Q for Mee Rebus

Delicious mee rebus Haji Wahid

Some like it sweet and some prefer it spicy.  But when it comes to my choice for Mee Rebus, it must be Haji Wahid’s family recipe mee rebus because it tastes… just right.  

The rich gravy in Haji Wahid Mee Rebus perfectly compliments the noodles and condiments and when I savour a plate, I confess that I will polish the plate up to the last dollop of tasty gravy!

Each time I’m in Plaza Angsana, I try to find an excuse to have a snack.  

That’s because the mee rebus, stewed noodles stall run by Haji Halim, is located at the ground floor food court.  

I usually time my visit to in-between meal hours because I simply dislike having to contend with a large crowd and long queue just for my noodles!

Every now and then when I happen to go right smack at the peak dining hours, I’m confronted by a long queue in front of his stall.  

If I finally squeeze my way close enough to have a word with Hj Halim, he may not even have a moment to pause for a chat because the hungry crowd was waiting impatiently to be served.

  

So I end up capturing a few photos as proof that I was there trying to get his noodles but was put off by the queue. 

Haji Halim with pre-packed noodles
ready for takeaways at Ramadan

During Ramadan, the food court would be closed for the day but by late afternoon, the stallholders would begin preparation for the breaking-of-fast meals. 

For years Hj Halim have been preparing the ingredients of his popular noodles to sell at Ramadan Bazaars in the city and would also serve it from his Angsana outlet.  

To cater to the rush of shoppers for the breaking-of-fast, Hj Halim would pre-pack his noodles for their convenience. 

Every year, I join shoppers to browse around the shops for Raya goodies and I did the same at Angsana this year.  

My shopping trip there would inevitably end up in front of Hj Wahid’s mee rebus stall and for once, there was nobody crowding around, waiting to be served!

Waiting customers on a normal day at Plaza Angsana

Hj Halim was busy at the stove, preparing the gravy to be packed separately from the packs of noodles all lined up for sale on the counter – and finally, he was also not too preoccupied for a chit-chat! 

Hj Halim is a family friend, a retired sportsman familiar with my uncles and aunts who are also retired from the national and international sporting arena.  

Our family had been enjoying his mee rebus for generations and since his food is such a hit among our family and friends, we often had his mee rebus served from a “live” cooking station in our parties at home.

Before the rules were changed, Hj Wahid mee rebus was even “exported” overseas to be served at our grand-uncle’s parties in Singapore!  

The overseas catering arrangements may have ceased with the change of rules but the best thing is these delicious noodles remain unchanged!

Relatives from Singapore often ask me for directions to Plaza Angsana to find their favourite mee rebus stall and I respond by not only giving them directions but also drawing maps to guide them there!  

I also tell them that they can always bring me along to show them the way – because I don’t mind having a nice mee rebus treat too!  Yum!

Haji Wahid Mee Rebus stall will be closed for the Raya holidays but I’m sure he will be ready to serve you when they reopen for business next week.  

To Haji Halim and family and all my Muslim friends, may you have a happy family reunion and Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

Johor's famous Mee Rebus Haji Wahid

Haji Halim busy serving customers
at his mee rebus stall

Johoreans have enjoyed delicious mee rebus for generations so when we long to have a satisfying mee rebus meal, only Mee Rebus Haji Wahid will do!  

Only his fragrant plateful of warm yellow noodles drenched in thick gravy, garnished by ku-chai, bean sprouts, green chilly with a slice of lime and topped by special “pendaram” or crispy condiment, will meet the lip-smacking mark.

In 1918, grandfather Wak Baidali peddled his mee rebus every afternoon using a “kandar” or two bamboo/rattan baskets suspended between a pole, in the area around the Bukit Zaharah building and Kampung Air Molek. 

From 1938 his son, Hj Wahid’s sole mee rebus stall among all the satay vendors was the crowd-puller at the Satay Club along Jalan Campbell (now Jalan Tun Abdul Razak). 

When the Satay Club was demolished in 1978, Hj Wahid moved his business to the Jalan Trus Bus Terminal while his son, Hj Halim operated an evening outlet in Tepian Tebrau at the JB seafront. 

When Hj Halim opened the stall in Plaza Angsana in 1997, his loyal mee rebus fans followed his trail there!

“The secret is in its gravy”, laughed the affable Hj A. Halim Wahid at his Plaza Angsana stall. The closely guarded family recipe is shared by family members who operate another five outlets in Taman Sri Tebrau, Larkin Bus Terminal, Taman Rinting, Kampung Melayu in Johor and Taman Sri Hartamas in Kuala Lumpur.

A long queue waiting to be served!

Hj Halim and his siblings adopted the family’s good business practices and one such tradition is to work as a salaried employee and not just as a paid family member. 

He is a hands-on boss who works alongside his people and enjoys an amicable working relationship with his dependable suppliers of fresh yellow noodles, bean sprouts and eggs who have supported his business for the past 40 years.

In addition, he caters for State and private functions and even to Singapore until recently when regulations changed. 

Hj Halim is proud that his mee rebus is also a favourite of our Prime Minister and his Deputy, and whenever possible, a special two tiffin-carrier takeaway will be arranged!

The sixth among his 12 siblings, Hj Halim, a former National rugby player, happily hung up his boots for the family business. 

This ex-English College student realized his dream for the honour to wear the National colours and was ready to retire from the game at age 41 after acquiring a total of 32 stitches on his body!

A father of 4, Hj Halim lamented that the long hours is a challenge for youngsters but is glad that one of his sons has shown interest in the business. 

Right after subur prayers, Hj Halim will be off to buy fresh ingredients from the market and head directly to his kitchen to prepare the gravy. By 11.00am his mee rebus will be ready to serve because Plaza Angsana’s business hours are from 10.00am to 10.00pm. 

So satisfy your tastebuds with the authentic taste of Hj Wahid’s mee rebus!