Muar Town - Food and Cuisine

Food and Cuisine

Local Malay foods such Mee Bandung, Rojak Petis, Satay and Asam Pedas are the signature cuisine of Muar. Javanese cuisine such as Soto, Mee Rebus, Lontong and Nasi Ambeng are also available. Dessert includes goreng pisang(fried banana) and goreng tempeh (fried Javanese fermented soya bean cake) with thick soya sauce with hot chili deeping. The local version of Nasi Beriani Gam is also available. Ikan bakar are local grilled fish and accompanied by sea foods such as prawn, squid, crab, mussel, and clams are eaten with banana leaf wrapped Nasi Lemak. They are available at Medan Ikan Bakar Sabak Awor, Jalan Bakariah and Medan Ikan Bakar Parit Karang, Kesang. Mee Siput; a local delicious snack eaten with sambal, local chili paste condiment is only available in Muar. Johor Laksa is another delicious local food.

Muar is also famous for many Chinese foods like the Muar Otak-otak (乌达), Teochew Or-Luak/Or-Chien(Fried Oyster omelette), Hainanese Steamed Chicken Rice ball, Muar Char Kway Teow (fried kueh teow with clam), Hokkien Char Hae Mee (Fried Prawn Mee), Cantonese Wonton Mee, Muar Char Siew Perng(Red Roasted Meat Rice), Teochew Lo-Ak-Perng(Braised Duck Rice), Teochew Mee Pok(Fish Ball Thin Noodle), Teochew Her-Moi(Fish Soup Porridge), Teochew Kueh-Chap(Big Pieces Flat Kueh Teow in Soup with Braised Meat, Offal, Egg and Bean Curd), Teochew Chwee Kueh (cup shaped steamed rice flour cakes topped with chopped preserved/salted radish), Teochew Chai Tao Kueh (fried raddish cake), Cantonese Chok (Congee), Simpang Jeram's Loy Her Bee Hoon (haruan/snake head fish vermicelli soup), Bak Kut Teh (herbal pork ribs soup), Teochew Ter Chap Cheng Therng(Pig's organ soup), Curry Laksa, Hakka Yong Tau Foo (Stuffed Bean Curds variety), Chee Cheong Fun, Mi/Bang Chien Kueh (Kuih Apam Balik Cina) etc. are must-try local Chinese delicacies for visitors. Foods centres can be found at Muar Bus Station (Malay), Tanjung Emas (Mixed), Jalan Bentayan's Bentayan Hawker Centre(Chinese) and Jalan Haji Abu (Chinese), famously known as "T'am Cjia Kuay" (贪吃街) literally "the glutton voracious eating street" by the Chinese befitting its reputation as the food haven of the town. There are also a few Chinese restaurants serving nice Pau and Dimsum (Chinese bun and dumpling) for breakfast.

There are also many Chinese restaurants and Malay food stalls offering variety of local cuisine on their menus. On different days of the week there are Pasar Malam or night markets and Pasar Tani selling many local foods at different locations of the town. Famous local Chinese festival delicacies like Thong Chiew Guek Peah-Mooncakes, Tao Sah Peah-Red Bean Paste Cakes are available at the Yong Sheng Confectioneries and Gift Shop and Muar Yuen Chen Siang shop for their famous Bak Kua-Barbecued Pork.

Indian cuisine such as Banana Leaf Rice, Nasi Kandar, Mee Rojak, Rojak Mamak, Putumayam, variety of bread like Roti Canai, Roti Telur, Roti Sardin, Roti Prata, Roti Jala, Tosei, Roti Nan, Murtabak, Kebab with their superb Indian curry and dal gravy; great soups like Sup Kambing, Sup Tulang and Sup Ekor; and not forgetting refreshing cold dessert; Ice Shaved Cendol with thick coconut milk and coconut brown sugar and Teh Tarik at some Indian foods stalls and restaurants.

Muar is popular for its Sirap Bandung (Rose Syrup with milk with optional soda and cincau) beverage which is normally served during Malay wedding reception, but also easily available at most Malay food stalls and restaurant. Pear Juice sold at the fruit stalls at Jalan Yahya have a unique taste compared to pear juice from other areas.

Visiting some restaurants and coffee shops in Muar would give nostalgic experience since the environment and food/beverage being served have not changed since the 60s and 70s. Coffee bean and powder of Muar is famous among the locals and tourists. A standard breakfast includes a cup Muar coffee, the butter and kaya spread roti bakar (bread toast) and half-boiled egg.

• Otak-otak Muar.

• Fried Oyster Omelette.

• Grilled Fish.

• Chicken Rice Ball.