN, SEGAMAT,
JOHOR. Tel: 07-932 5501.
Open daily from 11am to 11.30pm.
ASAM
PEDAS FISH & SEAFOOD AT SUKAKU
Johor is known for its asam pedas, a tantalisingly
hot and sour dish with fiery red hue to boot. There has been much debate
whether the Melaka or Johor version is better but I like both. It is said Johor
asam pedas uses daun kesom (also known as laksa leaves or Vietnamese mint)
while Melaka includes kaffir lime leaves so the aroma and resultant taste
varies slightly. Also some claim Johor's version is more delicate compared to
Melaka's which tends to be more potently flavoured.
Anyway, we discovered Segamat has
its own claim to fame in the asam pedas stakes too once we stepped into Sukaku
restaurant. Tucked away in a housing area, hordes of people flock to Sukaku for
its signature Asam Pedas Fish (RM49.50). True enough, the hot and tangy sauce
was tamer than the piquant versions from Melaka I've sampled in the past. But
the red snapper we had was so fresh and sweet, it reeled us in at first bite.
It was
a good thing we arrived on time for dinner as after 7.30pm, the resto was
packed to the rafters. Despite having to wait, we were blown away by the slew
of good food churned out by Sukaku. Chunks of fish were embedded in the serving
of Otak-otak (RM9) we ordered which made it superbly tasty.
Us city slickers were reeled in by the
show-stopping Fried Tongue Sole (RM22 for 9 pcs). Looks-wise the flat fish
didn't look at all impressive but golly, once we crunched into them, we were
hooked instantly. In fact, we insisted on a second helping just to satisfy our
cravings.
Our hearty appetite was fuelled further by the
house speciality of Fish Head Curry (RM41.50). The delectably rich gravy was
sublime for dousing over white rice so whatever thoughts of going carb-free
disappeared rapidly once everyone tasted this dish. The fish head was fleshy
and sweet, and we had a gala time picking out the long beans, brinjal and okra
submerged in the bright, orangey gravy to savour.
Smoking hot with a mild pungency best describes the
Squid & Prawn Sambal with Petai (RM29 big serving). No wallflower in
the flavour department this and we made quick work of the tender squid and
sizeable prawns. Again, this begs to be eaten with white rice.
The bare-frills set-up is similar to most tai chow
restos you'd find in the Klang Valley. Perhaps it's all for the best since
there's nothing to detract attention from the food eh?
KEDAI MAKAN ASAM PEDAS
SUKAKU, 49 & 51, JALAN PUTRA, BANDAR PUTRA, SEGAMAT, JOHOR.
BAK KUT TEH AT LENG KEE
Johoreans also have a penchant for bak kut teh (BKT). In Segamat,
there are a handful of eateries specialising in this hearty old-skool fare.
Although the BKT doesn't have strong herbal flavour that I'm partial to, the soup's
rich, meaty sweetness makes it slurpilicious.
My
Penangite friend was thrilled to bits to see bak kee prepared fresh on premise.
It's a traditional offering of lean pork pieces coated in tapioca starch
(giving the pork a slippery smoothness) cooked with or without innards, liver
and intestines in soup. Deep-fried shallot and chopped spring onion are
sprinkled on before it's served. She gave it the thumbs up.
Leng
Kee is also known for its compressed disks of spiral yellow mee. Once blanched,
the noodles become a canvas of sorts to enjoy with the hearty pork soup. but I
tried some 'naked' yet it was surprisingly good too.
LENG KEE, NO.2, JALAN SALIM, KG. ABDULLAH, SEGAMAT, JOHOR.
ORH
CHIEN AT DOLLAND FOOD VILLAGE
Evenings see Dolland Food Village - a semi open air
food court - comes alive with stalls dishing up a nice variety of food and
drinks. There's a large screen projection for sports and movies to keep patrons
entertained too. The best find for me has to be the Orh Chien or oyster
omelette. For once, you can actually see plump baby oysters amidst the blobs of
scrambled egg and potato starch (some batter uses a mixture of eggs, rice flour
and starch). Our palate hums with pleasure at the fluffy yet crisp at the edges
texture.
DOLLAND FOOD VILLAGE RESTAURANT, JALAN
SAMSU, KG. ABDULLAH, SEGAMAT, JOHOR.
WANTAN MEE AT YIK KEE
Another perennial breakfast delight of wantan mee can be found at Yik
Kee. We were told there are several shops with the same name as the Chong
family has a strong hold in Segamat on this popular noodle dish. The Kon Lou
Char Siew Wantan Mee (RM4.30) are decent, reminiscent of those from my
childhood days although the dark soya sauce not as deep-seated. Taste-wise,
it's better than what is dished up by dodgy 'instant' hawkers in the Klang
Valley.
YIK KEE WANTAN MEE,
NO.259, JALAN PEE KENG HAI, KAMPUNG ABDULLAH, SEGAMAT, JOHOR. Open daily from
10.30am to 3pm or while stocks last.
CURRY PUFFS IN SEGAMAT OLD TOWN
The
curry puffs from this nondescript stall in Segamat Old Town are such hot
sellers that sometimes they are finished even before the stall opens for
business! We were lucky to grab some on our last visit. They reminded me of
flying saucers as the pastries were round with crimped edges. The delicious
stuffing of curried potatoes even has bits of chicken inside. To stave off your
cravings before the puffs are ready, try the vadai hot from the wok sold at the
next stall.
CURRY
PUFF STALL, JALAN TENGKU AHMAD, SEGAMAT OLD TOWN, SEGAMAT, JOHOR. Open
from 2pm onwards.