As we step into December the winter season, there has been weather predictions of the temperature dipping to 22 degrees in Singapore. While it is time to bring out those thick clothing, it is also time to keep the body warm with some hot stuff like curry fish head. Kam Long Ah Zai Fish Head Curry is popular amongst the locals in Johor Bahru and there are long queues during meal times as well as constant crowds coming by to order raw take away to heat up at home.
The coffee shop is quite small and very traditional and old school with a seating capacity of 5 to 6 tables. Be prepared to share tables with other diners if there is only 2 of you since most of the tables are quite huge. The front of the shop houses a small cooking area where clay pot of curry is being heated up and piles of fish heads are ready for cooking in huge plastic tubs.
Before you get seated, the person at the stove will ask you for your order. There are a few options to choose and for those who prefer the fish tail which has more meat, do come early since it gets sold out by 1-2pm. The large pot for fish head is at MYR 53 and you can add extra vegetables and bean curd skin.
The large pot comes with plentiful of bean curd skin and vegetable as well as 2 halves of a fish head. The size of the fish head is rather small therefore the meat is not as much as the fish tail which explains the popularity of the fish tail.
The fish is generally very fresh and the curry had nice flavours but we all found it too thin. The gravy was not thick and fragrant enough. We found a lacking of the coconut sweetness and fragrant from the gravy.
Overall, we waited about 15 mins to get a table and another 10 mins to get the food served which is not too long but personally, I do not feel the quality of the curry is good enough to warrant a 25 mins wait. However, this could also be how the locals like their fish head curry versus a Singaporean taste bud so it pretty much depends on your preference.
Address: 74, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Operating hours: 8 am to 4 pm, Closed on Friday
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