Segamat:
A Childhood Food Tour

I came from an out-of-place town in Johor, Malaysia, called Segamat. I spent most of my childhood here during the weekends and holidays, eating (mostly eating) and playing with my cousins. When I grew up and visited my hometown less frequently, I found myself appreciating and missing the food of my hometown more and more. To the annoyance of my friends, I find myself talking about how great the food is back in my hometown. There is nothing here besides a hidden mecca of good food all over town. We will host you by force-feeding you, telling you all the stories and memories that we have that are associated with said food. The food here may not be the best in the world, but it is the best in my heart. 

Before I get started, this town can be quite inaccessible. Getting here can be easily done by the KTM train or a long bus ride from Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur. So, I would highly recommend renting a car to get here/around the town. 

Breakfast is the day’s first food (or sometimes the second). Many stalls open in the mornings and close around 1-2 pm. I wake up early at around 10 am to allow myself to have a 1-hour digestion time between meals and catch most of the good food that only opens in the morning. 

A taste of parental love: Let’s start with Zhang Yi Ji Wanton Mee. My parents used to bring my sis and I here as a kid. I associate it with love, bringing me back to my childhood days when everything is more carefree. It may not be the best in the world but is the best in my heart. This specific brand of Wanton Mee has multiple branches in the town. The outlet I am recommending is not the “OG” outlet, but one of their newer outlets.

The auntie is a friend of my dad. She regularly does not charge me for my noodles, so I always have to find ways to pay for my meal secretly. I have to take her photo secretly and hope she does not recognize me after two years of not meeting due to the stupid COVID pandemic. Luckily, she did not remember me, and I managed to pay for my first wanton mee back home after the pandemic, so that’s a victory for me. The noodle is springy, and the sauce is comforting and heavy on the soy sauce, a bit on the blacker side, which is more common in Malaysia. This noodle is comforting and is something I hold dear to my heart. I would like to bring more people here to patronize this place to pay back the many times she did not take my money.

A taste of family time: Leong Kee Bak Kut Teh is somewhere I sit down with my family and bond over a good meal. As time passed, family meals became rarer; however, without fail, my family would always sit down here together and have a meal. Bak Kut Teh in Malaysia is a soup made with herbs and pork ribs. We always order the bak kut teh soup without meat, which is not our favourite item on the menu. Our favourite thing on the menu is called the Bak Kee Soup. It is a clear soup filled with tofu, small pieces of meat coated in corn starch, Pig innards and spring onions. The pork gives a very soft texture thanks to the corn starch coating. And the soup is always light but flavourful. We pair this with Yam Rice, which makes this place interesting as most businesses serve white rice instead. Another favourite is the braised pork trotters, a must-have when eating Bak Kut Teh. It is essential to have Bak Kut Teh and pork trotters, or it will not feel like a complete meal. The meal reminds me of the good times when my family could sit down and have a meal together. I am sharing this place as I hope you can bring your family and have a meal together.

A taste of childhood:  I remember as a kid always asking my parents to buy my unhealthy sweet stuff like candy.  Without fail, I will always ask my parents to buy me Kaya balls when we walk in the Pasar Pagi (Morning market). Kaya balls are the Malaysian version of a Takoyaki, where instead of an Octopus, we put a sweet coconut jam called kaya. 

The ball is soft, and once you bite it, kaya oozes out and sometimes it will burn my mouth. I often scream that it’s hot and put another in my mouth once the heat cools off. To me, this snack brings back memories of those days when life is simpler, and the only thing we worry about is our spelling test marks. So walk in the morning market, snack with kaya balls, reminisce the days when life is more carefree and revive your childhood smiles. 

After such a heavy breakfast, I do not think most of us will have space for lunch. Similarly to many here, lunch is lighter than breakfast; we are way too full for breakfast. Lunch, to me, is to satisfy my cravings and savour what this town offers.

A taste of shock and adaptation: The first time I had authentic Chee Cheong Fun (A steamed rice roll smothered in a light soy/sweet chilli sauce) was when I was 18. I was shocked as I did not expect the original version is so different. I was not used to seeing a dish I had my entire life be so different. The version I had in Malaysia growing up is usually smothered in a thick sweet sauce that is mixed with their house-made chilli sauce (for those who fancy a spicy kick) and topped with preserved radish. It pays homage to the original sweet chilli version but is adapted to local ingredients, culture and tastes. In my hometown, ingredients like popiah, fried prawn crackers and fishballs are added to make it seem like a Malay dish called Rojak (mix in Malay). It is nowhere traditional and can be considered blasphemy towards the original dish. Nonetheless, it is what many of us grew up with and what I associate what Chee Cheong Fun is.

More varieties, such as curry Chee Cheong Fun can be found in the city of Ipoh. This dish shows how our ancestors took food from their homelands and used influences from the local cultures, ingredients and tastes to create and adapt to what they had back home.

A taste of division: Cendol topped with red beans is what I crave to cool down in a freaking hot place like Segamat. Cendol is the name of the green pandan jelly that looks like tadpoles. It is a shaved ice dessert with coconut milk and Gula Melaka. There is an ongoing divide between my paternal and maternal families regarding which Cendol is better in our hometown, Cendol Segar Amat vs BS Cendol. For me, the victory goes to Cendol Segar Amat, a roadside food stall outside a supermarket. I just find it better. And have a better coconut milk flavour and is more fragrant. The divide between the best stall within my family is alike Pat’s vs Geno’s for Philly cheesesteak and the “which Chicken rice is the best” debate in Singapore. Every relative of mine will bring us to either one of the shops they prefer. Food and taste are to each their own, and that food rivalry is a worldwide language. Whichever we prefer is not wrong, and everyone’s taste is different. And we should respect each other’s taste. Ok, I was Just kidding. Cendol Segar Amat is best, and all your other opinions are wrong (Fight me).

After a light lunch, a good dinner is well deserving. Dinner and Supper culture is huge in Malaysia, and we will talk about anything and everything under the moon during these meals. Sometimes, we watch sports together at the Mamak (usually badminton or soccer in Malaysia). And other times, we talk about our childhood memories. 

A taste of victory: My family will engage in celebratory gambling every Chinese New Year. We gamble with our relatives and friends, young or old, to celebrate the festivities of the Chinese New Year and catch up on the year we did not meet. There will always be one lucky winner every year—the person who would somehow be on a winning streak. The victor in my family would always buy supper for everyone. Our supper would always be the noodles from Saufi Anim. It’s cooked in a sweet soy sauce called Kicap Manis, and we would always pair it with their sambal chilli. We have no idea what to call this dish, but in my family, we would call it Malay Noodles. It’s sweet, savoury, spicy and just a huge favour bomb. Add their rendang chicken if noodles aren’t enough. Their Nasi Lemak is good, too, from what I heard from my grand aunt.  It’s been a comforting bowl of noodles for my family and me since my dad was a kid. 

A taste of National Pride: When I talk about Malaysia, I always say one of the must-do’s is eating at a Mamak. Mamak is usually an Indian-Muslim food place, selling various foods and drinks. Malaysian-Indian food is usually served here, like Roti Canai, Maggi Goreng and Teh Tarik, aka Pulled tea (Our National Drink). We Malaysians are proud of our Mamaks. And the roadsides Mamaks usually serve local communities for people around the area. It is also where we Malaysians sit and gather with our friends and talk about everything under the moon. My go-to meals at a Mamak are usually Maggi Goreng and Teh Tarik. But only in my hometown would I order Roti Canai. It’s crispy and soft and I feel pride in my home. There are no must-go’s. Most of them are. All of them are beautiful to my eyes. 

Everything, Everywhere, All at once: Ong Gi is a mobile candy store owner that encompasses everything this article says. He has been selling  to the kids in my family, for generations. He is the backbone of the community. All of the kids know him and remember him to this day.  We buy our sweet treats from him with our parents and relatives. We win a game, and we buy from him. Our parents show us love by buying candy for us from here. I recall us picking the candy from his truck, riding on my relative’s motorcycle, and eating all the candy I bought. I cannot end a food tour inspired by my childhood without him being inside. He represents love, family, friends, youth and community. He is one of my kampung’s most important men, and I respect him for being the person who ties everyone together. 

“Those memories and stories make food delicious and a universal language.”

When I talk about food, I talk about how food is associated with memories and stories. I feel food provides comfort and a common ground for everyone to bond. The ones I recommended are not all the food that holds great importance to me. Other dishes include Ramly burger, Char Kuey Teow and Teochew Kuey Teow. Dishes some stalls are closed and lost due to the fabric of time. With no one to take over.  Food is a universal language to all. And many of us probably have certain stories they associate with stalls and dishes. This is mine. This is my story. And I hope this article allows you to remember those beautiful stories the next time you eat at your favourite stalls.