Ah Ma TeoChew Kuih (阿嬷潮州糕) is a heritage cafe chain in Johor Bahru specialising in authentic, handmade, traditional Teochew kuihs and popular Malaysian delights. It has several outlets in Johor Bahru with the flagship outlet located along Jalan Trus, next to Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk.
Ah Ma TeoChew Kuih’s other outlets, with dine-in, are located in Eco Botanic, AEON Mall Tebrau City and Citrine Hub. In 2024, an outlet was opened in Taman Century, opposite KSL City Mall.
Ah Ma TeoChew Kuih offers a wide range of kuihs, including Teochew kuihs, Hokkien kuihs, fried snacks, etc, and creamless cakes under different categories on its menu to go with traditional beverages. In addition, there are a wide selection of local dishes, including char kway teow, nasi lemak, Teochew porridge, curry noodle, curry chicken with turmeric rice, etc, and special beverages.
Teochew kuihs are the cafe’s main highlight and definitely a must to try. On our first visit, we tried two types of peach-shaped kuihs called Teochew yam kuih (潮州芋头桃粿) and Teochew rice kuih (潮州饭桃粿), a bowl of Teochew oh ni (潮州芋泥), a yam kuih (芋头糕), and also ku chai kuih (韭菜菜粿), mang kuang kuih (芒光菜粿) and golden bun with oh ni (黄金芋泥包) — each in 2 pieces per order. For mixed kuihs, we selected pulut tai tai (蓝花饭), thousand layers matcha kuih (千层抹茶糕) and baked cassava kuih (烤木薯糕) to make an order of 3 pieces per set.
Top-left: The mixed kuihs may be accompanied by a small dish of Ah Ma’s homemade kaya for eating with any unsweetened kuihs, especially the blue, mild-sweet Pulut Tai Tai (蓝花饭) that is made with glutinous rice and flavoured using butterfly pea flowers. The Thousand Layers Matcha Kuih (千层抹茶糕) and Baked Cassava Kuih (烤木薯糕) have nice flavours of matcha and cassava respective with mellow sweetness.
Top-right: The Yam Kuih (芋头糕), topped with crispy fried shallots and fresh chopped shallots, is accompanied by Ah Ma’s special chilli sauce that is made with finely-minced garlic and a trace of lemongrass flavour. The yam cake with the chilli sauce is flavourful, spicy and must-try!
Bottom-left: The Golden Bun Oh Ni (黄金芋泥包), or fried bun with yam paste, is served with chilli sauce too — a unique combo for sweet pastries. The fried buns contain lava yam fillings (oh ni) that is mild-sweet and the chilli sauce contributes its spiciness and additional flavours.
Bottom-right: The Teochew Oh Ni (潮州芋泥), added with some ginkgo nuts, is a mild-sweet dessert with nice yam flavour. This is great as a companion to any meals or as a dessert itself for afternoon tea / coffee break.
Top-left: The Teochew Yam Kuih (潮州芋头桃粿) and Teochew Rice Kuih (潮州饭桃粿) are soft and with distinct flavours of the ingredients within. It is also accompanied by Ah Ma’s special chilli sauce.
Top-right: The greenish Ku Chai Kuih (韭菜菜粿) and yellowish Mang Kuang Kuih (芒光菜粿) have tastes and flavours of chive and turnip respectively. In Chaozhou (Teochew), these are known as “no-rice kuihs” since tapioca flour is used instead of rice flour in the skins and usually served fried to enhance flavours and texture.
Bottom-left: The Curry Puffs (咖喱角) are served hot and have crispy, flaky crusts with mashed potato fillings that have distinct flavours of the spices used and is mildly spicy.
Bottom-right: The Curry Sandwich (咖喱三文治) has the same filling as the curry puffs but added with lettuce. The white bread is thick and yet very soft. It offers a softer texture from the curry puffs.
Aside from kuihs, we/I also tried their local dishes subsequently:
Top-left: One of Ah Ma’s recommended dishes is Char Kuey Teow with Fresh Prawns & Cockles (鲜虾鲜蛤炒粿条) with fresh cockles and fresh prawns, of course, sliced fishcake, egg and beansprouts fried with slim-flat rice noodle (similar to Ipoh sar hor fun). The savoury dish is non-oily and indeed delicious.
Top-right: The new-launched Herbal Chicken with Rice (药材鸡饭) comes with a big , tender chicken thigh meat well-cooked in flavourful herbal broth with just-right herbal flavour, not too light nor too strong. This dish may be seasonal or outlet-specific.
Bottom: The soup-based Ah Ma Chicken Kuey Teow Soup (阿嬷鸡丝粿条汤) comes with shredded chicken, slices of fish cake and garnished with spring onions and lots of fried shallots in a bowl of kuey teow soup. It is lightly flavoured and is great as first meal of the day. For more flavours, go for the dry-tossed version, Ah Ma Chicken Mee (干捞鸡丝面), in dark sauce (bottom-right).
For beverages, Ah Ma’s signature coffees and special drinks are not to miss.
Top-left: Ah Ma Signature Coffee (阿嬷特调咖啡) has a strong unique taste that seems like traditional kopi finely blended with dark chocolate — it tastes similar to Hor Ga Sai coffee (虎咬狮) with low sweetness.
Top-right: The 400 Dalgona Coffee (400次咖啡) is an iced coffee and offers an experience that is different from drinking latte. The sweetened coffee is whisked or hand-beaten until it frothed and then added onto iced milk — in lattes, the milk is frothed rather than the coffee.
Bottom-left: The Red Bean Smoothie (红豆冰沙) is a crushed-iced beverage that has rich red bean flavour with subtle sweetness.
Bottom-right: The new Signature Coffee with Oh Ni (芋泥咖啡) is Ah Ma’s traditional kopi added with yam paste. It is an iced beverage of low sweetness too. Use the straw to suck the gooey yam paste at the bottom of the cup and the strong coffee will flow with it. It is a unique experience.
Apart from eating-in at the cafes, most of the traditional kuihs, yam cake, rice dumplings and homemade condiments can be purchased as take-aways from Ah Ma TeoChew Kuih’s push carts outside the cafes, or standalone kiosks in major shopping malls.
More: JB Buy: Ah Ma TeoChew Kuih (阿嬷潮州糕) Traditional Kuihs & Pastries
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Tan Hiok Nee Outlet:
13, Jalan Trus, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
7:30am to 5pm | Closed on Monday
How to Get There:
Take a walk or “Plan B”. Read JB Bus: To Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk.
Taman Century / KSL City Outlet:
45, Jalan Serigala, Taman Century, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
7:30am to 6pm | Closed on Monday
How to Get There:
From JB Sentral, take BAS.MY J100 to KSL City Mall. Read JB Bus: To KSL City Mall in Taman Century.
Nearby:
More @ Tan Hiok Nee Walk:
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