It's my very first trip to Johor Bahru in 3 years. What is likely to be just an extended destination for Singaporeans (like going Sentosa) felt like a holiday to me. Restoran Hua Mui is an old school coffee shop that is known for their Hainanese chicken chop. This two story shophouse is popular among both locals and tourists. You can see from the high traffic flow on a weekday afternoon that business is brisk.
It's a waste when you come here for the first time and not eat the chicken chop (RM15.90). The chicken, fried till legit crispy (we call it chicken cutlet back home don't we?) and amazingly without a hint of oiliness. The sauce though felt like coloured water. Half-way through the meal, we discovered the secret to a delicious chicken chop when we dipped the fried chicken into chilli sauce. Taste really good! From the image, you get a sense of being transported back in time to the days where food presentation isn't important (what instagram?).
They also adapted to modern day and have salted egg chicken chop (RM19.90) in their menu. This time, the salted egg sauce had flavour and the chicken chop can be enjoyed on its own with the salted egg sauce.
Some of the other dishes we tried, Hui Mui breakfast (RM7.90), Hua Mui Mee Hainan (RM7.90) and Cantonese Horfun (RM8.90). I don't know about you, but I really have difficulty appreciating the Hua Mui breakfast and the Hua Mui Mee Hainan. Makes me feel that you can be a mediocre chef and set up shop with an ancient shop front and have lots of people frequenting your stall if you don't charge too much.
Would I bring people back? I might.. for the chicken chop, if my company wants to eat where the locals go. I'd say I don't regret my visit because it's my mini holiday and this is indeed a different experience from what I can find back home.
Restoran Hua Mui
131, Jalan Trus, Bandar Johor Bahru, 8000 Johor Bahru
Johor Malaysia