Best Char Siew in Johor Bahru (JB)

Oh so glorious Char Siew. This barbequed goodness served with fragrant rice and chili is certainly a compulsory entry on your list. The juicy cuts of meat are laden with a thick and sweet sauce that gives your mouth an explosion of sweet and savoury flavours. A dish so balanced with its texture and flavour deserves your immediate attention. 

This huge ochre coloured restaurant is renowned for their boastful array of meats as well as other comfort dishes. Their char siew pork guarantees a jaw workout till you’re chock-full, as it's downright delicious. With little burst speckles that just bursts with flavours, enveloping meat that is tender for all ages to devour, it’s an exemplary. Dabble in their spicy sauce and pair the glistening pieces with their pearl rice. The cube-like version has the right proportion of crispy skin, fatty sheet and lean meat. 

Habitually bustling with guzzlers, this restaurant is fairly a carnivore’s dream come true. It’s easily spotted with two gigantic earthen urns, where their signature Tonic Soup is kept, makes a notable part of the façade. Their BBQ crystal char siew is worth the calories and waiting time, with crispy skin on the outside and be full of juices and flavour inside. A sprinkle of sesame seeds adds a delightful nibble and its best paired with a mound of rice, a combination which is hard to resist. 

As per the name, their roasted duck usually steals the limelight, however, their roasted pork is not to be missed. The char siew has a crackling crust on the outside and tender on the inside, with a tinge of sweetness from the honey. Another version is a little plump, with a thick layer of fat sandwiched between the meat and crisp skin, equally commendable. Massage those gorgeous morsels with steamed white rice, drenched with rich soy sauce, the perfect combo.  

This humble restaurant has settled as a comfort food pit stop for patrons, especially during lunch hours. The full-of-life meaty section is armed with an arsenal of roasted duck, chicken and char siew, brimming with rich mahogany colour, that tingles your taste buds straight away. Crisp-skinned with charred goodness scattered across, the tender pork is expertly roasted, oozing with smoky flavours at each mouthful and the soy sauce drizzled above isn’t overpowering. Give a break to rice, opt for their Wan Tan noodles to act as a bouncy bed for the impeccable morsels. 

This is not your ordinary Wan Tan Mee eatery, where Char Siew seems to be a part of the meal. This humble and no frills restaurant’s char siew is most sainted among the locals and it never fails to amaze your palate. The blissfully roasted meat hits the sweet spot between juicy, savoury and crunchy, offering a mouthful a flavour that leaves you wanting more. It’s usually layered on a nest of ethereal noodles imbued with dark soy sauce and sprinkled with chopped spring onions. Slurp up the bowl clean. 

This commodious eatery is well-regarded as one of the finest space to quell your craving for roasted duck and pork. You can choose your succulent pork slivers to be paired with rice, wan tan mee or all own its own. The meat is suffused with tons of flavours and the caramalised coating on the outside complements the tender meat beneath. Bargain seekers, you’ll leave grinning from ear to ear, and wouldn’t hesitate for another platter. Dip in their homemade chili concoction for a dose of heat. 

Glazed to perfection are some of the words used to describe the Char Siew here at Meng Meng. Apart from their Roasted Duck, their sweet and savoury barbequed meat is also a favourite choice here, especially when served with rice and various dishes. Each bite reveals a crackling exterior which implodes into a tender, juicy, and utmost succulent meat. Now, this is what Char Siew should be like. 

Sweet and soft. These two words are best used to describe the char siew here in Seng Kee Chicken Rice, Damansara Uptown. The char siew is well-balanced between lean meat and fats, that leaves you with a taste of satisfaction. It is not over-burned, and the taste of the fat layers linger in your mouth, so if you're someone who just can't get enough of char siew with fat layers, this is definitely the place for you. You can also dip it in their ginger paste and chili sauce for a more unique taste.