Singaporeans frequenting Johor Bahru (JB), name a better love story. When it comes to deciding where to go for a weekend trip or spontaneous day out, crossing the Causeway is always an option among Singaporeans.

Why are Singaporeans so attracted to JB? Well, the answer is one word: value.

As die-hard JB visitors, Irfan, Hamizan, and Qi Tao from the UrbanWire team decided to show their love for Malaysian food by finding out how much they can buy with RM100 (SGD 30.12) per person. We began our journey early in the morning and arrived on Malaysian soil at around 10am.

1st Stop: Salahuddin Bakery

Visitors are greeted by a green vintage signboard at the entrance of the shop. 
Photo by Poong Qi Tao.

What better way to have breakfast than having some traditionally-baked pastry? We decided to start off at Salahuddin Bakery, founded in 1937 and currently helmed by the founding family’s third generation.

Fun fact: Salahuddin Bakery is one of the only two bakeries in JB which still uses traditional giant wood fired ovens to bake their breads, pastries, and cakes!

Salahuddin Bakery’s giant wood fired oven (in the background, left) is snugly situated at the end of the bakery. Visitors can immediately spot the oven as it directly faces the entrance. 
Photo by Poong Qi Tao.

We were blown away by the dazzling array of pastry the bakery had to offer – it was a vibrant sea of colours. From curry puffs to traditional cannoli and freshly baked loaves of bread, Salahuddin Bakery had it all.

You will definitely spend some time deciding what to buy in the bakery! 
Photo taken by Poong Qi Tao.

After some deliberation, we decided to get one cream roll and three of each puff – sugar, potato, and sardine.

Travelling time from Woodlands Checkpoint: 6-8 minutes walk

Money spent here: RM18 (SGD 5.39)

Address: 26, Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000

2nd Stop: Keijomoto

Keijometo cafe is located in a housing area. Can you imagine having a Japanese cafe right beside your house? Photo taken from JB City Guide.

After a hearty breakfast, it was time to grab lunch. We took a Grab and made our way to Keijometo cafe, a Japanese industrial-themed cafe. If you are an avid #foodtoker on TikTok, you might have already come across this cafe!

Opened in 2022, Keijomoto soon made rounds on social media because of its aesthetically pleasing industrial exterior. The interior of the cafe does not disappoint either. It is designed like an art exhibition alongside eclectic decor items, such as a piano and an old-school TV.

The tables, chairs, and walls inside the hip cafe are made of concrete. 
Photo taken from Eatbook.

Keijometo sells a variety of Japanese dishes and drinks, with matcha as its specialty. Food wise, you can choose from different variations of Sando and Donburi – both traditional Japanese dishes.

After a short 10 minute wait, our lunch was served! Photo by Hamizan Ahmad.

This is what our 3-man UrbanWire team got for lunch.

Irfan: Gochujang Karaage + Rose Matcha Iced Latte

Hamizan: Fried Chicken Curry + Green Mint Matcha Iced Latte

Qi Tao: Sando Chicken Katsu + Apple Matcha Iced Tea

If you want to aesthetically bless your Instagram feed, Keijometo cafe is definitely an Instagrammable place you can add to your bucket list in your next JB trip!

Travelling time from Woodlands Checkpoint: 10-15 minutes drive

Money spent here: RM113.40 (SGD 34.22)

Address: 3, Jln Chengai, Taman Melodies, 80250

3rd Stop: Md. Zain Cendol

Md. Zain Cendol is a roadside store, located opposite Giant Southern City shopping mall. 
Photo by Poong Qi Tao.

To cool down from the blistering Malaysian heat, we decided to enjoy a classic Southeast Asian dessert: the ice-cold Chendol. 

The Chendol stall has a very “traditional” vibe. A lot of old-school decor could be found there, such as a grandfather clock, old newspapers, and a bus plate. Photo by Poong Qi Tao.

After conducting extensive research online, we found Md. Zain Cendol to be one of the top Chendol stores recommended. There are many Chendol stalls in JB, but Md. Zain Cendol has been dubbed as the best Chendol in the state among locals and online. 

We wanted to find out if Md. Zain Cendol lives up to its hype and reputation.

Three of us got a bowl of Cendol each, yummy. Photo by Poong Qi Tao.

The dessert was blended well with the creamy richness of coconut milk, complemented by chewy pandan jelly noodles and a refreshing ball of shaved ice set in the bowl — a perfect treat for a hot day.

To our surprise and pleasure, the stall owner gave us a discount of RM5 upon making payment. 

We do not know the reason behind her decision but we assume she saw us filming and was happy we were promoting her stall. We could not ask for a better way to end off our trip.

Travelling time from Woodlands Checkpoint: 10 minutes drive

Money spent here: RM10 (SGD 3.02)

Address: Giant Hypermarket Southern City, Jalan Suria 18, Taman Suria, 81100

Conclusion

The UrbanWire team had a great time enjoying the local food Malaysia has to offer, from a modern cafe to traditional stalls. We came to JB wielding RM100 each and after deducting that figure with our total expenses, each of us only spent an average of… RM47.1 (SGD 14.23)!

Until our next JB trip, we will happily continue to support the local food in Malaysia. Watch the video below where we document our trip to JB and give our reviews on the food we ate.