The
recent change in the city’s electronic payment system for vehicle parking is
causing much anxiety among drivers – like me – who loathe to pay parking fines.
I always sought to park my car legally so to avoid complications during this
uncertain period, I park within the malls.
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Facade of Han Yuan Daily at Taman Pelangi
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When
my grocery shopping was safely stored in the car, parked in the mall carpark, my
friend and I decided to walk over to Jalan Pingai in search of some lunch.
City
folks in Johor Bahru are familiar with two roads in Taman Pelangi where a
collection of restaurants, cafés and eateries offer a choice of cuisine to
enjoy from dawn to dusk.
This
area is also a magnet for residents and neigbourhood shoppers who keep a weekly
appointment with the night market set up along Jalan Perang every Tuesday
evening.
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Promo posters in front of the entrance to
Han Yuan Daily at Jalan Pingai, Taman Pelangi
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Over
the years, Jalan Perang and Jalan Pingai have housed popular cafés and
restaurants, many of which have closed or relocated, while new outlets are
still being opened in the rows of shops that border these two popular roads.
While
considering the dining options along Jalan Pingai, my eyes locked onto the
signboard that read, Han Yuan Daily, displayed over double-shop units. It was probably
the clean colours of a modern kopitiam that drew us nearer for a look at their
menu.
From
the promo poster for Top Sellers, we learnt that this kopitiam serves
traditional Hainanese bread, popular breakfast items, kopitiam comfort food and
drinks.
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Cover design of their menu
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I
am familiar with the main Chinese dialect groups in Johor, made up of Hokkien,
Hakka, Hainanese, Cantonese and Teochew, their trades, traditions, culture and
cuisine, so it did not take long for us to decide on a dining experience at Han
Yuan Daily, a Hainanese kopitiam.
A
wall poster listed the locations of their outlets in various residential areas.
As we entered, I read “Since 2021” on the signboard above the main door and
recalled that this was during the tail-end of the lockdown period, due to the
global pandemic.
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The word, "SUUKEE" on the lightbox poster
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At
a glance I saw serving staff, busy with brewing coffee the traditional way and
taking slices of bread out from a bamboo steamer to toast, all happening behind
a wall of plexiglass while the dining hall was already abuzz with diners, enjoying
brunch or an early lunch.
This
word, “SUUKEE,” in a lightbox poster that spanned an entire wall, caught my eye
and caused me to pause and ask my friend, who happened to be Hainanese, for the
meaning of that word.
[Like
many Malaysians who are familiar with various Chinese dialects, the first words
to add to our vocabulary were typically expletives, so I was curious to know
what this word in Hainanese dialect, means. We also have a dear friend whose family
name happens to be, Suki.]
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Staff toasting bread, seen through a glass wall
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Unbeknownst
to me, someone was observing us from a nearby table. And while my friend was
trying to explain the meaning of “SUUKEE,” this young man approached us and
graciously offered to alleviate my curiosity.
He
introduced himself as Derek Han. His surname “Han” rang a loud bell as it
echoed the name of this kopitiam, Han Yuan Daily, and he turned out to be none
other than the proprietor.
Derek
was all smiles as he explained that the Hainanese word, “SUUKEE” was a warm
word that means, “our people,” equivalent to, “kaki nang” in Teochew
dialect.
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A rare photograph of Han Senior, the baker
who operated a traditional kopitiam in Rengit
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He
showed us to our table and as he pointed out the menu highlights, I took the
opportunity to quiz him about the origins of this kopitiam.
Over
lunch of highly recommended items from the menu, Derek was pleased to share
about the humble beginnings of Han Yuan Daily, which originated from his
family’s traditional kopitiam that has been in business in Rengit for almost 60
years.
[Rengit
is located some 40km south of Batu Pahat, not to be mistaken for Sungai Rengit,
a coastal fishing town close to Pengerang in the Kota Tinggi district.]
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A section of the dining hall in Han Yuan Daily
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His
father, Han senior, was the baker of their traditional Hainanese bread, served in
their family kopitiam, steamed or toasted, spread with homemade Pandan kaya and
salted butter. Derek said the recipe for this signature bread remains unchanged
to this day.
After
his father’s demise, his mother and cousins continue to run the business in
Rengit. Now the supply of bread to the various outlets is delivered regularly from
Rengit by their own transport.
In
those days, Derek said a stall outside their family kopitiam was rented out to
a Malay trader known as Pakcik Kamar, whose specialty was a snack of
deep-fried tofu drizzled with spicy dark-chili sauce. To Derek, this specialty
was a taste of nostalgia and he was pleased to feature it in the Han Yuan Daily
menu as a tribute to Kamar.
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Steamed Hainanese bread spread
with Pandan kaya and butter,
Coconut Buns and Fried Tofu
drizzled in spicy, dark-chilli sauce
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I
must admit that I could not wait to have a taste of this specialty, soaked with
such fond sentiments. Then I saw that it comprised two squares of tofu, crispy
on the outside and oh so smooth on the inside. The spicy dark-chili sauce was
like its name – spicy – and reminded me of the dip sauce for deep-fried
bananas, savoured the uniquely Johor way.
Throughout
this time, I observed that diners were arriving to seek a table while satisfied
diners were paying at the counter and leaving. This outlet in Taman Pelangi,
opened in March 2026, has certainly gained a reputation for its menu of
kopitiam comfort food and traditional Nanyang white coffee and local-style milk
tea.
They
serve Hainanese coffee in their own “secret recipe” formula and when Kopi-O and
Kopi-C were served to us in ceramic cups and saucers, Derek was pleased to
demonstrate using the position of the mini-Chinese spoon placed in the cup or
on the saucer, the traditional way kopitiam staff indicated which serving was
with Less Sugar, Kosong or No Sugar, and Normal.
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Red Date Fresh Milk, Kopi-C and
Kopi-O topped with salted butter
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Having
grown up in his family kopitiam, he observed how some coffee connoisseurs would
enjoy their Kopi-O that was topped with a sliver of cold, salted butter and
served with a toothpick on the side. They used the toothpick to pick up the
butter and take a bite, then savour it as it melted in their mouth, with a sip
of hot coffee.
Derek
explained that prior to opening the first Han Yuan Daily outlet, he and his
brother were involved in a Food & Beverage business.
When
an opportunity arose in 2021, the brothers took over a business in Taman Molek and
started the Han Yuan Daily brand. This kicked off a series of new openings in
Taman Mount Austin and Taman Setia Tropika in 2022, followed by an outlet in
Taman Eco Botanic in 2023 and recently, this outlet in Taman Pelangi.
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A serving of Assam Fish with white rice
and a side of vegetables
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A
look at the attractive menu revealed that Han Yuan Daily has set itself apart
from other kopitiam menus by featuring a range of items that appealed to diners
of various ages and in different locations.
While
there were kopitiam staples like Hainanese bread, classic soft-boiled eggs, soupy
and stir-fried noodles, there were also choices of buns, sandwiches and wraps
along with rice dishes in popular local, Korean and Japanese recipes.
I
saw that vegan and vegetarian options were also available with icons on the
menu that indicated, No Garlic, No Onion and No Animal Products or Contains
Dairy Products & Eggs.
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A serving of Fish Sauce Meehoon
with a side of spicy sambal
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There
was also a choice of comforting sweet broths like Tau Suan or split mung
beans with Sago, Winter Nest Longan and Soya Bean Barley, as well as chilled
oats and yogurt, a favourite among young diners.
I
also saw that Han Yuan Daily offered two choices of traditional health drinks
made with red dates. Derek said these warm beverages enjoyed by women, in
particular, were inspired by his wife who often brewed Red Date in Fresh Milk
and Red Date Ginger Brown Healthy Tea, to drink.
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A serving of Prawn Cheong Fun
in light sauce
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Because
he appreciated the benefits of apple cider, Derek included a choice of drinks
made with the refreshing taste of apple cider like Apple Cider Citron Ice Tea,
Apple Cider with Calamansi Ice Juice and Apply Cider with Mint & Lime Ice
Tea.
Photographs
of mouth-watering dishes printed in the menu were making us hungry so we placed
our food order for Assam Fish with rice, Meehoon or vermicelli
stir-fried with Fish Sauce and Prawn Cheong Fun, to share.
The
Assam Fish dish was a portion of ray fish stewed with tomatoes and ladies’
fingers while the Fish Sauce Meehoon was topped with three whole prawns, served
with a side of own-made spicy sambal.
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Having coffee and Coconut Bun
with Derek Han
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I
helped myself to a portion of the freshly steamed Prawn Cheong Fun, tasted the bites
of fresh prawns in smooth rice rolls or chee cheong fun and could not
stop at one piece but went on for the next and the next piece. The fine pastry,
generous fillings and tasty light sauce, in my opinion, is a sure winner among
other similar chee cheong fun servings I have tasted.
For
a sweet ending, we shared a pair of Coconut Buns among us. Derek pointed out
that the coconut filling used in their buns are freshly grated with its juices
still intact. As we chewed the buns, this certainly made a difference to the
fragrance and flavour.
As
we made our way out of the kopitiam, more diners were arriving. On our slow
walk back to the carpark in the mall, my friend and I agreed that we will visit
Han Yuan Daily again to savour more items from their interesting menu.
Han
Yuan Daily [No Pork, No Lard] in Taman Pelangi is located at No, 34 & 36,
Jalan Pingai, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru, Johor. Open daily from 7am to
9pm. For enquiries, Tel: +6018 7683436.
