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