Malaysia - Muar
Muar is a town in the state of Johor in Malaysia which is renown for its delicious and inexpensive food. I visited this small town in my recent weekend getaway. It’s not a surprise that I actually put on weight after this short weekend trip!
To get to Muar from Singapore, take bus 170 until its terminal at Lankin in Johor. At the bus terminal in Lankin, cheap bus tickets to various parts of Malaysia can be bought from the numerous booths. The tickets that I bought for my three hours bus ride to Muar cost about RM11. However, at such cheap rates, do not expect a nice and comfortable journey. The coaches are ok, but beware of faulty air-conditioning and rickety seats.
There are two streets in Muar that are more famous for its local food, namely Jalan Haji Abu and Jalan Sulaiman. I will especially recommend the food stalls along Jalan Haji Abu (and also the more famous one among the two). Nevertheless, most food stalls that you may passed along the way also sell pretty decent food, thus there’s no need to confine your meals along these two streets alone.
On the whole, the food is delicious, definitely well above the average standards that you can usually savour in Singapore, though not as fantastic as I had hoped it will be. If you don’t mind eating by the roadside, or buying from street hawkers, Muar is a decent place to visit if you feel like planning something different for the weekend. However, there’s nothing much to see or do as a tourist in Muar, so probably a day trip or a short weekend trip will do for the town.
For dinner (along Jalan Haji Abu):
Satay - lovely!
Fried Oyster Omelette - the only below average food that I tasted
Wanton Noodles - Decent
Otar - Mouthwatering! It was even recommended by our local food programme by Adrain Pang and Michelle Chia.
For breakfast:
Chee Cheong Fan - Great! One of the best that I’ve ever tasted
Roti Prata - Average, but I like the curry that comes along with it
For Lunch (along Jalan Haji Abu again):
I love them a lot! But I have no idea what’s the name of the food.
Congee - Delicious
Duck Noodles - This got to be one of the best food that I have tasted in Muar. Even I, a non-duck meat lover, was bowed over by this dish.
Photos taken along Jalan Haji Abu:
Muar Wet Market:
One weird thing about me is that I love visiting the wet markets in Asian countries. The bustling activities of the market and that cacophonic clash in colours and sounds never fails to fascinate me. The only problem was when I was walking by this chicken stall and cages of live chickens greeted me. The first thought that struck me was “BIRD FLU”. Well, I just can’t help but feel worried. *sheepish*
Muar River:
You have captured the spirit of Muar. Very entertaining article. What about the fruit?
hi, I came by your site while googling for ‘good eating places’. my parents are from Muar, so I’ve grown up kind of half a Muarian and I go there every school holidays. once my friends asked what is the attraction of Muar such that I always visit the place. I told them ‘food (and family)’ and they gave me incredulous looks. But really, food in Muar is a great defining characteristic. If only they pay it a first visit…
btw, there are 2 other otah places which sell even better otah. it’s home-made. and the street which has the stall selling the glutinious rice kuey, wanton mee, satay-we fondly call it “glutton street” in Teochew.
Mr X,
I thought glutton street is Jalan Haji Abu mentioned by this blogger.