A new location for an old, familiar taste

 

Mee Ho Seng Kee was one of the earliest Food features I published in the Travel Times, a section of The New Straits Times, and in 2018, the story of Mee Ho Seng Kee was documented among the Johor heritage trades in, My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People.

 

The dining hall at Mee Ho Seng Kee
at Jalan Harimau Tarum, Taman Abad

Ho Seng Kee noodles are made with duck’s eggs, an acquired taste for noodle fans who have enjoyed this family recipe of noodles for generations.

 

While Grandfather Ho first served these noodles from his pushcart, parked along Jalan Siu Nam, he later moved the business into a permanent stall in Chuan Seng Restaurant, at Jalan Meldrum.

 

With grandson, Elton Ho at the helm, he transformed their family business which from a humble pushcart into a café in a mall that operated with a modern business concept.

 

In 2015, when the business opened as a modern café at Level Six of Johor Bahru City Square, Mee Ho Seng Kee gained a new generation of diners who grew to appreciate the taste of their family recipe noodles.

 

The signature wantan noodles
served with a side of soup

As Johor Bahru City Square is linked to JB Sentral, visitors from across the Causeway who arrived at the mall, soon discovered the flavour of Mee Ho Seng Kee while Johoreans who have moved to reside there, were able to enjoy its familiar taste and buy takeaways more conveniently.

 

These bowls of noodles were traditionally made by a one-man noodle-preparing process and served bowl-by-bowl, but diners at this modern café enjoyed the unique taste of Mee Ho Seng Kee that were served efficiently by a team of cooks.

 

During the pandemic years and subsequent lockdown periods, the business successfully pivoted to providing a regular supply of their noodles in an efficient frozen packaged delivery service.

 

When it was safe for the economy and the borders to be reopened, fans of Mee Ho Seng Kee gradually returned to the mall café to savour the taste of freshly-served noodles.

 

Mee Ho Seng Kee was once served from 
Chuan Seng Restaurant at Jalan Meldrum

Over the past 10 years, Mee Ho Seng Kee established itself with a proud reputation for traditional wantan noodles served in a modern mall café where diners often ate the dry-tossed or soup noodles and bought takeaways of items from their wide menu.

 

As the Johor Bahru city-center is being redeveloped with the construction of the terminal and related structures of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) to meet the start of operations scheduled for end 2026, other construction projects for commercial and residential properties nearby, are also progressing in tandem.

 

Among these projects is the next phase of construction in Johor Bahru City Square that would involve building work that will start from Level Six of the mall. In view of this, all the businesses on Level Six of Johor Bahru City Square were notified and compelled to relocate elsewhere.

 

The familiar brand name, Ho Seng Kee,
emblazoned on the facade of the shop

Having moved their business from Jalan Meldrum to Taman Century in 2003 and again to another nearby location in 2009, Mee Ho Seng Kee is familiar with the whole exercise of relocating their business from time to time.

 

Tapping on this experience, Elton soon identified a new location and went on to prepare to relocate into new premises, ready to open for business by June 2025.

 

Recently as I was driving along the Tebrau Highway and slowed to a stop at the traffic lights in front of Plaza Pelangi, I turned to look at the opposite row of shops and was pleasantly surprised to spot that familiar brand name, Ho Seng Kee, emblazoned on the façade of a shop opened along Jalan Harimau Tarum. 

 

Ho Seng Kee noodles with a side of 
prawn dumplings in soup

I did not hesitate to congratulate Elton on their new opening and arranged to drop by for my own dining experience at this new location.

 

It was midweek when I headed over and just as I anticipated, vehicle parking was rather challenging along Jalan Harimau Tarum. Not willing to waste time in waiting for a parking space, I decided to go into the basement carpark of Plaza Pelangi.

 

As usual, vehicular traffic along the Tebrau Highway was heavy so I stayed alert and obeyed the traffic lights to cross the road safely.

 

It was easy to spot the shop for Mee Ho Seng Kee as the pavement outside their shop was lined with wooden stools, provided for diners and delivery riders to wait more comfortably.

 

The affable Elton Ho at
the new location noodle cafe

Through the glass-paneled walls, I saw rows of tables neatly arranged within the dining hall where diners were enjoying their bowls of noodles. Uniformed staff were busy with their tasks while one staff was at the entrance to direct diners to the vacant tables.

 

As I was shown to my table, I thought about the table-sharing concept practiced in traditional kopitiams, one that could probably be applied in this noodle café among diners who shared a common appreciation of the noodles here.

 

Everything about this café appeared the same as it was in the mall café even though it was in a much smaller space. The menu and ordering process remained unchanged and I observed that the kitchen team was serving up orders in a well-oiled system.

 

When I congratulated Elton on this new opening, he smiled widely and said that while the team was still adjusting to the changes, business was going on as usual.

Refreshing drink and peach gum dessert

And when my order of noodles was served, I found that the familiar taste of the Ho Seng Kee wantan noodles was just as tasty and satisfying, even when served in a new location.

 

I could not help but groused about the car parking in this area and Elton was quick to advise that roadside parking here was usually available before 10am and after 6pm. This was before business hours and when businesses closed in the nearby shops. Alternatively, parking was also available a short walking distance away at nearby Cedar Point and Plaza Pelangi.

 

In the short time while I was in the noodle shop, diners were leaving after their meal while others were arriving for their noodle fix, in a constant flow of regulars who seemed to know what they wanted to order to eat and takeaway.

 

When I left with my takeaways, a small crowd was gathered outside, waiting to be seated.

 

I guessed their wait will not be long as there was an unwritten understanding among diners who will enjoy their meal and leave promptly so as to free up the space for the next diners who mutually shared a fondness for the familiar flavour of these noodles.

 

Mee Ho Seng Kee is located at No. 36 Jalan Harimau Tarum, Taman Abad, also known as Century Gardens, 80250 Johor Bahru. Open from 8am to 8pm.

 

In addition to MBJB roadside parking along Jalan Harimau Tarum, nearby parking options include the Cedar Point Food Center open-air carpark and the sheltered carpark inside Plaza Pelangi.

 

For enquiries and takeaways/collections, please call or send WhatsApp messages to Tel: +6012 7107140 or +6012 6557140.