亚九咖喱鱼头店 Restoran Ah Kaw

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Recommended)

Address: 33, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/S6SSS1heqiFa9UR88
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

🍜 San Low Mee Hoon (Small) = RM11.00
🐷 Marmite Pork Ribs (Small) = RM20.00

No Service Charges

 Here is the Full Menu of the Eatery/Restaurant.
Prices are Accurate as of the Date of the Post.

Back when I was at Taman Pelangi, I tried the Famous San Low Mee Hoon 三楼米粉 at 三楼海鲜园 San Low Seafood Restaurant. Singapore calls this Dish "Chao Tah Bee Hoon". 🤔

What it is, is a Plate of Fried Bee Hoon that is fried in such a way that it retains abit of Crisp Bite Texture. 🔥🍜 Similar in Concept to eating the Slightly Crisp Burnt Parts of a Claypot Rice 沙锅饭 but in a Bee Hoon Form.

The Dish was created by a Chef affectionately known as Ah Kaw "亚九" 👨‍🍳 who had subsequently left and opened his Own Restoran. JohorKaki has written a Very In-Depth History about it which I would highly recommend to read if you are interested. 📝 And so here I am at Ah Kaw's Own Restoran to sample the Dish from the Man himself. 👨‍🍳👍





Interior of the Eatery

The Eatery is a Non-Airconditioned Kopitiam. Sparsely Furnished, its actually more like a Tze Char Place. 🤔 Impressively on a Friday Afternoon at 12.00noon when I was there, there were actually quite alot of Customers. 👍

The Place is mostly staffed by Myanmar Folks who were Friendly, Polite and keep to themselves. Unfortunately as I understand, the Famous Ah Kaw 亚九大哥 himself has since Retired. 😔 Anyway it took about 5 Mins for the San Low Mee Hoon and 7 Mins for the Marmite Pork Ribs. Everything was served up within 7 Mins.

🌶️ Quality of the Sambal Chilli Condiment

Solid Sambal. 👍 This has an Intense Sourness powered by Lime 🍋‍🟩 with a Very Elevated Level of Spiciness that will linger long. 🌶️ Almost like a Belacan but not. That said, I would use this Sambal sparingly because it may be too Strong that may cover up the taste of other Dishes if you are someone who prefer to taste More of the Original 原味 of the Food. 🌶️🤔



🍜 San Low Mee Hoon (Small) = RM11.00

At First Look, I thought the Amount of Mee Hoon felt Acceptable for the Price. 👍 The Folded Shape it was presented in also tells me this was Plated Super Piping Hot Immediately Straight from the Wok. 🔥🔥🔥 Appearance looks Noticeably Charred compared to the Version I had at San Low Seafood. 🔥🤔 This Chef is Very 大胆敢敢来 jitao not afraid to Chao Tah some Pieces 👨‍🍳🔥 and yet also have Good Control to not let them be Overly Chao Tah. 👍



Within 1 Min of it being served up when you first taste it, you will definitely taste a Noticeable Crisp 🔥😋 although it will also Quickly Fade the Longer its on the Plate. Wok Hei is Gao Gao, 👍 and Every Bite delivers a Deep Robust Taste of Fried Smokiness and Fried Oil. 🔥 What I like is the Inner Softness under that Crisp Exterior which retains its Fluffy Soft Texture. 🍜😋 

As I dig in Deeper into the Dish, I also noticed the Liao Ingredients given also felt More Generous compared to San Low Seafood 🤔 which consists of:
🍡 4 Pieces of Fishcake
🦐 1 Prawn
🍳 Egg
🥬 Veggies


All of them taste Decent, Tender to the bite. Again, this Chef very 敢敢来 not afraid to let some of them get Noticeably Chao Tah especially the Fishcakes. 🔥🍡 Having said that, this Whole Bee Hoon tastes Noticeably Oily. 🤔 吃得出来 there are alot of Oil used in this compared to San Low Seafood. Overall though this was still a Very Well Made Plate of San Low Bee Hoon. 👍

🐷 Marmite Pork Ribs (Small) = RM20.00

Because San Low Bee Hoon is actually a Carb Canvas, you will need to order another Dish to pair with it. 🍜🤔 I ordered this because it was listed as a Recommended Item on their Menu. 📜 Served on a Piece of Lettuce on a Nice Looking Plate, 🥬 the Dish has a Beautiful Vibrant and Appetizing Appearance. 卖相不错. 👍 There are 10 Piece Cuts given for the Small that I ordered.

Upon tasting it, the First Thing that does it for me is that Dark Marmite Sauce that coats Everything. 🍯 It has a Rich Elevated Sweet Salty and Earthy Savoury Taste that is Very Appetizing 开味 that makes you want to keep eating it Non-Stop. 🍯😋 

The Pork Ribs themselves are a Mix of Meaty and Boney Cartilagey Cuts, a Good Mix of Meaty and Fatty. 🐷😋 Tender to the Bite, they were Not Overly Porky especially when covered with that Lovely Zhup. 🍯👍 I mentioned about using their Sambal Sparingly, but go ahead and dip this in it because I feel the Additional Fiery Spiciness enhances this Rib even more. 🌶️😋 Delicious. No wonder this is listed as a Recommended Dish on the Menu.

Having said that though, while the San Low Been Hoon and this Marmite Pork Ribs stand out very well on their Own, I would not recommend to pair them together because both of them lean towards More 重口味. 😅 The Gao Gao Wok Hei-Ness of the Bee Hoon 🔥🍜  together with the Rich Thick Sweet Zhup of this Ribs 🐷🍯 will quickly make you Jelak. If you do want to eat these 2 items together, I would recommend to add an Additional Neutral Item such as a Veggie 🥬 or a Soup 🍲 to help balance them off.

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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM20.00 (S$6.20) is a Decent Price for 10 Pieces of Pork Ribs. 🐷😋 Reasonable in Size, its the Robustly Sweet and Earthy Zhup they used that does it for me. 🍯😋 

Deliciously Appetizing and together with the Juicy Meaty Ribs was a Good Protein to order if you are ok with more 重口味. 😋 Can be quite Rich though which will make you Jelak, so do order an Additional Neutral Dish like Veggies 🥬🤔 to balance it off. This is worth to order. 👍

At the Price of RM11.00 (S$3.40) for the Signature San Low Mee Hoon, is a Very Decent Price for what it is. 🔥🍜 I actually prefer this Version compared to the one I had at 三楼海鲜园 San Low Seafood Restaurant previously. 👍 Amount of Ingredients felt more Generous, Wok Hei was definitely more Gao Gao. 🔥🔥🔥 This is a Much More Aggressive Rendition of this Dish. 💪 How its prepared also tells me alot about the Chef. 👨‍🍳 Really a No Nonsense, Don't Give Face jitao 敢敢来 not afraid to let parts of the Dish noticeably Chao Tah and yet flirts the Line to not be Overly Chao Tah. 🔥🔥🔥 Excellent Frying Skills. 👍 

Through this Dish, 吃得出来 this is a Chef who is Really Comfortable around Fire and has Controlled it Very Well. 🔥👨‍🍳🔥 Brutally Fierce in Execution compared to the More Conservative Style of Frying in San Low Seafood which is more 点到为止 and takes care not to Overly Chao Tah any parts. 🤔 

If you enjoy a More "Brutal Fierce" Don't Give Face, Plenty of Wok-Hei, 🔥 重口味, 🔥 Noticeably Chao Tah 🔥 but also Noticeably Much Oiler version of this Dish, then you will like this version by Restoran Ah Kaw.

If you prefer a More Conservative, More Calm and Controlled Less Wok-Hei 🧘 but also Less Chao Tah and Much Less Oily, more Gentle and Cleaner Version of the Dish, 🧘 then 三楼海鲜园 San Low Seafood Restaurant might be the Choice for you.

Both Renditions of this Dish have their Own Unique Style. 👍
Ultimately it comes down to which Version is more Suitable for your Own Taste. 👍
Overall I have no issues with this place. The Quality of the Taste and Price feels Reasonably Decent. 👍 Quite a Popular Place too even on a Weekday Afternoon when I was there. It is a Pity that the Famous Ah Kaw 亚九大哥 himself has already Retired so I don't have the Chance to taste his True Original Version. 😔 Having said that, the Chef he has chosen to succeed him has done a Good Job. 👨‍🍳👍 Brutally Brave in his Execution of the Dish, I feel this is Decently Made. 此人的 "火焰掌" 🔥🖐️🔥 打的够猛够漂亮. 😅

I enjoyed my time here and I can definitely recommend this place if you are near the Area looking for a Decent Tze Char Place. 😋 Have you eaten the Original Version of San Low Bee Hoon from the Legendary Ah Kaw 亚九大哥 himself? 🤔 Please do share your Experiences with us in the Comments Section Below! 😄