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New image Mee Rebus Haji Wahid


In Johor, Mee Rebus Haji Wahid hardly needs any introduction.

 

A logo in the new image for
Mee Rebus Haji Wahid

My family and I are familiar with Hj Halim, the sixth son of Hj Wahid, whom we fondly call Bai – Punjabi for brother – probably because he wears a full beard, and faithfully followed his trail to wherever he served this popular Mee Rebus at various locations in the city.

 

I remember eating his servings of Mee Rebus at the Public Bus Terminal at Jalan Trus and then at the original Tepian Tebrau, a food-court situated close to the Johor Baru seafront, and finally at the food court at Angsana Johor Baru Mall.

 

In the 1970s, when we often hosted parties at home, our family arranged for Hj Halim to serve Mee Rebus from a live cooking station set up in the garden.

 

This was where I met with Hafiz, Hj Halim’s son, who would help his father serve plate after plate of their Mee Rebus to our guests.

 

The Mee Rebus Haji Wahid brand identity
is repeated in the wrapping paper for noodles

The distinct taste of this family recipe noodles has earned a faithful following who enjoy the fragrant plates of warm stewed yellow noodles drenched in thick gravy, with a side of hardboiled egg and a slice of lime to squeeze, garnished by ku-chai vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped green chilli, and topped by a special crispy pendaram condiment.

 

Pendaram are the savoury crisps sprinkled on the stewed noodles as a topping, not only as a garnish but also for a crunchy bite, in sharp contrast to the soft noodles.

 

In 2018, while I was considering the Contents for my book sequel, I did not hesitate to include the legacy of Mee Rebus Haji Wahid into the section for Heritage Trades in My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People.

 

The air-tight packet of pendaram
is sealed by a logo sticker

This familiar Mee Rebus was also in the menu at the tea reception hosted after my book launch event for my guests to savour a taste this recipe which had remained consistent since 1918.

 

Hj Halim or Bai, said back then his grandfather Wak Baidali, used to peddle his Mee Rebus every afternoon using a kandar – two rattan baskets hung from two ends of a pole which he carried across his shoulders – around the Bukit Zaharah building and Kampung Ayer Molek area.

 

In 1938, his son, Haji Wahid, operated the only Mee Rebus stall in the Satay Club, a food court dedicated to serve satay, situated along Jalan Campbell (now Jalan Tun Abdul Razak) opposite the former Johor Baru Railway Station.

 

While Hj Halim operated the outlet at Angsana JB Mall, his son, Hafiz, made their family Mee Rebus conveniently available from outlets opened at food courts within shopping malls.

 

Chicken Pepes AKA Chicken Otak2

Outlets were opened at Aeon Bukit Indah, Aeon Bandar Dato Onn, Aeon Danga Bay and Aeon Tebrau City in Johor Baru, as well as outside Johor at Aeon Nilai, Aeon Ayer Keroh, Aeon Puchong and Aeon Shah Alam.

 

I even remember reading a Facebook post that Professor Kassim Thukiman posted with a photograph of a plate of Mee Rebus Haji Wahid and a text that declared how delighted he was to discover a favourite Johor dish at the food court in Aeon Ayer Keroh.

 

When Toppen opened in 2019, I was thrilled to see that Mee Rebus Haji Wahid had an outlet at the mall’s food court to serve shoppers there and from nearby IKEA.

 

My most recent taste of these familiar noodles was in July 2021 when my sister went grocery shopping at Aeon Bukit Indah, and came back with takeaway portions of Mee Rebus Haji Wahid.

 

Tasty morsels of Chicken Pepes

Due to the global pandemic and subsequent Movement Control Order lockdowns implemented since March 2020, my family and I did not venture out for Mee Rebus so that takeaway lunch was such a tasty treat for us.

 

When Singapore commemorated its National Day in early August, I watched with interest, documentaries on Singapore history screened on the Discovery Asia channel.

 

One of these documentaries was on archive films that showcased old and fuzzy Black & White films that documented the precious heritage of street food in an era when Singapore and Malaya were still one country.

 

When I saw scenes of peddlers selling food carried on the kandar across their shoulders, my thoughts flashed to Wak Baidali who used to peddle his Mee Rebus here back in 1918.

 

A portion of takeaway Mee Rebus Haji Wahid

Meanwhile, I was working with BrandCulture PR MarCom to produce a video in collaboration with Zenith Lifestyle Mall to commemorate Hari Kebangsaan or National Day 2021 and the first teaser poster was posted a day ago, with a few more due to appear in the coming days before the video is aired on August 31.

 

After Hafiz saw the teaser poster yesterday, he sent me a thumbs-up emoji with a message assuring me that he will be looking out for the video.

 

In another minute, he sent the next line: “Can you give me your address…want to send Mee Rebus especially for you… with my warmest compliments.”

 

A plate of Mee Rebus Haji Wahid with gravy

Sometimes dreams do come true. And this was a dream come true for me because ever since I saw the archive film of a peddler selling food using a kandar I was longing for a taste of Mee Rebus Haji Wahid.

 

I confessed to Hafiz that I rindu makan and last had a takeaway Mee Rebus from their outlet at Aeon Bukit Indah in July so I was deeply humbled and happy to accept his kind offer to send my family and I a Mee Rebus treat!

 

In his reply, Hafiz proudly declared that while my previous takeaway was served by his staff, now he will personally prepare and serve me Mee Rebus from his kitchen.

 

Since June 2021, Hafiz was serving Mee Rebus from his kitchen based in Kampung Ubi Baru (I looked it up on the map and found it near Tampoi-Pandan) with a delivery service mainly to addresses in Johor Baru, Senai and Kulai.

 

He explained that the pandemic with long periods of lockdowns, had deeply affected their family business and they had no alternative but to cease operations of outlets at Toppen, Aeon Bukit Indah, Aeon Bandar Dato Onn, Aeon Danga Bay, Aeon Nilai and Aeon Ayer Keroh.

 

The outlets that remain opened at mall food courts are in Aeon Tebrau City, Aeon Puchong and Aeon Shah Alam.

 

How to place your order for
Mee Rebus Haji Wahid

By this time, I had given Hafiz my address and was eagerly anticipating the delivery of my order, scheduled for 12.30pm.

 

At about 12.10pm, I received his message to notify that the delivery was on its way.

 

He also told me to expect a pack of Chicken Pepes and sent a photo of the banana leaf-wrapped morsels commonly called chicken otak-otak, which he recommended to eat along with his Mee Rebus.

 

When I quizzed him about it, Hafiz explained that this delicacy was made in collaboration with Mr Noh of Otak-Otak JB.

 

My delivery arrived safely and the first thing I noticed from the see-through bag was a logo for Mee Rebus Haji Wahid, a brand identity that was repeated on the paper wrap and sticker which sealed a bag of crispy pendaram condiment.

 

I took a closer look and smiled when I read the tagline: RECIPE SINCE 1918. A LEGENDARY LEGACY by BAI Jr.

 

I thought it was very apt for Hafiz, the son of Bai, to adopt the moniker, Bai Junior, as he was taking a heritage recipe to new heights by serving it with a modern touch.

 

I liked the logo colour and motif, and could not help but notice that the tagline for Mee Rebus Haji Wahid was in English and not Malay.

 

I guessed it was probably because both Hj Halim and Hafiz – Bai and Bai Jr – are also conversant in English and they know that the taste of their family recipe Mee Rebus crosses all boundaries and can be appreciated by international food connoisseurs.

 

So it was very wise of them to present their brand image with a tagline in an International language.

 

The legacy of Mee Rebus Haji Wahid is
documented in My Johor Stories 2: Interesting
Places and Inspirational People


With such a proud heritage preserved in their family recipe for Mee Rebus, it was good to see the next generation being involved with the business and giving it a refreshing image while promoting a familiar brand.

 

Read the story about the legacy of Mee Rebus Haji Wahid under Heritage Trades, documented in my book, My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People*.

 

Place orders for Mee Rebus Haji Wahid conveniently for delivery through two platforms: https://meerebushajiwahid.maynuu.com/ and https://meerebushajiwahid.yezza.store/

 

With delivery fees as low as RM5 depending on location, they offer three slots for delivery during Lunch Hour, Evening or Dinner.

 

Mee Rebus Haji Wahid is also available from Almizan Satay House, located at PTD 64399, Jalan Tebrau, Kampung Ubi Baru, Taman Ekoperniagaan, 81100 Johor Baru, Johor. Enquires welcome at, https://meerebushajiwahid.wasap.my

 

*My books, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage and My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People, are available from MPH bookstores nationwide and online from mphonline.com 

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