Kluang RailCoffee celebrates 88 Years

 

It was mid-July when I received a message from Kluang RailCoffee with a request to save-the-date for a cosy lunch event to commemorate their 88^th Anniversary, hosted at the flagship Kluang Railway Station outlet on a date in late August 2026.

 

It was a pleasure to celebrate with the Lim
family; [Left to Right] Ben, Barney, me and Jack

When I received the official invitation, I replied to say that I had already marked the date on my calendar and will be there to celebrate this milestone occasion with them.

 

In the weeks preceding the event, I saw a series of social media posts that featured interesting posters and reels that celebrated the proud legacy of Kluang RailCoffee.

 

As I watched the reels and reminisced with them, I recalled receiving a message in early February to inform me about their project to capture the history and legacy of Kluang RailCoffee in a documentary with a request to feature me in it.

 

While I was thrilled and deeply honoured by such a request, I had to decline as I was then abroad on a long break and did not want them to wait for my return. So I asked them not to delay but proceed with the schedule on their project.

 

The Kluang RailCoffee
88th Anniversary cake

Delighted by this invitation to be featured in their documentary, I hugged their thoughtfulness to myself and pondered over the many events that I had the pleasure to work in partnership with Kluang RailCoffee.

 

I looked back at my first meeting with Lim Jit Chen, better known as Jack, at the Kluang Railway Station kopitiam, and it was in fact, in 2006. That was a good 20 years out of their 88 years, so far. Wow!

 

It was an unforgettable experience when I was among a media group hosted by Tourism Malaysia, Johor, who travelled by KTM train from Johor Bahru to Kluang and alighted at the old railway station to enjoy a typical kopitiam meal in the railway station kopitiam.

 

Back in the colonial days, railways were a major means of transport and the railway stations that dotted the North-South route, provided not only refreshments in their coffee-shops but also accommodation in the hotels or rest houses designed within some of the bigger stations.

 

Jack [Right] and Barney [Left] with their wives
at my book launch event in 2018

In 2007, I had the privilege to have a kopitiam experience at the Kluang RailCoffee opened at Jalan Manggis in Kluang, where Jack let me witness scenes of our Malaysian ‘coffeeshop culture’ a unique reflection of the unity in our multi-cultural community as they agreed on their cups of brewed coffee and slices of kaya toast.

 

At that time, the train service was still operating on a single-track from North to South, all the way to the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station in Singapore. So when my former schoolmates joined me on a weekend jaunt to explore Kluang in 2009, the girls who lived in Singapore booked their return and boarded the train comfortably from the old Kluang railway station.

 

Then in 2010, Kluang RailCoffee opened at Taman Perniagaan Tasik, close to the roundabout before entering the town center, and I had the pleasure of joining Jack and the Lim family to celebrate this new opening in Kluang.

 

This way to a Free-of-Charge breakfast with
best compliments from Kluang RailCoffee

I learnt that there were plans to open a hotel in the upper floors of that building and when the hotel opened to welcome guests in 2011, Jack’s cousin, Lim Jit Tong, better known as Barney, invited me to have a stay experience at the Rail Hotel.

 

In the ensuing years, the Lim family continued to grow the Kluang RailCoffee brand with careful surveys on where to open their next outlets in Kluang or outside of Johor. Then when Jack’s son, Lim Ben Winn, joined the management team, he brought new blood into the business and took marketing and promotions to new heights of achievement.

 

A section of diners enjoying breakfast
together under the tent

Meanwhile in 2017 my book, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage, went to the Number One spot in the MPH Non-Fiction Bestsellers list in the first week of its launch. At year-end, this title was counted among The Best of MPH in 2017. Following the success of this book, I started working on its sequel.

 

Titled, My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People, I decided to feature people whom I know in other districts in Johor, like Kluang, Muar, Batu Pahat, Macap, Desaru, Kulai and Kelapa Sawit. In addition to my ‘grandfather stories’ under Memories, I also featured other heritage traders in Johor Bahru who were still doing the businesses started by their forefathers.

Jack Lim with his former
teacher, Mr Yong Ping Kiang

Kluang RailCoffee neatly fell into this group so it was my privilege to document their story among others in Book Two of My Johor Stories. Then I hosted members of the Lim family in Johor Bahru when they attended my book launch event in 2018.

 

In 2022, I was thrilled to be among guests to witness the induction ceremony for the Kluang RailCoffee kopitiam as it was recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records as the Oldest Railway Coffee Shop in Malaysia.

 

Not willing to rest on its laurels, Kluang RailCoffee continued to expand its network in Johor and opened outlets to meet the tastes of the communities in Kota Masai, Parit Raja, Bandar Seri Alam and close to the airport in Senai.

 

I saw many changes in Kluang since my last visit in 2022, among them high-rise buildings and a spanking new railway station, adjacent to the old railway station.

 

The flagship Kluang RailCoffee kopitiam is still housed within the old railway station, preserved as a landmark destination for regulars and visitors to Kluang to have a typical railway station kopitiam experience here.

 

Ready for the cake-cutting ceremony to
commemorate their 88th Anniversary

In line with their event tagline, 88 years of Heritage & Community, Kluang RailCoffee invited the community over for breakfast as part of their 88^th Anniversary celebration, served Free-of-Charge.

 

Under a tent outside the railway station, tables and chairs were arranged for diners to savour their meal in comfort while benches were lined up in a waiting section for new arrivals.

 

When seats at the table were available, the diners collected their portion of nasi lemak, roti bakar (kaya toast) and choice of hot drink (coffee or tea), allocated per person, to sit down for breakfast with best compliments from Kluang RailCoffee.

 

The breakfast served at this tent ended by 11am for the staff to move indoors to join the private celebration event scheduled to kick-off in the old railway station on the arrival of special guests.

 

They were YB Syed Hussein Syed Abdullah, Member of the Johor State Legislative Assembly for Makhota and YB Wong Shu Qi, Member of Parliament for Kluang.

 

Jack feeding 88-year-old Subramaniam with a
bite of cake while YB Syed Hussein, YB Wong
and Ben looked on

I was warmly welcomed in by Jack who introduced me to two fellow members in their Lim Hainanese clan, namely Robert Lim Meng Zium, a Johorean, and Lim Jianle, from their hometown village in Hainan Island, China.

 

They shared with me an interesting discovery of the link between the railway heritage in Johor and Malaya with the Lim clan in Hainan Island. [Please wait for it, as this exciting discovery will be shared in a separate story!]

 

Jack also introduced me to his former Maths teacher, 85-year-old Mr Yong Ping Kiang, who would often drop by for his regular order of Teh-C-Ais or iced milk-tea, sometimes twice of three times a day.

 

In our conversation, Mr Yong reminisced about his teacher days when he taught Jack and fondly recalled that he also taught Ben, Jack’s son.

 

More guests were arriving and when he arrived with his son, Jack brought Mr Subramaniam Sadayin over and introduced him. Said that Kluang RailCoffee was honoured to celebrate their 88^th Anniversary with this 88-year-old loyal customer.

 

In a simple cake-cutting ceremony, the special guests along with Subramaniam, cut the cake together. Respecting Indian traditions, Jack fed a bite of the anniversary cake to Subramaniam. In this tradition, Subramaniam reciprocated by feeding Jack a bite of the cake, to loud cheers and applause of the witnesses gathered at the event.

 

Jack [Left] and Barney [Right] presenting
the gift cheque to representative from the
National Cancer Society Malaysia

The anniversary event was made more meaningful through a Corporate Social Responsibility project in conjunction with their 88^th Anniversary celebration.

 

A cheque in the sum of RM88,000 was presented to the National Cancer Society Malaysia by Kluang RailCoffee to honour the memory of a former long-serving staff member, the late Norarizal Shah, fondly called Ijal, who lost the battle to pancreatic cancer early this year.

 

It was such a heartwarming project that I had to learn more about it from Ben who shared with me that it was Ijal who first introduced Laksa Johor to RailCoffee when he prepared this dish and served it as a staff meal.

 

Ben admitted that he was then unfamiliar with this dish and pointed out that it was also pricey as it used spaghetti as an essential ingredient instead of rice noodles. But this dish was one that everyone agreed upon and they liked it so much that a decision was made to add it into the RailCoffee menu.

 

For this CSR project, One Ringgit from the sale of each Laksa Johor since May 2026 would go towards the significant sum of RM88,000 to be raised and donated to the National Cancer Society Malaysia.

 

With the support of customers and regulars, RailCoffee met this targeted sum and was pleased to present this gift to the representative from the National Cancer Society Malaysia at the event. This sum was made up of RM38,048.50 from Laksa Johor, RM41, 576.50 from Kluang RailCoffee merchandise and RM8,375 from RailCoffee Cares Shirt.

 

One for the album: The Kluang RailCoffee
team with a memento of their CSR project

Yes, this Laksa Johor-with-a-story was served in the buffet spread along with other dishes, for guests to savour at their anniversary celebration. For a sweet ending, there were chilled pudding and slices of that anniversary cake, for dessert.

 

Congratulations to the Lim family on your 88^th Anniversary! It was my pleasure and privilege to be associated with Kluang RailCoffee for the past 20 years and I wish you every success in growing your brand further in the next 20 years and beyond.

 

The Kluang RailCoffee kopitiam is located within the charming old KTM railway station at Jalan Station, 86000 Kluang, Johor. Check social media for their list of other locations in and outside of Johor.

The Straits Spa is now open!

I had a smooth drive from Johor Bahru city to The Straits Resorts Medini and joined invited guests to witness the official opening of The Straits Spa in an elegant afternoon celebration with an immersive experience, inspired by the rich heritage of Baba Nyonya culture.

 

Elvira Tan [Right] with Karen Leow [Left] 
at the entrance to The Straits Spa

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of a sneak peek into The Straits Resorts, a wellness-focussed senior living resort, designed with wellness facilities and spa. So when I received the invitation to the official opening of the spa, I did not hesitate to accept.

 

As its name describes, the décor and vibe in The Straits Resorts celebrate the cultural character of the Straits and the spa opening celebration was presented with traditional Malaysian artistry, hospitality, wellness and culinary experiences.

 

A display of Nyonya Kebaya in the lobby
of The Straits Resorts Medini, Iskandar Puteri

The Dress Code on the invitation to this event indicated, Nyonya Baba/Batik-inspired Smart Casual so many guests arrived dressed in elegant Nyonya Kebaya with accessories like shiny kerongsang and flowers that adorned their sanggul siput.

 

I did my best to follow the theme and wore my long Batik skirt matched with a buttoned-up White blouse.

 

Founder & CEO of The Straits Resorts Pte Ltd, Elvira Tan, warmly welcomed guests and was pleased to share her vision for The Straits Spa, a wellness centre run in partnership with the experienced team in Mama Glow.

 

Guests having their complimentary
15-minute shoulder massage treatment

I was introduced to Karen Leow of Mama Glow who invited me over to a section of the event hall where therapists were giving guests a 15-minute shoulder massage treatment. When I saw the smiles on the guests who just had their treatments, I did not need any persuasion to take my seat in front of the therapist.

 

In a quick chat with Adeline, the therapist who gave me this brief treatment, I learnt that they applied acupressure therapy, a traditional Chinese therapy used to relieve pain, stress and anxiety, with a blend of Asian-style therapies in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

 

This special feature of the opening event gave guests an opportunity to enjoy a complimentary 15-minute massage treatment, just to sample the Spa experience.

 

Meanwhile selected guests were treated to an exclusive one-hour massage therapy that provided them with a deeper and more immersive introduction to the Spa’s signature treatments.

Elvira Tan, presenting her opening speech

“We are delighted to officially open The Straits Spa and share this special occasion with our guests, partners and friends.

 

The celebration was designed to reflect what we value deeply at The Straits Resorts Medini – Malaysian hospitality, cultural heritage, meaningful experiences and the art of caring for our guests,” said Elvira Tan, in her opening speech.

 

“We look forward to welcoming many more guests to The Straits Spa and creating moments of relaxation, discovery and well-being for them.

 

The opening celebration is a fitting reflection of The Straits Resorts’ vision to create experiences that go beyond accommodation and dining, bringing together wellness, culture, cuisine and hospitality in ways that are authentic, memorable and distinctly Malaysian.

 

Elvira Tan [Left] taking 
guests on a tour of the spa
 

The Straits Spa at The Straits Resorts Medini welcomes guests to discover its range of wellness experiences and signature massage therapies — offering a tranquil space in which the timeless traditions of Malaysian hospitality meet the contemporary art of wellbeing,” she added.

 

In her opening address, Karen spoke on the importance of wellness and the shared commitment to creating meaningful experiences for guests at The Straits Spa.

 

The official opening was marked by a ribbon cutting ceremony at the entrance to The Straits Spa officiated by Elvira Tan and Karen Leow, followed by an invitation for guests to explore and embark on a journey of relaxation and rejuvenation in the spa.

 

Inside The Straits Spa, guests learnt about the concept of ‘the art of wellness’ and were introduced to the artistry and philosophy behind the Spa’s signature massage therapies, with an invitation to experience first-hand the care, techniques and attention to detail in each treatment.

 

The event continued at The Straits Brasserie where a sumptuous Peranakan High Tea was specially prepared for guests.

 

Inspired by the rich culinary traditions of the Peranakan community, the spread complemented the Nyonya theme of the celebration and provided guests with an opportunity to savour a selection of delicacies in an elegant setting.

 

One of the most anticipated moments of the celebration was a captivating live performance by renowned celebrity, dubbed the Dapor Diva, Chef Shirley Tay.

 

Chef Shirley Tay, the Dapor Diva
demonstrating the art of making
Nasi Ulam, a traditional salad

Known for her engaging approach to Peranakan food and culture, Chef Shirley Tay entertained guests with a lively singing performance with songs from the 60’s before demonstrating the art to preparing Nasi Ulam, a traditional salad.

 

This interactive segment brought together music, storytelling and culinary heritage, for guests to experience a memorable taste of Malaysia’s rich food culture.

 

Guests had the opportunity to win attractive lucky draw prizes such as spa, rooms and dining vouchers that will let them have the opportunity to continue their experience at The Straits Resorts beyond the opening event.

 

The celebration concluded on a warm and appreciative note, with every guest receiving a special token of appreciation to take home. In addition, guests also had the opportunity to purchase specially curated Spa vouchers at exclusive opening-day promotional rates.

 

With an emphasis on personalised wellness, signature massage therapies and thoughtful hospitality, The Straits Spa aims to offer its residents and guests a sanctuary where they can pause, reconnect and experience the restorative qualities of wellness in an environment inspired by the beauty and heritage of the region.

 

The Straits Resorts Medini is located within the Afiniti Medini, No. 3 Jalan Medini Utara 4, Medini Iskandar, 79100 Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia.

 

For enquiries and appointments, send your message via WhatsApp to Tel: +65 8819 7222 or email to: contact@thestraitsresorts.com

 

For more information, visit website: thestraitsresorts.com

Showcase of Hard Rock collectibles

 

Seven years ago in July 2019, I had the privilege to experience the first showcase of Hard Rock pins at an exciting event hosted by the Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast.

 

Hard Rock collectors showing off what they
received from the final round of Blind Trading

This August, I was back at the Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast again to enjoy a showcase of Malaysia’s largest Hard Rock Collectibles, an event for collectors to connect and trade, and for fans to explore and enjoy.

 

This time, the showcase not only featured pin collections but a wide range of Hard Rock collectibles like land-yards, soft toys, shot glasses, bottle-openers, fridge magnets, drum-sticks, tankards and T-shirts, among other rare Hard Rock souvenirs from Hard Rock hotel, casino and café destinations the world over.

 

While the inaugural event was held in the Constant Grind with 10 collectors, this year’s event of a record-breaking 12,898 collectibles displayed by 21 collectors, just required a larger space. So the event was held in Sessions, also located on Level One of the Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast.

 

Hard Rock pins displayed on
Raffique Hashim's black jacket

It was my pleasure to join fans and the collectors’ community from Malaysia, Singapore and Japan, to check out the wide range of Hard Rock memorabilia and chat with some of the collectors for stories on their passion for Hard Rock and their journey in collecting.

 

While the majority were male collectors, there were four lady collectors who were equally keen about Hard Rock collectibles. They were, Satomi from Japan, Noor Asmah Mohd Nawawi from Ipoh, Grace Chiam from Penang and Nanny Van Berlo from Kuala Lumpur.

 

As I met with the avid collectors, I discovered that many were with family members and that their families bonded from a shared passion for Hard Rock collectibles.

 

Seated close to Nanny Van Berlo was a giant soft toy teddy bear from Hard Rock Kuala Lumpur which she said, has a place of honour in her study room at home. Back home, her vast collection of cuddly small teddy bears on display – a total of 97 – were carefully stored within glass cabinets.

 

Nanny Van Berlo with her sons,
Raffique [Left] and Tarquin [Right]

Her enthusiasm for Hard Rock collectibles must have rubbed off on her two sons, Raffique Hashim and Tarquin Hashim, who each have their own range of Hard Rock collectibles on display. In addition to a large collection on display in the showcase, Raffique was wearing some 180 pins, proudly pinned on his Hard Rock black jacket.

 

His brother Tarquin, fondly called Mr T, shared that his interest in collecting was ignited when he observed how his brother negotiated while trading a Hard Rock collectible.

 

Himself a drummer, Mr T showed me his large collection of Hard Rock drumsticks and said that the first set of drumsticks he acquired was from Hard Rock Honolulu, followed by the next set from Hard Rock Hollywood.

 

Among his favourites in his collection of Hard Rock pins must be the series that featured drumkits, big bikes, and skull & bones.

 

A rare set of Hard Rock Monopoly
board game and Hard Rock
Studebaker retro transistor radio

I lingered longer with Mr T because I spotted rare Hard Rock collectibles among his range of Hard Rock memorabilia in a set of Hard Rock Monopoly board game and a Hard Rock Studebaker retro transistor radio that featured AM/FM bands.

 

At the first Hard Rock collectors’ event in 2019, I met with two Johorean collectors and was delighted to meet them again, this time accompanied by their respective families who were equally enthusiastic about their treasure trove of Hard Rock collectibles.

 

While Durai Rajah Naghaya was with his wife, Sarojini, daughters, Kastury and Vhinosha with two of their cousins, Azri Abdullah was with his wife, Alia, and sons, Djibril and Ebrahim.

 

I was particularly impressed by Azri’s collection of Hard Rock pins in the Pink October theme. Since meeting Azri with his family in 2019, his sons have grown into sturdy young men who share a keen interest in collecting Hard Rock memorabilia.

 

Azri Abdullah with his sons,
Djibril [Left] and Ebrahim [Right]
 

Kastury, daughter of Durai Rajah, said that when she was old enough to understand her father’s passion in Hard Rock collectibles, she developed her own interest in the same and continues to support him at collectors’ events such as this.

 

She pointed to a set of Hard Rock pins creatively arranged within a frame among her father’s collection on display and said that it was the first of their many father-daughter projects.

 

Kastury said her father Durai Rajah, who plays the classical guitar, probably received his first Hard Rock collectible in a gift of a Hard Rock pin in the guitar design from a friend who went abroad.

 

Meanwhile, Kelvin Foo from Kuala Lumpur was pleased to showcase his collection of Hard Rock shot glasses. His collection started long before the age of social media and if he was not able to travel to Hard Rock destinations, he could only acquire his collectibles through buying online via the eBay shopping platform.

 

Noor Asmah Mohd Nawawi with
envelope, ready for Blind Trading

He laughed when I asked if his family was as keen as he was on Hard Rock memorabilia but was happy that his wife leaves him to indulge in his own passion.

 

Noor Asmah Mohd Nawawi recalled that the first Hard Rock pin and magnet that sparked off her interest in collecting, were gifts from a friend who presented her with them after her travels to Europe. These items are more precious now because this friend had since passed on.

 

Some 20 years ago, Noor Asmah started trading her items by post and her collection of Hard Rock pins and magnets gradually expanded. In fact, the collection she brought along to this showcase was just a fraction of her whole collection at home.

 

Just as Noor Asmah and I were chatting, we heard an announcement for the Blind Trading happening at the top of the hour and collectors were invited to prepare the item they wished to trade and place it inside an envelope.

 

Collectors holding up their envelopes, all set
to pass them from hand-to-hand in the first
round of the Blind Trading

One of the event highlights for the collectors was an activity dubbed, Blind Trading, held at intervals of one hour throughout the event.

 

I observed that this activity worked pretty much like Passing-the-Parcel, a familiar party game where the parcel – in this instance, the envelopes with the Hard Rock item within – were passed from hand-to-hand around the circle of collectors while the music was playing. When the music stopped, the envelope that ended in their hands will belong to that collector.

 

The final round of the Blind Trading was done differently. All the envelopes were placed on a table while the collectors formed a queue for their turn to pick up the envelope of their choice from the table.

 

Showing off what they got from the
Blind Trading; Kabilarasan Rajan [Left]
 and Mohd Ruzaini AKA Zoroyz [Right]

It was fun to watch for their expressions when each collector opened their envelope to discover what was inside. Some were absolutely thrilled while some were no-so-thrilled by what they got from the Blind Trade.

 

I understand from collectors that they usually bought interesting pins or magnets in duplicates as the extra pieces will go into their collection for trading with other collectors.

 

Conversely, there were some limited-edition pins or magnets that celebrate an official opening or anniversary of Hard Rock hotels, cafes or casinos, which are definite keepsakes that collectors may never part with. Such rare pieces were a pride to own and a pleasure to show-off to fans and fellow collectors at events like this.

 

At the close of the event, the organisers at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast hinted that next year’s edition of a similar showcase will feature more international participants, a limited-edition pin drop and more fan experiences.

Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast is located at Jalan Pantai 3, Desaru Coast, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor.  Tel: +607 838 8888

For info on more events and promotions at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, visit website: www.hardrockhoteldesaru.com

Celebrating 80 years of Hua Mui

 

From 1946 to 2026 – a total of 80 years – Hua Mui, a landmark restaurant in the heart of Johor Bahru’s heritage quarter, has been serving countless cups of coffee, slices of kaya toast, platters of signature Hainanese chicken chop and a menu of local favourites to generations of diners. 

 

Goodie bags for guests on their
80th Anniversary celebration

Fans of Hua Mui who have relocated elsewhere still stop by for a drink or meal at Hua Mui whenever they were in Johor Bahru for a visit. Such a stopover at Hua Mui – I was told – was mandatory for many Johoreans who missed its familiar charm and menu of comfort food.

 

The eighth day of August (8.8) in 2026 was the auspicious date picked to host their 80^th Anniversary celebration, held in their flagship restaurant situated at the corner where Jalan Trus meets with Jalan Dhoby.

 

Due to the fans’ demand and to introduce their brand of food and drinks to newbies, Hua Mui has opened outlets within malls as well as in standalone shops in residential areas of the city suburbs.

 

Facade of Hua Mui Restaurant with the
event tent set up by its side on Jalan Dhoby

Yet their flagship restaurant in downtown Johor Bahru remains a magnet for diners who appreciate the heritage charm of a traditional kopitiam that continues to serve satisfied customers since 1946.

 

For this anniversary celebration, a section of Jalan Dhoby adjacent to the restaurant, was closed to vehicular traffic for a tent to be set up there for that morning’s event.

 

The weather was bright and sunny as I joined the throng of business partners, family, friends and regular customers, who were also making a beeline to this event tent.

 

The old signage at the shop front

In the sheltered space within the tent, a small stage was arranged with seven Chinese drums, a familiar sight which indicated that this special occasion will be aptly celebrated by a dramatic drumming show in the art of the 24 Festive Drums.

 

While waiting for the VIPs to arrive, I wandered into the kopitiam to meet with the cousins Jeremy and Glen Chiang, third generation operators of this family business, and offered them my heartiest congratulations on such a milestone celebration.

 

Established in 1946 by their grandfather, Chiang Kia Boon, business operations flourished in the 1980s under the next generation helmed by David Chiang. Fondly called Uncle David, he soon earned the enviable reputation as the Face of Hua Mui.

 

This old wooden staircase
is still in use at Hua Mui

When his son, Jeremy, and cousin Glen, took over the business in the 2000s, it was only natural for Uncle David to receive the honour as brand ambassador of Hua Mui.

 

I often wondered about the original name of Hua Mui and when I looked at the old signage hung above the shopfront, I read that its spelling read as, Hwa Mui.

 

I was sure that their name in Chinese characters remained consistent but as I had observed that the name, Hua Mui or Hwa Mui, were used over the years, I had to find out why.

 

[Later over refreshments, I had the opportunity to chat with a friend from the Chinese media about this. She kindly helped to clarify that while the original name was Hwa Mui in the Hainanese dialect, they registered the business according to the Mandarin version as Hua Mui.]

 

A well-used menu at Hua Mui
 

A creaking sound caught my attention and I turned to see people moving up and down the wooden staircase that led to the dining hall upstairs. If those stairs could speak, what tales it could tell, about the generations of diners who used those same stairs, from the colonial years to modern-day Johor Bahru.

 

Built against a tiled wall – which was fashionable in a bygone era – this original wooden staircase and bannister remained unchanged except for the addition of caution stickers to guide people as they used the old staircase.

 

I saw menus on a worn-out table top and could not resist taking a closer look at a modern menu that was clearly well used, complete with wrinkled, dog-eared edges.

 

A choice of Hua Mui bread spreads

My thoughts just flashed to 2017 when I worked with the family of the Soo Peng Hang Press to publish a book to document their family’s business of a moveable type printing press in Johor Bahru.

 

I remember seeing some of the products they printed for their clients and among them was the menu for Hwa Mui Restaurant, used in the colonial era. I was rather amused to see that their menu not only listed food and beverage but also a range of hard liquor like whiskey, port and gin.

 

The restaurant has certainly come a long way since establishing itself as a landmark kopitiam in Johor Bahru. The Hua Mui brand has gone on to produce a range of products including their blend of Hainanese coffee and bread spreads like kaya or coconut jam, to enjoy on buttered toast.

 

Hainan Coconut Biscuits
were launched at the event

To celebrate its 80^th anniversary, the brand launched its latest product, a Hainanese recipe of Coconut cookie that is best savoured, paired with sips of Hainanese coffee.

 

I also spotted a range of brand merchandise to commemorate such a milestone celebration but before I could look closer, the event’s programme was about to begin so I quickly found my seat under that tent just as the VIPs arrived and the drummers took their places behind their drums.

 

The celebration kicked off with the thunderous sound of dramatic drumming in the Art of the 24 Festive Drums, a proudly Johor-born performing art that has gained worldwide recognition and was nominated by the Malaysian government for the 2026 UNESCO Intangible Heritage List.

 

The highlight of the event, at least to me, was the speech by Uncle David, the brand ambassador of Hua Mui who ably delivered an inspiring speech in his inimitable style.

 

After the salutations, he expressed his appreciation to loyal customers and for the unwavering support from staff. He was pleased that Hua Mui was not just a restaurant but has become part of the community as an iconic Johor heritage destination. In closing, he made a promise to continue the Hainanese legacy and preserve the kopitiam culture till the next generation and beyond.

 

Uncle David flanked by
Jeremy and Glen with VIP guests
at the cake-cutting ceremony

The event continued with a gimmick that released balloons and as in all birthdays and anniversaries, there was a cake-cutting ceremony.

 

Pleased that my position was close enough to watch the team unpack the celebration cake, I managed to capture a close-up view of this masterpiece specially created by Master Baker, Chef Ryan, to commemorate Hua Mui’s milestone 80^th anniversary celebration.

 

The cake décor featured various elements including the familiar façade of Hua Mui Restaurant with a classic Volkswagen Beetle parked outside, three postage stamps that represent a bygone era of postal services for correspondence, and an iconic cup and saucer of Hainanese coffee as well as a platter of their signature chicken chop.

 

[Later during our time for refreshments, slices of this celebration cake were served and I had the privilege to have a taste of this light and delectable cake.]

 

The 80^th anniversary of Hua Mui was an excellent opportunity to savour a Hua Mui Signature chicken chop, in a choice made with either Fried or Grilled chicken.

 

I, however, opted to celebrate with a taste of their 80^th Anniversary Chicken Chop. And when it was served, I was delighted to see that they still served food with a side of Lingham’s Chili Sauce (in sachets), in a typically Malaysian way for diners to enjoy this dish. [No, I did not use the chili but returned it to them.]

 

A serving of the
80th Anniversary Chicken Chop

When I sank my teeth into the familiar taste of Hua Mui’s Hainanese-style chicken chop, it was a taste of sheer nostalgia worth the sum of eighty years, one that had pleased the palates of generations of diners and will go on to gain new generations of fans as the legacy of Hua Mui lives on in Johor Bahru.

 

Congratulations Hua Mui Restaurant on your 80^th Anniversary! Sending you my best wishes for every success now, into the next eighty years and beyond!

 

Restoran Hua Mui Johor Bahru is at No. 131 Jalan Trus, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor.

Their central kitchen is certified by JAKIM and specific modern outlets are certified Halal while the older and legacy outlets are traditionally Halal. Tel: +607 224 7364. For more information, visit website: www.huamui.com